Wow £50 a week worse off from today

eyeinthesky

I think tax credits should be scrapped * ducks and runs, lol*. If tax levels weren't so high, then people wouldn't need them. What is the point in taking tax and NI off relatively low earners, then giving it back in the form of tax credits? It is this sort of thing that has made the public sector so huge and unwieldy.
Maybe we should go back to the days of married man's tax allowance, to encourage the family unit? If mothers stayed at home to raise their children, wouldn't there be more jobs for the unemployed millions? I think that benefit levels are too high, and do nothing to encourage people to get work. There are plenty of figures for the government to call on to decide how much a family need to get by, so why not set tax allowances at these figures to encourage work?
This government have said they will implement a universal credit, and I think this is an excellent idea! It has been said that they will make work pay, but they will base this on the average pay, and I think they have this bit wrong. I think it should be based on the minimum wage, and anyone on the minimum wage should be better off than someone on benefits in similar circumstances.
All of this would see welfare payments reduce, so maybe general taxation could also be reduced, further helping everyone on low incomes.

Apologies for this post, I have just finished my second glass of red wine, lol, so am probably rambling.

Blue22

flashnazia wrote: »

The op and his partner pay approx £278 tax a week, they were claiming £244. That still makes them net contributors! The other parasites deserve the vitriol not these two!

Have you made a mistake with that figure of 278?

p00hsticks

Blue22 wrote: »

Have you made a mistake with that figure of 278?

Even if not, the £244 was only the figure for tax credits - you need to add in £33.70 of child benefit to that figure

hcb42

These tax credits wind me up. The amounts paid out is crazy.

FBaby

dreavi wrote: »

This is exactly why I am not starting breeding until I can afford to support my kids.

I cant afford to maintain a lifestyle with disposable income, pension contributions etc.

Tax credits should be if you cant meet your childrens needs not to top you up to a desirable lifestyle.

My opinion anyways but no-one ever asks it as a non-married childless man

You might have to wait a very long time then, and take the risk that either your partner is too old to conceive, or no fertile youngster wants you any longer Or you will be so old that your kids will end up having to fund your nursing care!! Just kidding!

Alter_ego

shaftola wrote: »

This country is one horrible place now,

What's keeping you then?

liam8282

dreavi wrote: »

This is exactly why I am not starting breeding until I can afford to support my kids.

Is money really the only reason?

dreavi wrote: »

I cant afford to maintain a lifestyle with disposable income, pension contributions etc.

If you earn less than £12,900 you are entitled to tax credits too.

dreavi wrote: »

Tax credits should be if you cant meet your childrens needs not to top you up to a desirable lifestyle.

It is not just people with children that get tax credits.

Pensioners get tax credits, single people on low incomes get tax credits, couples on low incomes get them.

dreavi wrote: »

My opinion anyways but no-one ever asks it as a non-married childless man

If you were on a low income you would get tax credits, so what is your point here? You earn too much to be entitled, so you begrudge those who earn less than you being provided some support so that they can live?

Don't get me wrong, I do not fully agree with tax credits myself. It is a good idea in principle, but wide open to abuse.

It just brings me back to the idea that it is the system that is at fault, not the people.

kelloggs36

p00hsticks wrote: »

The problem is that it is a vicious circle - while parents are able to claim hundreds of pounds a week in tax credits, nurserys can charge these sorts of prices, as the vast majority of the bill is being met by government benefits rather than from the parents pay packet.

If one result of the cuts is that some parents decide it is not worth both partners working and so pull their kids out of nurserys, perhaps the prices will have to come down to more manageable levels

It had crossed my mind that this may happen - it will take some time to filter through though won't it?

liam8282

p00hsticks wrote: »

The problem is that it is a vicious circle - while parents are able to claim hundreds of pounds a week in tax credits, nurserys can charge these sorts of prices, as the vast majority of the bill is being met by government benefits rather than from the parents pay packet.

If one result of the cuts is that some parents decide it is not worth both partners working and so pull their kids out of nurserys, perhaps the prices will have to come down to more manageable levels

kelloggs36 wrote: »

It had crossed my mind that this may happen - it will take some time to filter through though won't it?

That is certainly not the case in my area at least anyway!

Both myself and my partner work, we have a 2yo and a 7yo, so we have had and have current experience of trying to get a nursery place.

Trying to get a place for a 2yo is difficult enough because nurseries can only have a limited number of children in each age bracket.

Then when a child gets to 3, EVERYBODY, working or not is entitled to a free nursery place for 15 hours per week.

People argue this is part of a child's education, but the fact is it is also free childcare.

Those that don't work can take their kids to the nursery for those free times, have a break and then pick them up, where as those who work have to leave their kids all day, so they have to pay for the rest of the day.

Because places are taken up by children whose parents may not work, it means less places for children whose parents do work, therefore a higher demand and higher cost to parents who work.

Then coupled with the fact that local council nurseries are being shut down, it creates an even higher demand for nursery places and childcare.

ovoreo

I hadn't appreciated benefits were so prolific and available to such high earners. However the fact remains you become reliant and when they are withdrawn suddenly it is painful. It really can't be easy although this forum is probably the best place to be in terms of working out how to cut back. I think another poster made a good point, start trying to make do without them because come 2013 they'll all be withdrawn. Start planning now so it is isn't as painful.