Age 7 government child trust fund payments not being released!!!

2giraffes

My first child is 7 on August 2nd, so I guess she'll miss out then!! If only she'd arrived on time......but I agree, its a waste of money when there is so much debt - don't blame the Tories or the Lib Dems, its Lie-bour that got us in this mess in the first place, now the coalition have to mop it all up!!

seven-day-weekend

Originally Posted by seven-day-weekend
Nowhere in my post did I say that all on low incomes were chavs.

"I get a little bit tired of people ranting on about 'poor' children. There is no need for children to be poor in the UK. If they have chavvy parents who would rather spend money on themselves then their children, then throwing money at them is not going to help - they will just spend that on themselves too." I did NOT say all low-income parents were chavs.

I was referring to the particular type of parent who did not want to spend money on their children. I did not say ALL low-income families were like this.

So why make the connection? I think it's common knowledge there will always be a minority like you describe, no matter what is done. I have no idea why you appear to complain about benefits, as if they are targetted at layabouts. They are not, the vast majority of those that receive financial assistance, do so, because they are on low incomes. Why does every conversation about benefits result in someone picking up on a minority of layabouts? They are irrelevant to any meaningful debate about whether certain benefits for low income families should or should not exist.

I have also pointed out that we brought up our son for the first few years of his life on a very low income (this was long before the days of tax credits et al, and even after those years, our income, although increased, was not huge) and therefore do have knowledge of what it is like. Great, I don't get your point here? You were once on a low income without help and survived, so everyone else should be exactly as you were? I am pointing out that it is possible to bring your children up without State assistance (other than Child Benefit, which I think should only be for the very poorest families). I see no reason why the State should provide people with savings for their children, nor with money to buy fruit and veg.It is only of comparitively recent years that many people think that the State should support them.

It is not asking too much imho to expect any low-income family to be able to buy seasonal fruit and veg for their children, or if they have a garden, to grow them. It might mean they have to compromise in other areas of life, but it is certainly not too difficult. It's like a dictatorship on here - if we're not telling poor people they should have designated vouchers, we're telling them to grow their food instead.And the problem is? Anyone, poor or otherwise, can benefit from growing their own veg! If people have the available space (I'm from London, most low income families live in high rises near where I was brought up) and are not too busy working all hours and raising families and have the spare outdoor space, and enjoy it, then good for them...if not, well they can shop cheap enough for fruit and veg, a recent study found it cheaper to buy cheap fruit and veg from the supermarket than grow your own. Precisely my point, they don't need money from the Government to buy basic food items. Those that choose not to buy these but buy crisps and biscuits instead will STILL buy crisps and biscuits however much money they are given.

I would like to say that I DO think the poorest people should be helped, (this does NOT mean people on £50k a year as is the case with Tax Credits) but not by giving them 'savings' or money to buy fruit with. Maybe subsidised childcare for working families might be more sensible

seven-day-weekend

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

Grow in pots. A 99p B&Q bucket, some soil and 1 courgette seed will keep a family in courgettes all summer: much, much cheaper than the supermarket. Homegrown tomatoes, herbs and salad leaves, much cheaper than the supermarkets too.

I gave some tomato plants to someone who lives in a flat and they are growing well. The pots/buckets can be reused year after year, so it gets even cheaper to grow our own. If you go to a carboot, people are selling their spare veggie plants very cheap.

Switch off the tv, plant the seeds and water them with the children, as a family thing to do together.

Excellent. Common Sense at last.

MissMoneypenny

Deepmistrust wrote: »

With respect, I think you completely missed my point.

Great, if they have the space, even pots can take valuble space, especially if a family is already living in overcrowded accomodation. And if they want to. The financial benefit of 'growing your own', is, for many people negative. Many of them haven't the first clue, or even interest in growing their own. Maybe the kids don't like courgette, prefering carrots, cabbage and brocolli even? Perphaps not all low income families watch TV all day, perhaps they already do other things with their families? Just a thought?

Maybe your post is more suited to the 'money saving tips' section, as opposed to a debate on CTF's and Surestart grants.

You can grow carrots, cabbage and brocolli if that's what the children would prefer.

So what you are basically saying is, that you would rather money was given to you by the state, than you look after your own children?

Deepmistrust

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Originally Posted by seven-day-weekend
Nowhere in my post did I say that all on low incomes were chavs.

"I get a little bit tired of people ranting on about 'poor' children. There is no need for children to be poor in the UK. If they have chavvy parents who would rather spend money on themselves then their children, then throwing money at them is not going to help - they will just spend that on themselves too." I did NOT say all low-income parents were chavs. You implied it, because you failed to recognise this debate isn't about chavs. 'Chavs' as you call them, will exist regardless, and are irrelevant in any meaningful debate about benefits for low income families. Do you want government policy towards low earners to be centred around the behaviour of 'chavs'?

I was referring to the particular type of parent who did not want to spend money on their children. I did not say ALL low-income families were like this.

So why make the connection? I think it's common knowledge there will always be a minority like you describe, no matter what is done. I have no idea why you appear to complain about benefits, as if they are targetted at layabouts. They are not, the vast majority of those that receive financial assistance, do so, because they are on low incomes. Why does every conversation about benefits result in someone picking up on a minority of layabouts? They are irrelevant to any meaningful debate about whether certain benefits for low income families should or should not exist.

I have also pointed out that we brought up our son for the first few years of his life on a very low income (this was long before the days of tax credits et al, and even after those years, our income, although increased, was not huge) and therefore do have knowledge of what it is like. Great, I don't get your point here? You were once on a low income without help and survived, so everyone else should be exactly as you were? I am pointing out that it is possible to bring your children up without State assistance (other than Child Benefit, which I think should only be for the very poorest families). I see no reason why the State should provide people with savings for their children, nor with money to buy fruit and veg.It is only of comparitively recent years that many people think that the State should support them. So why child benefit then? Because you benefit from it? Ha, hypocrisy at its finest.
Who are these" many people"? Are their godzillions of them and they all told you they think the state should support them? Or are you making weak assumptions about peoples lives, you know nothing about?


It is not asking too much imho to expect any low-income family to be able to buy seasonal fruit and veg for their children, or if they have a garden, to grow them. It might mean they have to compromise in other areas of life, but it is certainly not too difficult. It's like a dictatorship on here - if we're not telling poor people they should have designated vouchers, we're telling them to grow their food instead.And the problem is? Anyone, poor or otherwise, can benefit from growing their own veg! If they want to, and if they have the ability. If people have the available space (I'm from London, most low income families live in high rises near where I was brought up) and are not too busy working all hours and raising families and have the spare outdoor space, and enjoy it, then good for them...if not, well they can shop cheap enough for fruit and veg, a recent study found it cheaper to buy cheap fruit and veg from the supermarket than grow your own. Precisely my point, they don't need money from the Government to buy basic food items. Those that choose not to buy these but buy crisps and biscuits instead will STILL buy crisps and biscuits however much money they are given. Who are these imaginary people buying crisps? Do you stand at the checkouts monitoring the food baskets of poor people? Careful, you could get arrested for that

I would like to say that I DO think the poorest people should be helped, (this does NOT mean people on £50k a year as is the case with Tax Credits) but not by giving them 'savings' or money to buy fruit with. Maybe subsidised childcare for working families might be more sensible

We have subsidised childcare for working families already via tax credits.
I agree re tax credits, but then, I haven't discussed tax credits on here.
The money is for health in pregnancy, that comes in many forms. Buying fruit is not a condition of the payment. The obsession with fruit on here, is concerning :rotfl:

ultrawomble

2giraffes wrote: »

My first child is 7 on August 2nd, so I guess she'll miss out then!!

She'll have received the first tranche - something future kids won't get.

Deepmistrust

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

You can grow carrots, cabbage and brocolli if that's what the children would prefer. IF THEY WANT TO. What is this obsession with growing veg that you lot have?

So what you are basically saying is, that you would rather money was given to you by the state, than you look after your own children? What a fallacious point haha, why on earth would the government give me the money? I'm not pregnant, nor will be *rolls eyes*. Doesn't mean I've lost my social conciousence, just because I won't benefit from it. (Unlike some on here;)_

Methinks it's cruel to grow vegtables. It would put a lot of people out of work. There are enough vegtables here already.

seven-day-weekend

Deepmistrust wrote: »

With respect, I think you completely missed my point.

Great, if they have the space, even pots can take valuble space, especially if a family is already living in overcrowded accomodation. And if they want to. The financial benefit of 'growing your own', is, for many people negative. Many of them haven't the first clue, or even interest in growing their own. Maybe the kids don't like courgette, prefering carrots, cabbage and brocolli even? Perphaps not all low income families watch TV all day, perhaps they already do other things with their families? Just a thought?

Maybe your post is more suited to the 'money saving tips' section, as opposed to a debate on CTF's and Surestart grants.

You seem to put an argument against any suggestion as to how people might be able to help themselves, rather than rely on the State.

As to space, I'm sure most people are not that overcrowded that they don't have room on a windowsill for a pot.

It's a great moneysaving tip for anyone, not just poor people. But if I were 'poor' (and up until this February my husband and I have been living below the official 'poverty line' financially) then I would be glad to be offered such tips.

Of course if fruit and veg are cheaper in the shops then that's even less reason not to buy them or to expect the Government to provide the money.

POPPYOSCAR

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

You seem to put an argument against any suggestion as to how people might be able to help themselves, rather than rely on the State.

As to space, I'm sure most people are not that overcrowded that they don't have room on a windowsill for a pot.

It's a great moneysaving tip for anyone, not just poor people. But if I were 'poor' (and up until this February my husband and I have been living below the official 'poverty line' financially) then I would be glad to be offered such tips.

Of course if fruit and veg are cheaper in the shops then that's even less reason not to buy them or to expect the Government to provide the money.

There are just some people in life who think the 'state' ie. everybody else should provide for them from cradle to grave and others who think you should make your own way in the world.

MissMoneypenny

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

It's a great moneysaving tip for anyone, not just poor people. But if I were 'poor' (and up until this February my husband and I have been living below the official 'poverty line' financially) then I would be glad to be offered such tips.

As we know, there are plenty of great tips on this moneysaving site, but some people don't want to help themselves.