free xtra benefits???

krisskross

School uniform will always work out a good buy as you know exactly what the children are going to be wearing. No expensive designer gear, no needing something different everyday. I loved it although we did have a wee crisis when trying not to laugh when my elder daughter was telling me that of course she was allowed to wear slingback stilletos and all the other girls did. It never goes out of fashion, never gets consigned to the back of the wardrobe. Uniform is an ace idea and actually saves more money than it costs.

Loopy_Girl

krisskross wrote: »

I don't understand this comment. My grandson will benefit from 18 years worth of child benefit plus the interest it earns. It will give him an excellent start to his adult life. Surely it will benefit him greatly? I can assure you he goes without nothing in order that the child benefit can be saved.

Well since he has a trust fund then I wouldn't imagine he doesn't go without:rolleyes:

Interesting that Child Benefit is 'free money' and the State Pension (which you would get whether you paid your stamp or not) is an 'entitlement' - both of these which you have/are claiming and yet any other benefit people are berated for having it so good and getting money for having kids....it puzzles me why people roam these boards when they have no empathy of the system and quite frankly turn their nose up at people who do claim their 'free money' (tax credits, JSA, IS, IB, DLA...all comes from the same pot as CB you know)

Loopy_Girl

krisskross wrote: »

School uniform will always work out a good buy as you know exactly what the children are going to be wearing. No expensive designer gear, no needing something different everyday. I loved it although we did have a wee crisis when trying not to laugh when my elder daughter was telling me that of course she was allowed to wear slingback stilletos and all the other girls did. It never goes out of fashion, never gets consigned to the back of the wardrobe. Uniform is an ace idea and actually saves more money than it costs.

This I agree with. We never had much money when I was little and I hated it when I went to High School as it was patently obvious. I like to see kids in them and it does take the old 'but she wears this' arguements

krisskross

Loopy_Girl wrote: »

Well since he has a trust fund then I wouldn't imagine he doesn't go without:rolleyes:

Interesting that Child Benefit is 'free money' and the State Pension (which you would get whether you paid your stamp or not) is an 'entitlement' - both of these which you have/are claiming and yet any other benefit people are berated for having it so good and getting money for having kids....it puzzles me why people roam these boards when they have no empathy of the system and quite frankly turn their nose up at people who do claim their 'free money' (tax credits, JSA, IS, IB, DLA...all comes from the same pot as CB you know)

No no, child benefit is non means tested, the only requirenent is to have a child.

What on earth is 'empathy of the system'?

The State pension is NOT paid simply because you exist like Child Benefit. Should you have made sufficient contributions then you will meet the criteria and receive a State Pension ....therefore if you have met the criteria then you have an 'entitlement'. If you do not meet the criteria then you ask for Income Support. Put any fancy frock you like on pension credit it is still Income Support and means tested. IB has qualifying criteria, as do JSA and DLA.

None of it is 'free' money, someone has to foot the bill, but as far as I am aware Child Benefit is the only payment made unconditionally, as an automatic right for every child.

moggylover

krisskross wrote: »

Sorry but this is tosh. You appear to be suggesting that anyone who can actually afford the children they have created are not such good parents as those who have no money. I grew up in a very poor household. I have no doubts at all that our parents loved us but I hated having to answer the door to the tally man and tell him mum wasn't in, it was so obvious he knew I was lying. The feelings of inferiority stayed with me for years, simply because my parents were poor.

No, that is not at all what I was suggesting - but neither are those on benefits necessarily bad parents either - which is what the innuendo of the spiteful posts made hereon try to suggest.

We were hard up as well - and I know for certain my parents loved me even though I often had to go without - but I was NEVER made to answer the door to any creditor because we did not have on credit - just went without until we could have.

I'm sorry you felt inferior though - you were not. Being poor does not in any way make anyone "inferior" just less fortunate - and by the year 2008 that "inferior" stigma should never have to be felt by ANY child, ever.

Loopy_Girl

You were the one that called it free money, not me.

No one forces ANYONE to claim CB. The DWP fairy doesn't put it in your account once you have popped that bundle of joy out.

It's seems to be okay to claim benefits cos you are entitled by having children and being old but you get hounded on here for claiming them because you need them. It ludicrous and it's hypocritical from some people and it makes my blood boil sometimes.

pipkin71

Another thought OP, the Family Welfare Association provides grants for single parents. On the single parent forum, it says they will help with clothing (particularly children’s), fuel bills and household needs such as beds, cookers, washing machines, etc. So they would possibly help with the cost of a school uniform.

Pipkin xxxx

Loopy_Girl

moggylover wrote: »

I'm sorry you felt inferior though - you were not. Being poor does not in any way make anyone "inferior" just less fortunate - and by the year 2008 that "inferior" stigma should never have to be felt by ANY child, ever.

PRECISELY...but some people who lived in the days when canaries went down the mines, think that we should have to like they did. Nope, sorry, we have a great Tax Credit system to stop child poverty and stop[ feelings of inferiority and if your tax money pays for it then so be it.

I pay taxes too so there is every chance that my tax money is paying Mitchaa's small person's CB? Am I bitter and whining on about it? err no, that's just the way it is

krisskross

Loopy_Girl wrote: »

You were the one that called it free money, not me.

No one forces ANYONE to claim CB. The DWP fairy doesn't put it in your account once you have popped that bundle of joy out.

It's seems to be okay to claim benefits cos you are entitled by having children and being old but you get hounded on here for claiming them because you need them. It ludicrous and it's hypocritical from some people and it makes my blood boil sometimes.

But why wouldn't someone claim child benefit when they pay for it often many times over? It is simply almost lying around waiting to be picked up by anyone with a child. The whole point of this thread was what it is being used for, and people suggesting that it isn't enough.

It is not hypocritical to claim a pension that you have been paying into for many years. Would you say I am hypocritical because I accept my occupational pension? Successive Governments make the promise that if you work and pay NI contributions for X number of years then you will receive a certain sum of money as a retirement pension. I fulfilled my side of the bargain, they kept their promise. I don't actually 'need' my pension to live on but it pays for the odd cruise or two. Would you suggest as I don't 'need' the money that I shouldn't have it?

n

moggylover

viktory wrote: »

Having read the whole thread, I have some comments (of course! )

Fish is an excellent source of protein. Don't see what you are complaining about.

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: well done, but you know I meant c r @ p!

Another one here who falls into the 'uniform is actually quite cheap' category. Talk of hockeys sticks made me smile actually. You'll all be telling me that your kids are at state schools and play lacrosse next.

Nope, but football, rugby, cricket, tennis and athletics (boys) and netball and hockey for the girls (not that I have any) (oh and swimming - trunks were £10/pair WITH the logo and REQUIRED and they do have to supply racquets and hockey sticks themselves. Although why cricket bats are actually supplied for them I do not know .

I also agree, that overall a uniform is the cheapest way to go - but where a mandatory school uniform exists, with logos - and a list of sports clothing and equipment that they MUST have the initial layout can be staggering: especially since they grow so fast when you feed them:D

I myself went to a Grammar School - we had the same uniform requirements then - and also the same sort of sports gear requirements: I must admit that I thought that we would probably need less now - but nope - the list came home and you needed a chair behind you when you got to the small "specialist" shop that supplies it! I expect they think their uniform costs are cheap when compared to their main lines - wedding clothing:rolleyes: