Cut in tax credits?

Melissa22_Mum

Anyone else a little uneasy about Nick Clegg not confirming that this Job fund idea isn't going to be funded by reducing tax credits! We live on ours practically. I buy all our food and clothing with it. My other half works full time, I can't yet as have a 6 year old and 10 month old.

Does anyone know any more about it?

Oldernotwiser

That's certainly what's been written in the press.

Personally, I'd think it better not to rely too heavily on government top ups because they can be withdrawn or changed at any time.

Melissa22_Mum

Yes that would be nice with a choice. I've only heard it on radio 4 listen to it all day but that's all that seems to have been said about it.

paddedjohn

Melissa22_Mum wrote: »

Yes that would be nice with a choice. I've only heard it on radio 4 listen to it all day but that's all that seems to have been said about it.

But you did have a choice, you chose to have a child knowing you couldnt cope without benefits. Personally i think the idea of the cut is just an idea thats been thrown in the air to judge the publics reactions.

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow

paddedjohn wrote: »

But you did have a choice, you chose to have a child knowing you couldnt cope without benefits. Personally i think the idea of the cut is just an idea thats been thrown in the air to judge the publics reactions.

sigh

someone else who thinks only rich people should be allowed to have families

welshmoneylover

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow wrote: »

sigh

someone else who thinks only rich people should be allowed to have families

After reading some of the posts on this board over the last few months, I'm beginning to think that the only rich people are those on benefits.

They seem to receive far more money through the benefit system than someone who goes out to work!

So maybe a cut wouldn't be such a bad idea, it might encourage others to seek employment instead of relying on benefits as a lifestyle choice.

I'm all for a cap of £500 on benefit claims.

Killmark

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow wrote: »

sigh

someone else who thinks only rich people should be allowed to have families

I think most people should agree that people should avoid having children if they can't afford them and have to rely on state handouts. If you already have children and your circumstances have changed then that's different but whatever happened to the expectation that people better themselves (if possible) rather than expect to rely on the state ad infinitum.

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow

just out of interest Killmark, what amount of money do you think people should be earning before they be allowed to have children?

Oldernotwiser

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow wrote: »

just out of interest Killmark, what amount of money do you think people should be earning before they be allowed to have children?

Enough to keep them, obviously.

(And it's not a question of "allowing", it should be a sensible decision that people make for themselves.)

mildred1978

Melissa22_Mum wrote: »

Anyone else a little uneasy about Nick Clegg not confirming that this Job fund idea isn't going to be funded by reducing tax credits! We live on ours practically. I buy all our food and clothing with it. My other half works full time, I can't yet as have a 6 year old and 10 month old.

Does anyone know any more about it?

Plenty of people work with 2 children. Legally you only have to take 2 weeks off (4 if you're a factory worker).

Killmark

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow wrote: »

just out of interest Killmark, what amount of money do you think people should be earning before they be allowed to have children?

I didn't say people should be allowed to have children based on earnings but people should be sensible enough to plan ahead.

I'll give you an example if you were working a 36hr week on NWM and had a non-working partner with 1 child you would be paying £1,477.64 a year in tax, but would be getting £3,068 in CTC and £1,040 in CB = £4,108 total meaning a net cost after tax income to the tax payer of £2,631.

That doesn't include Housing Benefit or Council tax Benefit that people may be entitled to, but would you say its prudent for the family to decide that based on household income they should have another child?

£1,477.64 a year in tax, but would be getting £5,500 in CTC and £1,755 in CB = £7,255 total meaning a net cost after tax income to the tax payer of £5,778.