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Child Benefit Poll
Comments
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No one should receive Child Benefitmarkharding557 wrote: »You are not using the doctors right now-why should you contribute
you are not at school now-why should you contribute
you are not old yet why should you contribute to pensions
you are not a parent yet-but you could be some day-why should we contribute----get the picture now
Who knows when I may need a doctor so contributing now is logical.
I went to school so now its pay back.
I would like to be able to opt out of paying for a pension and take care of myself.
I am not a parent but if I was why should somebody else pay for the child.0 -
Means testing should include both assets and incomeGraham_Devon wrote: »In an ideal world, everyone would have everything. But it's not an ideal world. And whatever proposal you put forward, people will have issues with....but I'd like to see something fairer?
I also have to say that by age 11, if my parents were sending me to an after school club to be looked after, I'd be mortified. If they were there waiting for me at the gates, I would be doubly mortified.
I had a bus ride (or bike in the summer), a front door key, and was a dab hand at a ham sandwich.
We grew up in a different world though didn't we? It seems to be the norm to go to organised after school club among my younger relatives. I think it would be fairer to cut costs by restricting child benefit to lower income families.Really? I would have made my own way to/from school at (or before) 11, but wouldn't have been left on my own for a couple of hours at that age, and couldn't imagine doing that with my eldest when she turns 11 either, except in case of emergency.
I can't imagine any of our family leaving children of eleven alone after school or during the holidays. They have clubs that they go to, au pairs and childminders.PasturesNew wrote: »When I was 11 and went to big school, I had to get up and leave the house alone before 8am, bus arrived at 8am. Bus into town, hang around the bus station and general area for about 20 minutes or so, then onto the school bus .... but if you missed that then it was legging it down to the other end and catching the first public bus to within half a mile of the school and walking the last bit.
I lived.
What about during the long school holidays? What did you do then? I walked alone from age 6 but the past is another country. I am quite surprised that anybody would leave 11 year olds alone nowadays. There are so many new things to worry about.0 -
My goddaughter has been looking after herself after school since she started at secondary school (in London). She catches a bus, walks home from the bus stop, lets herself in with her key and waits for her mum to get home from work.
One day there was a problem with the lock and she couldn't let herself in. She calmly walked half a mile down the road to the primary school where her little sister was in an after school club, and waited there. Her mum was proud of her for finding such a sensible solution to the problem, but not surprised because she knows what a responsible sort of girl she is.
ETA I haven't voted because I'm still not sure what I think - at least, I'm not sure about the details although I know what principles I think are important. I accept that the country probably can't afford to keep paying CB to high earners (however defined). I understand that it is necessary to find some way of dealing with it that won't incur huge administration costs. I feel strongly that it is wrong to penalise single-earner families over double-earner ones, and equally strongly that it is wrong to penalise married parents over cohabiting ones. Beyond that, I don't know what they should do.
[I am a single parent with two kids at primary school. My income (2 part-time salaries, widow's pensions from 2 schemes, CB, CTC, widowed parent's allowance) adds up to something well below the higher rate threshold. I consider myself comfortably off and although I appreciate getting CB, its withdrawal would merely mean a little belt-tightening rather than a total disaster. I don't think any families on higher rate tax will be pushed into destitution by the removal of their CB. Although it will be harder in London, of course.]Do you know anyone who's bereaved? Point them to https://www.AtaLoss.org which does for bereavement support what MSE does for financial services, providing links to support organisations relevant to the circumstances of the loss & the local area. (Link permitted by forum team)
Tyre performance in the wet deteriorates rapidly below about 3mm tread - change yours when they get dangerous, not just when they are nearly illegal (1.6mm).
Oh, and wear your seatbelt. My kids are only alive because they were wearing theirs when somebody else was driving in wet weather with worn tyres.
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No one should receive Child Benefit1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »No one should receive Child Benefit
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Which of you has children then?
<raises hand>
I have one. Son. Aged 5....much enquiry having been made concerning a gentleman, who had quitted a company where Johnson was, and no information being obtained; at last Johnson observed, that 'he did not care to speak ill of any man behind his back, but he believed the gentleman was an attorney'.0 -
No one should receive Child BenefitThey can be more expensive too. I can't forsee a big drop in expenditure from age 10 to 11 (secondary school?). Being a pedant I'd like to know where the age 11 specifically came from and the thought process behind it.
At the age of 11, children can spend more time on their own, childminders are cheaper, friends more available....much enquiry having been made concerning a gentleman, who had quitted a company where Johnson was, and no information being obtained; at last Johnson observed, that 'he did not care to speak ill of any man behind his back, but he believed the gentleman was an attorney'.0 -
No one should receive Child BenefitI disagree, teenage children are expensive. They may not need childcare but they need clothes and they grow, constantly. They also socialise, constantly.
A hell of a lot cheaper than a full-time nanny for a small child....much enquiry having been made concerning a gentleman, who had quitted a company where Johnson was, and no information being obtained; at last Johnson observed, that 'he did not care to speak ill of any man behind his back, but he believed the gentleman was an attorney'.0 -
No one should receive Child BenefitA lot of children travel on school coaches, so they practice the route home from the coach stop and letting themselves in the house etc. Virtually every child I know and knew makes their own way home in year 7 and would be considered really "wet" by their peers if they were collected everyday.
That was teh same for me when I was at secondary. My sisters and I caught the school coach from the end of the road at 7.15am, and got dropped back at about 4.40pm....much enquiry having been made concerning a gentleman, who had quitted a company where Johnson was, and no information being obtained; at last Johnson observed, that 'he did not care to speak ill of any man behind his back, but he believed the gentleman was an attorney'.0 -
No one should receive Child Benefitmarkharding557 wrote: »You compare children to ferrari's weird!
What is weird? You make a choice whether to have children or not, and why should the ability to pay for them not be a consideration like anything else in life?0 -
Means testing should include both assets and incomeneverdespairgirl wrote: »<raises hand>
I have one. Son. Aged 5.
Thanks.....Not Again0 -
I walked home from school from about age 8 (my parents live only a short distance from the school, only one major road to cross and we had a lollypop lady).
I always walked home from High school on my own (or with friends) but my difference to others is that my mum was always there...my parents did not believe in latch key children and it was my mums mission to make sure she was here for our return. As a full time housewife that was easy for her though.
My children - eldest has been walking to and from school from around year 4 (I just had to ask him as I couldn't remember!) and in the early days, I would be here for his return (my work hours were arranged around ex husbands hours, so that made this possible). As he got older and the schools for the other two were further away, he would let himself in.
When he started at high school, he again would make the trip on his own despite school being over 2 miles away.
The two younger ones are a different kettle of fish altogether, at age 14 (middle sons birthday today!) and age 12, I still have to take and collect them from school because of their disabilities and the distance involved (they are at a different and further away high school to eldest). We did try to with middle son to walk himself home (well to my parents from the same school I had attended in my childhood) from school in year 6 to build his independence but it went horribly wrong and the police had to be involved - he has no sense of danger, is incredibly naive and wanders off as he forgets where he is supposed to be going and then gets stressed and goes into meltdown as he doesn't know where he is! Each attempt has met with the same result..he can only just about manage going to a shop up town on his own while I am in waiting outside on the seating.
Youngest could possibly walk to school on a good day if it wasn't for the distance, along with his autism, he also has a physical disability which would make it impossible, let alone if there are a lot of people about....but because of his autism, he cannot cope on a bus (even a school bus). I also have to do handover with his helpers at school, which means I have to be there when he arrives and leaves. He is more street savvy than his brother as he trusts no-one (he would scream blue murder if someone just tried to talk to him, let alone tried to take him somewhere else) and is very precise in his movements and where he needs to be, roadworks and diversions completely does his head in and sends him into meltdown!
No idea what this has to do with child benefit though.......maybe I should read the rest of the thread!We made it! All three boys have graduated, it's been hard work but it shows there is a possibility of a chance of normal (ish) life after a diagnosis (or two) of ASD. It's not been the easiest route but I am so glad I ignored everything and everyone and did my own therapies with them.
Eldests' EDS diagnosis 4.5.10, mine 13.1.11 eekk - now having fun and games as a wheelchair user.0
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