Why no one seems to bother about high childcare cost?

reweird

I'd like to see these adults standing on their own two feet supporting their own children. As a taxpayer I didn't have the choice in the decision on whether someone opened their legs or not.

Going4TheDream

I know that it costs a lot to buy a house these days and people generally have to save to get on the ladder but they don't seem to save in the same way for the eventuality of children, then moan about the cost when they do have them as though it is a big surprise

LydiaJ

What is being discussed is not a childcare tax credit, but the childcare element of working tax credit. You get it (more or less) if you work at least 16 hours a week, and your pay isn't enough to cover the cost of childcare and still make it worth working. The idea is to make it so parents are better off working rather than being better off not working and claiming benefit. I think if you're a couple you both have to be working more than 16 hours a week, but I didn't claim it until after my husband had decided to walk out on me.

There's plenty of debate to be had about whether it incentivises the right things (the 16 hour cut off massively distorts the labour market), whether it's at the right level, and whether the earnings taper is set appropriately. Also the extent to which it encourages a dependent attitude, etc. But it would be helpful to have the facts straight before debating it.

nearlynew

Yet another example of the social damage caused by house prices being too high.