Why do twin parents pay double but get no extra help?

[Twinmama11]

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately… having twins means buying everything x2, but there’s not really any extra support or discounts out there.

It kind of feels like we’re just expected to manage it?

Does anyone else feel like this or is it just me?

Extra support or discounts?

Why?

I think YABU to expect a free hand in life just because you’ve had twins. That isn’t anybody else’s problem to fix.

Sorry but yabu. Why should they get extra support? But yes they do they get two lots of the maternity grant and when there was a 2 child cap and you were over two kids they’d still pay for the second twin.

You are correct you are expected to manage it, why would you get discounts? We all know there’s a chance of twins or more when we get pregnant, that’s life.

Surely you don't buy EVERYTHING x2. Clothes can be shared, bottles, toys (especially when they are very young), etc. And when you do pay twice, that's no different than a parent of two children. Perhaps you mean because the payment would be staggered. But then there are things like sibling discounts. Also, time can be saved when you have twins. My two are currently in football clubs. One is in a class at 4-5pm and the other at 5-6pm as they are grouped by age. Twins would benefit in this scenario.

There are many variables which would require extra support, but it's just how things turn out.

Do you not get child benefit x 2? If so then how are you in a worse position than other parents?

You get the expense all at once, however there are benefits. One birth for 2 kids, same age play mate, shared toys, sibling discounts at things at the same time.

Did it need twin posts too, OP?

Ireland has extra payments for twins and higher multiples.
Each twin gets 1.5 child benefits and triplets or higher get 2 child benefits per child.
There also used to be an extra payment at birth, 4 years and 12 years but I think they are gone.
Twins are more expensive that 2 single children and have an impact on child poverty rates.

In Ireland they get extra Child benefit.
is normally 140 per child per month but for each twin you get 210 per child per month.

In Spain you get discounts for being a "Familia Numerosa" (large family) but you generally need three children to qualify.

And one maternity leave.

What do you pay double for that you object to? You have 2 children!

There's a decent amount of twin discounts. Car seats etc.

Huh? You get extra child benefit. Apart from that, what else do you want? You are no different to other families who have babies close together. It's not up to us to fund your kids. You make it work yourself, with the added help of child benefit.

Having twins is more expensive because two children are clearly more expensive than one but as a twin parent I cannot see why I automatically deserve additional benefit payments because I managed to push out two at once.

So under this logic, twins would get more money but a family with 2 children a year apart wouldn't? They might still need 2 of most things.

I think that it's just a risk you take when you get pregnant. You could have a single child with any number of additional needs, that cost you a lot more too.

we have twins - there are a lot of advantages like you have school pick ups same place same time, families with different age groups are sometimes juggling multiple school runs. You also go through life stages at same time like weaning foods and associated mess / potty training. School overlap is helpful as they are both learning to times tables at the same time.

OP if you are after discounts, Twins' Trust is worth joining.

You do also get additional child benefit assuming your income is not high enough that you are subject to paying it back.

But other than that, yeah, it is not cheap!

I have twins age 12. I get extra child benefit every month for them (different country). So instead of getting child benefit x 2, I get x 3. I’m delighted but a friend recently said very openly that she does not agree with this at all.

I do think those with twins should get some discounts actually. Yes, you chose to have a baby but you didn’t necessarily choose to have twins. Having a baby alone is expensive, let alone two.

Not sure there is a (legal) way to ‘fix’ it…

Yes, in the same way that sex always carries a chance of pregnancy; pregnancy also carries the chance of multiples. Why should you get any further discounts? You just already get additional child benefit.

I think parents of singletons should get a discount on things because they have to have two (or more) maternity leaves, where their pay will no doubt take an impact (tongue in cheek).

Hard disagree. It’s hardly a secret that pregnancy carries a chance of multiples is it?!