Given how unfair this is currently, it’s shocking how few people signed this petition?

[Heatwavenotify]

https://petition.parliament.uk/signatures/139282892/verify?token=2rA75MqHY8Tr316LPlDB

But some do! You can't incorporate a check for "is one parent fucking useless".

Like I say, if it was down to me, I'd change it back to being a universal benefit so I'm not saying I totally disagree with you. Just that it's not that simple.

@PercyMcPigface no but it could be fairer and household income is fairer.

We'll have to agree to disagree. If it was done on household income, any single parent with a decent ex partner who does contribute would be winning, as then they'd get a boosted benefit.
As I say I'd make it universal, and then problem solved

@PercyMcPigface I agree, make it universal. Otherwise keep it the same.

I think given how stitched single parents are I think we will have to disagree. I suspect all those disagreeing have never been a single parent so it’s fair that you wouldn’t understand how grossly unfair it is.

I think this check does exist. This is why CMS is not deducted from other benefits payable. Because so many non-resident parents were fucking useless.

How is that even relevant?

You are suggesting child benefit shouldn’t be paid based on wether the resident parent can force the kids other parent to be engaged and contribute financially?

A 2 income house hold can earn a few pence short of 100k and still get CB. A single parent household earning 50k and still get it. The fairness situation is about house hold income. It should be based on household income. That’s the argument. Why should a single parent household not qualify, when they earn half the dual income household and what does what the ex have to do to impact that?

and besides which, if you are a single parent where the other parent refuses to engage or pay a fair contribution to the kids, why should the single parent face any consequence for that? Why would you believe the parent who is stepping up, is less entitled to support…..because they can’t make their ex step up:

excactly how to you believe these single parents can force their ex to step up. I don’t get the mental gymnastics someone has to do to say ‘if you ex won’t engage in a meaningful way it’s your fault and you shouldn’t be entitled to support’.

I think most people think it should be universal.

However, why are you worried about the small amount of single parents ‘winning’ because their ex actually does what they should?

Currently 2 income house holds are winning if they earn anywhere up to 100k. How does that feel fairer than some single parents still getting it, and contribution from their ex?

I'm not worried about anyone "winning" at all. I'm just saying that the situation all depends and that personally I think it should be universal.
And this isn't just about single parents anyway. My original point was that actually if two parents are both working then often full time child care will be required (it certainly was for us when my children were at nursery) and so extra costs arise.

I think this thread has been enlightening. The petition is about increasing the threshold generally for EVERYONE and basing that per household rather than penalising single parents.
On a parent website that’s got posters being told to ‘LTB’ and ‘find your self respect’ on one hand. Then on the other, don’t want to adjust an unfair benefit to help them unless (as one PP it), their partner has died. Otherwise get the often abusive ex to step up instead.
It’s really sad. People are more bothered posting ‘reported’ because it’s not posted in the right way. Or posting ‘Why don’t you do something about it if you feel that strongly’, erm..that was the point of posting the thread to make people aware that a petition was ongoing 🙄
Not supportive and holding people who need it. More concerned to keep an unfair benefit in place because it suits their circumstances.
Really disappointing.

I don't know why child benefit has a cut off point when the state pension and winter fuel payment don't. They could be paid to millionaires.

People have paid into the system for years to get a state pension. Agree about the WFP though, it should be means tested, although I appreciate all the reasons why it isn't. I think the threshold for receiving CB should be raised a bit.

I'd just get rid of it and make childcare tax deductible as a necessary expense of working, instead. It would be worth a lot more than £80 odd a month.

Bit ridiculous to hide this away in the petitions section. Why does MN constantly hide things?

I'm really sorry if you think I'm not being supportive or my comments are a dig at single parents. That couldn't be further from the truth, I truly believe you deserve to get it and would wholly support a petition to increase CB or to make it universal.

But this petition would have meant I wouldn't have got CB. We did fall into that camp for a couple of years. We also had staggeringly high nursery fees as we have no local grandparents and as teachers also had no choice but to leave children in nursery all day.

All I am trying to do is say - why does a petition have to be about one set of people who feel they deserve it more trying to take something away from other people who also may feel they deserve it. Can't we all try to help each other and acknowledge we all have individual circumstances which mean we may feel we deserve it?

Well you are because you mentioned single parents winning if they get CB and support from an ex partner.

But, interesting, you don’t consider 2 income household earning up to 100k and still getting is as winning.

But a single parent getting contributions from the ex and getting CB isn’t something you want to see. More concern for them winning. Can’t have that can we 🙄

Plus which you expressed you didn’t think a single parents whose been unable to force their ex to contribute is less entitled to state help than someone whose widowed. Why do you think single parents should be less entitled to support because their ex is a dick? How is that the responsibility of the single parents?

We’re in that box too, our household income is £100k (£50k each) and we get full child benefit. The way that petition is worded implies we wouldn’t get it if the threshold was raised and made to be on household income, so raised to £70k for example we wouldn’t get it. But our nursery and wraparound care fees are over £1200 per month and our mortgage is very high as we live in the southeast. I would support making child benefit universal but don’t support that petition.

@Ffsnotaconference you are honestly projecting here. I am completely in favour of single parents getting more support. I used the word "winning" (in quotes, because I couldn't think of a better way to put it), as in a means tested system with specific rules, there will be winners and losers. Yes, under the current system we were "winners". Does that mean I think there should be losers. No.

Maybe save your anger for people who do have problems with single parents. I don't and you are getting angry with completely the wrong person here. I'd add here that this is what governments want us to do. Start turning on each other instead of them. I'm not trying to turn on you, so please don't do that to me.