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?

I get about £160 a month, and it goes into the general fund.

I think she was bragging and knew perfectly well that some people need this money for general living expenses.

Also the poster who complained about living and working here and not getting anything for the taxes they pay. WTF

Looked back at arabicabean's comments and yes maybe a clever little troll.

I was always under the impression it was for the parent, to help with bringing up their child in whichever way they see fit. Whether this is using it for essentials, or saving it to help out when the child goes to university is up to them.

I remember telling my Mum when I was young that she ought to give me the money she paid for me each week - I think I got a cuff around the ear (figuratively if not literally)

As it happens, I think the OP has been unfairly beaten up here - it's not her fault that so many people are struggling to survive on the money they have coming in - complain to Mr Brown and his friends in office about that one.

Oh yes, op's first ever post on MN.

I squander mine on gin and cigarettes said Pauline Mole

I agree, Mutt.

she has had a light toasting, not a full on flaming

think she has escaped really lightly

if she was genuinley interested in the issue she would not have posted in the way she has

expat - you say that it's voluntary and you don't need to apply for it. One thing very few people realise is that by applying for Child Benefit, you effectively tell the HMRC why you're not going to be paying NI contributions for a while.

You then qualify for Home Responsibilities Protection, which protects your right to a state pension even if you haven't paid enough NI contributions. Otherwise, the time you spend at home with your children is just a big gap in your NI record as far as the HMRC is concerned.

so it is quite important to apply for it even if you feel you don't need it.

Unless, of course, you're certain you'll never need a state pension either.

(btw, I don't mean you personally - i mean people in general)

'you effectively tell the HMRC why you're not going to be paying NI contributions for a while.'

If you don't work outside the home, that is.

I got CB for DD2 and worked and believe you me, I was still paying NI.

But presumably you took some maternity leave? so that would have been a gap in your NI record. Have three or four children and take a year for each, that might be enough to push your NI contributions below the threshold unless you claimed the CB.

And as I said, I didn't mean you personally - I meant that in general people don't realise that CB is the way the HMRC work out who has children and who doesn't.

I agree with the comments that CB is meant for the parent not the child. It was originally the married mans tax allowance I think but they changed the rules and gave it direct to mothers so that feckless husbands wouldn't waste it.

Can't decide if the OP was a troll or not. The first comment seemed genuine, follow ups less so. She has been hammered though.

'But presumably you took some maternity leave? '

I only took 16 weeks so I was paid the full whack. Couldn't afford otherwise.

Look, I don't know why you're getting snippy with me - I was only trying to point out something that very few people know about CB.

I know nothing about your situation, but was trying to illustrate that maternity leave can play havoc with a woman's NI contributions unless one applies for CB.

Look, I don't understand how you're construing a short response as snippy.

It's just a response. NOTHING else implied or I'd have said so.

And if you mean in general, then why address to me and put my name in bold letters?

Just leave my name off and the post reads more generally.

Is it a full moon or are all of us a bit PMT tonight ? Too much swipping at each other - but then that's MN !

it's a new moon, CU.

I was linking it back to what you'd said about it being voluntary - otherwise it would have just sounded like a mad random piece of information. And if people think 'true, it's voluntary, I don't need it so in that case I won't apply' they might screw up their NI record permanently.

But it wasn't meant to be a challenge, nor a comment about your particular situation, hence why I said I didn't mean you personally at the end of the post.

Maybe I should have used 'one' instead of 'you' in the post, but might have been accused of being poncey...

None of my responses were meant to be challenges.

If you want to mean in general, however, it's probably better not to address a poster by name in bold lettering, but just bring the topic up.

Otherwise, the person you addressed will probably respond and you may construe their response as snippy if it's terse.

I think it is fine for arabicabean to ask this question and sometimes do think there is sometimes a bit of reverse snobbery going on here. I think she probably now gets the point that it is essential for a lot of people.

The thing that got me was the point "I will spend mine on myself once it's reasonable amount" That feels a bit selfish IMO - if you do have the luxury of being able to save then I would have thought it should be saved for the kids. However that is my opinion only.

I wish we could save it. It usually ends up going on things for Tom or petrol/other luxuries like cinema. In fact, I have 3 months worth in the account and it will be going towards the car as it will not pass an MOT. I have recently used it to buy shoes for me and a Wii, but have paid it back (Wii was for my b/day but had to pay for it when I ordered it).

I am hoping to keep the money in there in future, and use it for b/days and xmas as i'm hopeless at saving any money!

I spend the child benefit on Manolos and Prada. Gotta buy those shoes and handbags somehow!!!

Nah, not really. If we didn't get child benefit our house would have probably been repossessed by now...

Well, I apologise for using your name, in that case.

But this whole thread has been rather snippy, rather than terse, so I'm leaving it now.