Anyone not using their child benefit yet?

[arabicabean]

Hi,

I'am a first time mum and have recently started receiving child benefit. I was interested in whether others were using theirs? Mine is paid into a new account I opened and its kind of exciting getting the monthly statements. Are you using yours yet or just watching it accumulate?

and you don't have to apply for child benefit at all, you know.

if you don't want it, don't apply.

btw, you'd be hard-pressed to find a country where you're not expected to pay tax on earnings. it's hardly like you're doing htem a favour by paying tax - it's the law.

The law aside, we pay tax full stop. Question: what does the government do with our £1000 + every month? Can I have it back to donate to people whom can't afford to feed their children?

NO!!!! Labour is a fat cat government and nobody seems to think they are being sucked dry by taxes.

The tax system is not sensible in this country, but again, it was our choice to come here, we can offer our son the freedom of playing outside without having to fear that someone might assault him, burgle our house at gunpoint or hijack our car with a bullet in the head.

So yes, we pay taxes, for that, so if they think we can have £18 back to do with what we please why not, why does the government allow poverty in this rich country?

So my point is, some people need the £18 some don't, do you have a right to be nasty to someone whom is better off, yes, so what is the other side of the coin then? She has a right to say what she likes! If it offends you then move on, go spend your energy in a constructive way, like writing letters to your mp's about the shit situation they've dumped everybody in.

'She has a right to say what she likes!'

So does everyone here.

does your son go to a school here? do you use the transport system? the roads? your son can play safely because of the police forces which are paid for with our taxes. if your house goes on fire then the fire brigade will come-all paid for by taxes.
it pays for social service st help children and people in need. it provides healthcare and education and numerous other things. how can you say' what does it go on?'

I did, too, hatrick.

£1000 tax on paye NI cover about £300 for NHS
£250+ tax for cars (only transport is car as bus stop is more than a mile away, we're in a rural area, The local train only runs every hour so not an option)
£170 council tax (pays for fire, police etc)

So yes, we do not have recourse to any other benefits because we're not British. Do you want to tell me the £18 is the only benefit you get?

I have to pay my rent, fuel, food, school fees etc.

Ds goes to a local playgroup in the village, they are charity run and I donate money to them monthly by selling cakes!!!!, I don't take any of the money for myself or for ingredients, so yes I tend to want to give where I can see it is used!

'So yes, we do not have recourse to any other benefits because we're not British.'

I really hope you are not claiming child benefit then, if you are not entitled to public funds. You don't have to be British to claim it, but you do need to be an EU/EEA national or on ILR if you are not an EU/EEA national.

If you don't like it that much, why are you still here?

You sound really bitter and unhappy here. What a shame.

My goodness ? I just asked a question out of genuine curiosity and was not prepared for some of the comments.
Thank you SpacePuppy . I do agree about the onerous tax burden and the car situation is just too awful. My husband has been taxed to provide this so I won?t be giving it away. I have been given examples of what £18 can buy, illuminating, I could also ask if anyone works in the City/Canary Wharf and they will understand why I used 'only'.

i.e. if you eat there it doesn't go very far.

Well, hatrick, generally, non-EU/EEA nationals are entitled to NO public funds in the UK - quite rightly - unless they have resided in the country for a prescribed length of time. For example, two years if the non-EU/EEA national is married to a British national, 5 years for a non-EU/EEA national here on a work permit and the like.

This is also because in many cases, if these nationals return to their home country, they can actually claim back some or all of the taxes they paid in the UK on their earnings here (and then be subject to the laws in their own countries on those earnings).

But of course, many don't whinge about not being able to claim public funds from a foreign taxpayer or about the amount of tax they pay in this country.

Because if they found it cost-prohibitive or the cons outweighed the pros, then many would not come here in the first place or negotiate a larger salary from their employer to compensate.

lucky old you.

keep saving the meagre £18.

hats off, you are a proper ponce.

what has canary wharf got to do with anything?

i cannot believe you are so naive that you really don't think £18 is not a lot of money to buy ESSENTIALS and not a poncey lunch in Canary Wharf

I use mine to help avoid mortgage arrears

Saving it? Hahahahahahahaha

DD's child benefit currently gets paid into her savings account that DH and I opened for her. But the way things are going it looks like we are going to have to start using it for essentials such as food etc.

The benefit that is already in DD account will be going towards buying DD's new car seat that she will need in a few weeks time. Not that we can afford to use the car that much....

£18 a week to us is a lot of money. I will feel guilty using it as DH and I wanted to save it for DD to use it as she saw fit (Uni/house deposit/car etc) but it looks like we will need it soon

Well, yes, hatrick, because the HMRC makes it pretty clear that a person must have the 'right to reside' in the UK, not just permission to live and work here, if they are not an EU/EEA national.

here

How very interesting, eh?

I didn't dare even apply for Child Benefit in my own name when DD1 was born.

Because I was on what was then known as FLR - finite leave to remain, a visa with an end date and clearly stamped 'no recourse to public funds', because to do so would be, well, a violation of my visa.

Although DH was able to apply for DD1, as they were both British.

ours goes into an isa for their uni fees/deposit on a flat/ car etc..just think how much you`ll have if you start from day one and by the time theyre 18/19 it adds up to a tidy sum plus the growth factor over all those years as we certainly wouldnt be able to afford to send them to uni otherwise..we get £160 p.m so nearly £2000 a year plus interest and without asny growth thats £36K IN 18 YRS!!