Frank Field's proposals for 'tweaking' tax credits cut

NYM

What were Tax Credits intended for, initially ?

Becles

Does that mean people earning over £13K will lose even more money compared to the loss that was announced in the budget?

longlostmiser

Why are the Tories going to cut working tax credits but not child tax credits? Doesn't that mean that families who choose not to work can in theory be better off than working families? So much for making work pay?

Becles

tomtontom wrote: »

The problem here is one of mindset. We should work to be as self sufficient as possible, benefits should not be seen as an alternative to work.

Any solution should include a minimum of 30 hours work a week (excepting disabled people), including for single parents. Then work becomes an essential - you don't get a penny of support unless you're putting in those hours.

They're taking the support away from single parents who work over 30 hours a week.

I'm a single parent already working full time (with a chronic long term health condition) and I'm being heavily penalised in April for doing this. I earn a bit more than min wage, so no wage increase for me and I don't claim housing benefit as I pay a mortgage.

If the proposals in this thread went ahead, I'd have even more money taken off me. Where is the incentive to work and do as much as you can for your family?

Blue22

Becles wrote: »

Does that mean people earning over £13K will lose even more money compared to the loss that was announced in the budget?

I believe anyone earning over about 23k would be worse off under these proposals, compared to the changes set out in the budget, with the biggest gainers being those earning 13k. It basically means that if you are still claiming tax credits, you will have the same final income (net pay + tax credits) as someone earning 13k. There will be no way to increase your income if you cant earn enough to rise out of the tax credit system.

I think this is an awful proposal and will affect families with higher tax credit entitlements ie those with childcare costs, disabled children and larger families.

evenasus

Blue22 wrote: »

I think this is an awful proposal and will affect families with higher tax credit entitlements ie those with childcare costs, disabled children and larger families.

Isn't one of the reasons to stop people having numerous children and claiming large payments of tax credits?

Blue22

evenasus wrote: »

Isn't one of the reasons to stop people having numerous children and claiming large payments of tax credits?

Sorry I didn't word that right, it will particularly affect those families if they are on higher incomes. It won't have any affect if the family has a lower incomes (under 13k)

And we are talking about families and children who are already here.

evenasus

Blue22 wrote: »

Sorry I didn't word that right, it will particularly affect those families if they are on higher incomes. It won't have any affect if the family has a lower incomes (under 13k)

And we are talking about families and children who are already here.

I'm sitting here browsing and and flicking though TV channels at the same time.
By coincidence as I got to channel 5 there's a programme featuring a woman who's expecting her 12th child and receiving £40K a year in benefits.
She's bragging about spending money on her kids and herself. £400 on each of the children's birthdays and the same for each child at Christmas.
I can understand people being furious at this.

Mersey_2

Frank Field has told the Huffington Post that cuts to Tax Credits could be stopped this week, by the tabling of a 'fatal' motion in the Lords.


Whilst rare since the 1960s, the cuts were not in the Manifesto and as such could be blocked by the Upper House, needing a further vote in the Commons. A dozen Tory MPs are now said to be unhappy with the proposals and are meeting the Chancellor individually to express their concerns.

NYGiants

Becles wrote: »

Where is the incentive to work and do as much as you can for your family?

Do you really need an incentive to work and provide for your family?

Things like wanting to provide for your family should come as second nature; maybe you weren't cut out for having children..