Another potential chop to CB

[scaryteacher]

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/8047447/Conservative-Party-Conference-George-Osborne-to-take-another-bite-out-of-child-benefit.html

did they say where they will magic up all the extra jobs, and homes, as a lot of kids will probably have to leave home as parents will not be able to afford to keep them.
if they stop CB at 16 then you will loose HB for your 16 yr old as well as they won't count a s a dependant

Jeez, Women and Children, abandon all hope under this goverment

Ok, I know I'm going to sound really ignorant but I'm very open to being enlightened.

What USED to happen? I mean, 40 years ago? I don't think as many children stayed on at school beyond 16 as they do now, did they? And certainly many fewer people went to uni. So what did those children do when they left school? Is it more apprenticeships we need? Thing is, I don't think everyone is suited to further education and it seems to me that there an awful lot of pointless degrees out there.

But as I say, you are probably all going to leap on me and correct me, and that's fine, I'm open to it!

people left school with no qualifications and worked in factories.
but there aren't many around now.
they did apprenticeship.....not even sure if they exist now
they worked in shops, they are now like gold dust......
they went on the dole

@2shoes... you'd seriously make your child leave home for the sake of £20/week? My 17 year-old, A-level student, neighbour probably makes a bit of extra pocket money through a bit of babysitting and working one night a week at the local fast-food place. Rather than leaving home, I'm sure he'd had it over if push came to shove.

I'm not advocating sending teenagers up chimneys but £20/week would not involve anyone seeking full-time employment. If someone wants to complete their education and they're motivated, they'll find ways to do it.

Thank you, 2shoes. (And thanks for not calling me stupid!)

40 yrs ago, I think a lot of those people went down the mines, in the shipyards and in the factories and a lot of women stayed at home especially after they had their first child.

With these cuts targeting women and children the hardest so far, I think if more women were forced to leave paid employment, jobs would open up for men. It is all a part of the greater Tory conspiraceee. smirk

I wouldn't mind staying at home to look after my DCs ... if only someone would give DH a job!

Smartarse . I agree that not everyone is suited to further education and I would be happy for the new government to decide that children could still leave at 16 - and who knows maybe they will. But if they go ahead with the plan to raise the age then I don't see that cutting child benefit at 16 is fair. DD1 has just started 6th form and so she now has to pay for travel and her school books, so she costs me more this year than she did last year.
Someone will be along soon to say that 16 year olds should get part time work but that is difficult too. We live in a small town with very poor public transport links and DD has tried everywhere locally for work to no avail.

I sympathise. I also have a 16 year old who'd like a job but they are few and far between.

Chil, see above it's not just the losing of £20 a week it's that 6th form costs more.

Abs - I think you mean IDS, WH is Foreign secretary.

That's the one

Obviously can't distinguish between bald tories

6th form does cost more and it would be hard to leave a 16 yr old who is legally able to leave school, without any money. Mine has a job, not sure for how long, but EMA is very welcome.

If they did away with benefits at 16 it would certainly put off some students continuing, but what's the alternative.

Worked out we would lose around £115 a week on a very low income. We won't because it won't happen in time. But many might if they start on our 16 year olds. Pales into insignificance compared to losing £33 at £45,000 salary, with them all, shame on them.

Chil1234 I never said I would
get it right please(my ds is 18 and still at home and ds will be with me forever)
but some people will.
it isn't only £20 a week
it is loss of things like free prescriptions(god alone how much dd's would cost if I had to pay) glasses, and as I said earlier if on HB you will loose some of that too, and who knows about CTC.
it is a lot more than £20 a week

Riven, It's scary isn't it? Mine gets full EMA which pays for travel, books, lunches, extra clothes as they don't wear uniform. They haven't said anything yet about EMA so I should stop panicking.

Agree not everyone suited to A levels / uni, BUT not at all the case that those that aren't are just found in the poorest families. Bloody stupid to effectively restrict access to higher education based on your family income. Poor? Go get a job in a shop. Uni is only for wealthy children...

Yes Starlight, that ties in nicely with the news they announced last week I think about bringing private businesses into the prisons so that prisoners can train work for their keep and give some money back to their families who are -on the dole-- living on the outside.

Absolutely, Nightlark. I just meant people like me really. I'd have been completely lost at university, on many levels, despite my expensive education.