I'm a big believer in incentives. I don't think the current benefits system incentives people who can work to work and contribute positively to the economy and society. It also punishes the disabled, carers, etc. Wages are too low, the cost of living crisis needs dealt with as this affects every family whatever the size or circumstances.
It is angering that we live in a country where teachers and nurses are struggling to survive and it is deemed that we do not have enough money for educated and hardworking people to live and support their children on decent wages - but we also want to support people who do not work to have unlimited children. This just isn't fair or sustainable.
The very wealthy do not pay their share so the burden of responsibility falls on your average MC taxpayer. The same people who often carefully choose how many children they have, if they have children at all. That's where the anger comes from.
If you earn a decent wage you pay a hefty amount of tax to cover other families and also have to cover your own childcare. I won't get a raise at my job for having more children or get a bigger house. If I want to stay in my house I have to go back to work. Most of my income will go on childcare. There is very little incentive to have children if you are MC.
I grew up in a mixed area. My middle class friends (some of whom grew up working class with parents who worked) have children later and often only have 1 or 2. Affordability is their biggest concern. Most of the people I grew up with who had parents who did not work have gone on to do the same, and they have larger families. It's a strange state to be in.
If you don't work, and don't have a high standard for your lifestyle then there is a lot of help and incentive to have children. That does lead to questions about the outcomes of families who are entirely funded by the state and whether this is a worthwhile investment. We need productive people at all levels of society from bricklayers to surgeons. Everyone should have a role. So everyone should be supported in having families but it does not feel that way. If we should support all children regardless of their parents why is it more difficult for a single mother on 50k than an unemployed woman to have a second child? Why does the unemployed woman have more of a right to a second child? Or third?
Free contraception and social benefits including housing for up to two children regardless of employment status is extremely generous whatever way you look at it. We could do more to go after feckless fathers but need to accept that women are having babies with feckless men. I don't think any particular social class should be exempt from accepting personal responsibility for their choices, we all have to budget for the lives we want our families to live.
I don't know what the answer is but I don't think throwing money at the individual level when there is a lack of support for wrap around childcare and affordable housing across the board is the way to go.