Child Benefit changes

[LongStory]

Hi - anyone else worried about losing their Child Benefit from April '13? With 5 DC here, it's not insignificant. When DH lost his job earlier this year I realised that this was stopping me from increasing my hours at work. Even if I increased my earnings by just a thousand, I'd lose the equivalent of seven thousand pre-tax. I'm an economist and this just seems insane - there's no way this is giving me an incentive to work more. The penalties are much greater for larger families.

It makes my blood boil. This is the most unfair withdrawl of benefits. So iniquitous.

We only have three dcs and will lose £188 every 4 weeks. I will notice that - how could you not? Althought the government have declared this as their plan they haven't actually enacted it yet have they?

Then don't increase your hours

what are the changes?

If you have a higher rate tax payer in your family you lose your child benefit altogther. So a family with two wage earners on just under the 40% band each can earn over £70 grand and keep their child benefit but a family with one wage earner grossing say £40 grand will lose it. It's a really crappy idea imo.

there was a campaign called, 'save our child benefit,' but they seem to have gone quiet. Am wondering if there are any other campaigns/pressure groups to get the government to re examine their plans to axe it in 2013?

JareththeGoblinKing - no I can't increase my hours as I would lose financially, alhough that was my logical initial thought when DH lost his job. Feel a bit trapped! This plus the benefit cap on families does make me cross too - it seems if you have a large family you are hit every which way - food prices, incredible house prices, benefit cap/loss, . You'd think they'd never heard of multiple pregancies or child poverty !!! The crazy thing is that I work for them on a relatively high income and always managed things well financially, but very nearly found myself homeless and broke with a large family early this year. Am back on track now, though....

It's not from April '13, it's from January '13 as the plans are currently constituted. The tax year in which this kicks in starts in less than 3 months!

Does anyone know what happens to the credits that you earn towards your state pension once they take CB away? I know that we may not get a pension when we retire, but if they are taking away my CB AND my pension credits, I am not happy.

I think it's such a bad idea - it affects such a relatively tiny number of people though (apparently) so there probably aren't enough people to get incensed by it. It's the only benefit I have ever claimed/been entitled to - makes me very annoyed that the Govt don't seem to think that being a SAHP is a worthwhile job.....

this topic makes my blood boil !!
and why is it now called child benefit ?? it used to be family allowance ??
which is what it is !!

it was brought in when 99% of mothers didnt work and fathers were not handing over there house keeping for the children , so the allowance would give children a better start !

my dad earned a packet , but my mother never saw any of it . if it wasnt for her family allowance we'd have all been bare foot and naked ( he paid the bills and food for the house , but never handed money over for school union forms!!)

making this move is a act to try and get all mothers back to work in my mind , when the goverment is allways banging on about our ( british) children been out of controll because parents are not home to parent . whats going to happen when every bodies out working ??

in my mind this is taking away a mothers right to stay home and be a mother !! to keep the "benefit" the mother has to work , sounds backwards to me ??
plus the extra expence of child care cost , esp for larger families would be through the roof !!

and just to think david cameron had us all thinking he was a family man !