Pregnant with 1st baby. Do we get anything? what about the £190 grant?

AnxiousMum

DeeMarie89 wrote: »

Not necessarily true. I was stating that too many people with 1 child who earn a decent wage (Like the OP) shouldn't have a right to anything. However, I think that entitlement should depend on the number of children etc.

I think all too often, people who earn a good wage, and get benefits, condemn the poorer peopl as lazy scroungers. However, some people work hard full time for minimum wage because they haven't got the skills or the ability to do higher paid jobs. Maybe people should concentrate on what they DO have, rather than what other people get to help them supplement what little they do earn, because at least they are earning themselves as well as getting help.

Or......on the entitlement to children point - maybe people should have the number of children that their current income can provide for! Yes, I have five children, OH and I both work, we no longer receive CTC (for last couple of years received £10.40 per week) have never claimed housing benefit, ct benefit or been on any unemployment benefits (not to say that couldn't happen in the future). However, if somebody with two children is on benefits, has been for a while - is it right that they can 'up their income' by having more? when they can't afford to provide for the ones they already have?

Should a person who earns £40K per annum, who possibly had to work very hard in school, went to university to earn a relevant degree (and gave up those years of full time earnings as well as taken on student loan debt - so.....loss of earnings over 3 years - circa £60K, student loan circa £20K - loss of income/future income - £80K) really be only £200 better off per month with four children that they work and provide for, than somebody who is a true scrounger (not someone who is temporarily on benefits, or on benefits through no fault or intent of their own doing), who maybe has one kid and then goes onto have another three? The high wage earner is already starting 'behind the eight ball' with the loss of earnings and student debt - so that they will be better off in the future.

I mention the above, as our old neighbour used to brag about him being 'retired', having met a single mum with one child, went onto have four more (he was on IB - but did cash roofing jobs on the side - even asked my OH to help him on a job one time - and yes, I did report him) - was obviously more than capable of working as he did work, but they, without the cash jobs, were 'earning' more money than my OH with six years university behind him. I used to laugh when he referred to Tuesdays as 'pay day' lol

The system here does need a serious overhaul - the likes of the above example need to be taken off of the benefits they receive and actually work for a living. Maybe then those in genuine need could receive enough to provide for their families, and those who have worked hard and progressed through their careers, could actually experience the benefits of their hard work.

supermaiden

Myself and my husband both work, he works full time and I work part time. We are having our first baby due in July. We earn together around 15k/year. Would we be entitled to anything? Im not sure we would get the £500 grant but it sure would have been handy, luckily my gran is helping buy the pram. Thanks in advance!

zagfles

supermaiden wrote: »

Myself and my husband both work, he works full time and I work part time. We are having our first baby due in July. We earn together around 15k/year. Would we be entitled to anything? Im not sure we would get the £500 grant but it sure would have been handy, luckily my gran is helping buy the pram. Thanks in advance!

Yes on that income you'd get the grant, plus over £100 per week in tax credits and child benefit.

themull1

skcollobcat10 wrote: »

Totally agree with you, you have obviously studied hard to earn that amount of salary, why should somebody with no qualifications on the NMW get similar income. Its just not fair and I wish that all tax credits and child benefit were completely stopped.

What about someone in my situation, my husband left me and our kids in January, i work full time but i'm off in the school holidays, and earn £14, 900 a year, if i didn't get tax credits i couldn't afford to live. There are loads of different situations out there, we're not all greedy, workshy people, i've worked full time since i was 16. Do you want all the abandoned parents on low wages to go to hostels? shame the workhouses closed down!!

melly1980

skcollobcat10 wrote: »

Totally agree with you, you have obviously studied hard to earn that amount of salary, why should somebody with no qualifications on the NMW get similar income. Its just not fair and I wish that all tax credits and child benefit were completely stopped.

The thing is, I dont wish they'd stop. I think there is something wrong somewhere with the calculation that allows such scenarios but in principle I agree with the tax credits system.

LizD_2

sarflee wrote: »

Personally cannot see where the OP has expected any "sympathy", just appears to be making sure they are getting what they are entitled to.

Do you still get free dental during pregnancy and for about 6 month afterward?

You get free dental care during pregnancy and until the child's first birthday.

zagfles

melly1980 wrote: »

The thing is, I dont wish they'd stop. I think there is something wrong somewhere with the calculation that allows such scenarios but in principle I agree with the tax credits system.

The problem is the high marginal deduction rates when you combine tax, NI and tax credits withdrawal as you demonstrated.

This comes from a tax system which way overtaxes families, by not allowing non-earners to use their tax allowance against the family income - the so-called "important principle" of independant taxation. Funny how this "important principle" doesn't apply to tax credits or benefits - which are assessed jointly!

So to compensate for being way overtaxed, tax credits give some of the tax back, and for those on lower incomes tax credits really become benefits as they get more back than the tax they paid.

Basically tax credits are a sticking plaster over a flawed tax system, driven by a desire of successive govts to get the basic rate of tax as low as possible, rather than giving people the tax allowances they need. Tax allowances were supposed to give people enough money to live on before starting to take tax off them, something which is basic common sense, but by not allowing non-earners to use their tax allowance, families end up paying far more tax than they can afford.

Solution is to allow non earners to use their tax allowance and raise tax rates. But that's not going to happen...

DeeMarie89

skcollobcat10 wrote: »

Totally agree with you, you have obviously studied hard to earn that amount of salary, why should somebody with no qualifications on the NMW get similar income. Its just not fair and I wish that all tax credits and child benefit were completely stopped.

Hang on there a minute. Some of us would have flipping LOVED to go to uni and be able to finish college. However, some of us had to work as soon as we were old enough. I had to leave home when I was 16, and I had to work my !!! of from when I was 15 in order to support myself. Not everyone has the means to go to university. Just because my circumstances didn't allow me to spend three years of my life dossing through uni having my way paid for me with a loan that, in theory, I may never have to pay back, it doesn't mean that we should be punished. At least we actually work, don't just sit on our !!!!!! claiming every penny the DWP throws our way.

johnsmithsfan

DeeMarie89 wrote: »

Hang on there a minute. Some of us would have flipping LOVED to go to uni and be able to finish college. However, some of us had to work as soon as we were old enough. I had to leave home when I was 16, and I had to work my !!! of from when I was 15 in order to support myself. Not everyone has the means to go to university. Just because my circumstances didn't allow me to spend three years of my life dossing through uni having my way paid for me with a loan that, in theory, I may never have to pay back, it doesn't mean that we should be punished. At least we actually work, don't just sit on our !!!!!! claiming every penny the DWP throws our way.

I agree with that, some were fortunate to attend University, others of us HAD to work the minute we left scool. For some people however they can't enjoy the fact they earn a high income since they spend too much time resenting what others may or may not get in tax credits, cb etc. However many of these individuals live up to or over their high incomes and that is why they have so little disposable income. When I worked in a bank I saw how well some people on small incomes managed their money (no tax credits then) and yet others on the higher incomes quoted always managed to be overdrawn - yet whinge they never had enough. University gives a person a degree but not common sense or the ability to budget (live within means however high the earnings are) which are very different skills.

michelle1506

By all means do away with tax credits, but bring down the high cost of child care first. That's the real problem here.