Child benefit to be scrapped for higher taxpayers

[Admiral Huddy]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11464300

This is a ******* joke tbh.

Yet again the higher rate earner gets hit again and again and again.

I know what you are all going to deal the "need and greed" card but most higher rate earners aren't exactly on the rich list.

The combination this and other losses aren't exactly a nominal loss.

[Jonny69]

How much do you actually get for child benefits, out of interest? Not trolling, just interested to see what you get.

[Dymetrie]

Originally Posted by BBC News

At the moment, parents are paid £20.30 a week for the eldest child and £13.40 for subsequent children, with payments continuing until the age of 19 for those in full-time education.

It's actually in the article.

The problem with this isn't the people wedged firmly in the 40% tax bracket, it's more those who are right on the cusp. As usual, however, it's based on gross pay, rather than net pay (including costs other than tax), so for people like me it ignores pension, student loan and my travelcard loan.

Then again, the savings for the Government will be quite substantial and mean that they can avoid cuts in other places, which is good for other parts of society.

Swings and roundabouts, really...

[Mark]

Originally Posted by Dymetrie

Swings and roundabouts, really...

Pretty much what I'm thinking. The alternative of course isn't to make the cuts at all. We'll never know what the consequences of that would have been (had Labour remained in power), but given how much we're already paying to service debt...

I do think it was crazy that the PM qualified for child benefit, but that doesn't make it right to stuff those on the cusp. I suppose it is the simple (i.e. cheap) option though.

[Kitten]

There's a huge flaw in this regarding the income/combined income imo. Should be based on combined household income, not single earnings, surely?

And from what I understand of the tax situation around employment, it doesn't touch the millions of self-employed/contractors who are well into the higher earnings bracket but who pay themselves minimum wage & dividends, does it?

[Jonny69]

Originally Posted by Kitten

And from what I understand of the tax situation around employment, it doesn't touch the millions of self-employed/contractors who are well into the higher earnings bracket but who pay themselves minimum wage & dividends, does it?

No, but they have always been able to fiddle the system, not just over this.

[Matblack]

Not overly bothered to be honest, I'd rather it went to someone who really needed it then to us. My only issue is that women how are high earners on maternity leave should get it whilst they are on SMP, remove it when they go back.

MB

[Kitten]

Originally Posted by Jonny69

No, but they have always been able to fiddle the system, not just over this.

I'm not saying it is 'just over this' but the point is that assets should be taken into account to some extent.

I can't say I disagree with it in principle anyway, but I've learned to keep my opinions to myself on this one as they aren't popular and I can't be jiggered arguing over it yet again!

[Pickers]

Originally Posted by Admiral Huddy

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11464300

This is a ******* joke tbh.

Yet again the higher rate earner gets hit again and again and again.

No offense Huddy, but this is certainly not my experience when the torys were last in, or with new labour for that matter.

My family have always been hard working with jobs that are average income, and I have seen my peers with better off familys enjoying the delights of full Education Maintanance Allowance, which is based on parental income. Kid's parents who are SO well off that they didnt work full time, or took early retirement, were getting £30 a week. My parents worked 9-5 5 days a week and beyond and I got nothing because their combined income was just on the threshold.

Its a discussion that everyone thinks they know best and everyone feels hard one by. Its all swings and roundabouts, but I know the addage "the rich get rich, and the poor get poorer". This started with Maggie and the Torys, and I feared initially that the Tory government may go back to crapping on the small people.

Fortunatly, at the moment from what I've heard, it seems as though the current government have some good ideas that will help those that are less fortunate....
Time shall tell.

[vix]

Originally Posted by Pickers

My family have always been hard working with jobs that are average income, and I have seen my peers with better off familys enjoying the delights of full Education Maintanance Allowance, which is based on parental income. Kid's parents who are SO well off that they didnt work full time, or took early retirement, were getting £30 a week. My parents worked 9-5 5 days a week and beyond and I got nothing because their combined income was just on the threshold.

OT but the sooner they scrap EMA the better!

An on topic, I'm not seeing this as a bad thing. You can either afford to have children or you can't. I can't afford to so am not (amongst other reasons.) The sooner this is realised, the better.