MSE News: Child benefit cut to hit 1 million next Monday

bloomingflower

McWolverine wrote: »

And what's with this "newbie" post-it:rotfl:

I'm a PSN regular - nothing can be said to me that hasn't already been said by some pimply 14yr old Yank called Chad, getting wound up that I've just run over him in a tank... :eek:

I welcome all comments, +ve and constructive, as long as they are intelligent.

Or alternatively, just slag me off if it makes you feel good about yourself...

Welcome McWolverine!

I have really nothing to say apart from welcome and just take care on these boards,more so on the benefit forum as it will sometimes make you feel like you are in a war zone!! :rotfl::eek:

By the way I loved your movie :)

zagfles

outofmoney wrote: »

We don't get CTC. For some reason we haven't been moved over.

However CB is deducted, it says on the letter it is classed as income and then taken away from the minimum amount we need to live on as they view it as income.

Yes, because the IS elements include child ben, whereas the CTC elements don't. It amounts exactly to the same thing. It's just the way the figures are presented, you're not losing your child ben.

For instance if you were claiming CTC, for one child you'd get child ben £20.30 a week plus CTC of £62.09 a week. Total £82.39.

Whereas with IS, you'd get £64.99 child premium plus £17.40 family premium. Total £82.39, but you only get paid £62.09 through IS and rest in child ben. But exactly the same total as above.

So you're not losing your child ben, it's just the IS figures include child ben already.

zagfles

princessdon wrote: »

I hadn't realised I now get a 40% reduction on

School Trips as goes to the parents association a charity
Beavers, Scouts, Brownies and Guides - all charities
Trips out (National trust holder, Zoo's, Museums), loads of places.

I'm rather chuffed that in addition to popping into a pension and having the government pay I can now pay 40% less on all above including pantomine trips etc.

Well more than the CB

Yes. Although it's only 25%, as you can only reclaim the difference between basic and higher rate (the charity gets the basic rate relief).

For instance, something that costs £80, charity claims £20 gift aid off the govt, counts as a £100 gross donation, you get the other £20 tax relief.

Plus the child ben saving if you earn between £50k-60k.

cannyscot_2

bessoby wrote: »

OK, for those of you who think we deserve to get it taken away, have a look at our figures: we live in the south-east in a borough of London with our 2 kids, 7 and 5. Husband takes home £2700 per month, he works very hard for this, long hours. As we live in a crazily expensive part of the country through no fault of our own we pay £1500 a month on our mortgage. (Have no illusions here, we are not in a mansion, we are in a semi-detached house with two main bedrooms and a box room which my daughter of 5 sleeps in. She is still in a toddler bed as that is all that will fit in her room). Council tax is £160 a month, bills bring it up to the £2k of outgoings...oh and then there is food too, well that's not cheap anymore! We don't have any 'luxuries' as some of you suggest, we do not go on holidays abroad like many do as we have no spare money at the end of the month, ever. So, it now seems that we will be even worse off as yet more is deducted from us. We would be better off claiming benefits I am sure, or at least having a lay-in every day and waiting for the money to arrive in our account!

If thta is your husbands takehome he is either earning 50K or has a big pension payment. If he is earning 50K or just over you will hardly lose any CB . So I hope you are still opted in?

cannyscot_2

Willow_wish wrote: »

Does anyone know if you lose Widowed parents allowance too if you are in the higher tax payer range? WPA states it is paid until you stop getting Child Benefit (but what is the definition of Stop now!). If so, I could potential lose c£600 a month - this is a huge drop from my monthly income!

From 2013 there is a benefit cap which means that if you are over 60K you would lose cb but not wba but you need to really do a proper calculation as i dont know your circumstances or whether you claim other benefits.

Put your details into the benefits cap calculator on directgov.co.uk site.

outofmoney

zagfles wrote: »

Yes, because the IS elements include child ben, whereas the CTC elements don't. It amounts exactly to the same thing. It's just the way the figures are presented, you're not losing your child ben.

For instance if you were claiming CTC, for one child you'd get child ben £20.30 a week plus CTC of £62.09 a week. Total £82.39.

Whereas with IS, you'd get £64.99 child premium plus £17.40 family premium. Total £82.39, but you only get paid £62.09 through IS and rest in child ben. But exactly the same total as above.

So you're not losing your child ben, it's just the IS figures include child ben already.

When we called for info we had it confirmed CB was deducted. We were also told that they had no idea whether swapping to CTC would be of benefit to us as they could not access us unless we applied.

So how are you able to say you know exactly how our IS works and what we would get on CTC? I am not being funny, just genuinely interested to know how you have such knowledge when even the ones who deal with it could not tell us.

stroodes

fgs,

the high earners should be able to claim cb its the only thing they can claim, unlike some, they pay high taxes that keep people that can't, don't, won't work.

Poppie68

outofmoney wrote: »

Unfortunately children don't always come when planned. I have four children which includes a set of twins. I was on the pill the whole time. Turns out my Dr wasn't very good and prescribed me one that wasn't very strong. So should I be blamed?

And, just to add, I am married and they all have the same father, and no, we don't have a council house!

Im sorry but you falling pregnant while taking the pill has nothing to do with your doctor being be incompetent or the prescribed pill not being 'very strong' (no such thing as a strong pill) it's to do with the pill failing which is no ones fault it just happens to some women, no contraception method is 100% safe.

Poppie68

outofmoney wrote: »

We don't get CTC. For some reason we haven't been moved over.

However CB is deducted, it says on the letter it is classed as income and then taken away from the minimum amount we need to live on as they view it as income.

Child benefit is not classed as benefit as it is not a taxable benefit.
Carers allowance is classed as income as it is a taxable benefit.
You need to query the lack of CTC with the tax credits office.

McWolverine

bloomingflower wrote: »

Welcome McWolverine!

I have really nothing to say apart from welcome and just take care on these boards,more so on the benefit forum as it will sometimes make you feel like you are in a war zone!! :rotfl::eek:

Thanks for the welcome. And yes, it looks like one of those topics that can polarise people. Hopefully objectivity will prevail...

By the way I loved your movie :)

Thanks. But you should see me in Les Mis.... Or as its known in Scotland, "The Glums"....