What do you do with your Child Benefit?

[emmaalwaysinadilemma]

My mum was horrified when it came up in conversation that I put half our child benefit payments aside to pay for our annual family holiday. The other half goes into a pot mainly for the DCs' clothes, and other odd bits they need. She thinks this money should be put into a savings account for them - which it would, in an ideal world, but there's no way we could afford to take them on holiday then

I'm now curious about what other people spend it on, and if my mum is right that it's a bit unfair of me to spend it on holidays?? As I said, if I didn't do this then the children would have no holidays as we simply couldn't afford it.

Ours goes straight into savings accounts for both kids which we also add to - when they're 18 they'll have a decent pot of money to help pay for university/car/house deposit/something sensible :)

@ivykaty44

I spent my child benefit on family holidays, we went camping in Spain and France and had great times, one year we managed Australia. Making memories is really important

I would really want to sit at home each year but give my children £5000 at 18... it’s not going to go far

But as part of a family budget it really helps and that’s actually what it was designed, not to save up and give the children at 18

Does it matter? As long as your not depriving your child of food or a new pair of shoes.

I get 35 a week, I standing order the 5 to a savings account and it goes towards Christmas, the 30 is just in my account and goes towards life really

It's part of weekly spends.

I'm a bit at all the people who save it. If you can afford to do that do you really need it?

@hopeishere

I'm a bit at all the people who save it. If you can afford to do that do you really need it?

But if they are entitled to have it, there is no reason for them not to have it, regardless of what they do with it.

@hopeishere

I'm a bit at all the people who save it. If you can afford to do that do you really need it?

No, clearly many many people don't need it. It's a payment given by the government to parents. The government decide the terms so don't judge people who receive.

@Phrowzunn thanks. I may have ticked that box then. I have no idea! I need to try to find out.

@alwayslatte and @PragmaticWench
You don't have to claim it at all in order to benefit from the NI thing. You just tick a box on the claims page of the website to say you want the NI benefit but don't want to receive the money- therefore no hassle with tax returns etc.

But lots of people don't get child benefit because the government said they didn't need it either.

It's only means tested by a very broad brush measure of how much you earn ie if one you earns more than £60 k (?) you don't get it
Any thing that has that sort of cut off will always have people who earn just under who will benefit

We save it in DDs account. Next year we will be over the threshold to receive it so will top up DDs savings by the same amount every month.

@hopeishere

But lots of people don't get child benefit because the government said they didn't need it either.

Yes because they are earning a lot more. Surely you wouldn’t swop a low wage for the sake of £80 a month?

If your envious that much get yourself a lower paid job and then let us know how far £80 has got you..

I'm a bit hmm at all the people who save it. If you can afford to do that do you really need it?
So they spend it on champagne instead. Happy?

@TenOclock

It's intended to feed and clothe them. I'd argue that if people can save it, they don't need it and the taxpayer shouldn't be funding it.

Did your mother give you yours?

Thats not remotely what it is, where have you got that idea from?

In fact its not even suppose to be used like that, those are PARENTAL responsabilities and if you are deemed as needing assistance with that you get child tax credits which is an entirely different benefit

Child Tax Credit is for EVERYONE regardless of income (although those over 50k pay back part in tax) and is actually required to register your child for pension protection and national insurance

Its also started as part of the 'no child left behind' stance and meant to even the playing field regardless of class and imcome, all child benefit should be spent on the child (not family, household or basic living costs) to equal the social expectation (example: xmas gifts, birthday cakes/parties, holidays/camps, activities/clubs/hobbies etc...)

sorry I just realised (posted when tired then went to bed without re-reading) that I wrote

'Child Tax Credit is for EVERYONE regardless of income'

but I meant to say 'Child Benefit' is for everyone since thats the topic

• Child Tax Credits is only for those who need extra assistance with living costs

It goes into the general pot. We need it.

It goes towards my weekly expenses (normally petrol and travel to and from work)

Then my wages gets used for my son, days out and bills E.T.C

General pot for us. In the ideal world I will eventually save it, but we’ve lost around 700 a month because of Covid so at the moment it isn’t possible.

It's never occurred to me to separate it from any other family income. It goes in the joint account all expenses come out of that.

I save it up for ds to spend on clothes & shoes, he is 16 & just asks for some whenever he needs to buy anything new or I tell him anything needs replacing. He gets his bursary from school every month that pays for anything school related, books, stationary etc.

@Nat6999

I save it up for ds to spend on clothes & shoes, he is 16 & just asks for some whenever he needs to buy anything new or I tell him anything needs replacing. He gets his bursary from school every month that pays for anything school related, books, stationary etc.

Yes, I think most people give it to their child directly once they are older. I did in addition to pocket money. However when he was small it just went into the household because we were hard up and it certainly did help!

Wish I could save it for DD.

It goes on essentials like heating, food and clothes.

@LadyCatStark

We used to use it for Christmas and birthdays but now we’re not entitled due to DH evening just over the threshold. I really don’t think it’s fair that some children are getting a nice nest egg courtesy of the government and some aren’t entities to a penny 😡.

So it'd be fair if it benefitted you, but now that it doesn't, it isn't?

Ours effectively gets saved. It all goes into one pot, but I used to save £50 a month for DC but now it's looking like he's going to have (potentially significant) SEN, I'm aiming for more like £80-£100 a month, so pretty much the whole lot and we have a joint income of a lot less than £60k

I hope all the "don't judge, the government decide who qualifies" sentiment applies to universal credit claimants too.