no I guess it's not a balanced opinion having never lived there but when you grow up without things like that you learn to get on and get by without it... all I mean is that there are people who genuinely need help and there are others who could do without it. Two very different ends of the scale but the benefits are the same regardless.

That's what needs to be sorted out.

I don't know your situation so can't comment but I didn't mean that any one on here got benefits "just becase" but you must know that I mean people who take the pi$$ rather than get off their back sides and do something about it.

I pay shed loads of tax and social security too but I still don't get a penny back but I don't have much choice.

Sorry i didnt mean to sound sharp and i do understand your point about people who take the pee. Its just that these cuts are hitting lower and middle earners hard at the moment and im working my socks off to stay afloat right now til i clear what i owe. I pay 700-800 a month in tax and NI and my sole benefit is my 1k a year child benefit so its not really that big a hand out, the nhs is funded by our taxation and national insurance so ive never seen the point in it being criticised. Each country chooses how to do things and theres an awful lot the nhs wont cover that countries who use insurance will. I agree the uk does have a rather screwed up benefits system that needs an overhaul to be fair however but it does also do a corking line in stealth taxes. The reason so many ppl take euro booze cruises is because here we pay more tax on items like fuel, ciggies and alcohol than anywhere on the continent, that and VAT on everything. I guess no system is perfect

We're going to lose it. I'm a bit peed off! Our income is over 75k but our out goings are high and oh pays loads of tax. We don't get a penny from anywhere else.

So I'll carry on going to work, cry every morning when I leave my baby, pay my taxes so that others can enjoy staying at home with their babies.

Well there go my benefits! Did you see them fly out the window!?

I saw CB as the government investing in a future tax payer because that's what Wil will be in 20 years. I have been putting Wil's CB away for him every month to start his uni fees/ gap year/ house deposit fund.

I am okay with the fact that we won't get CB any more because I can afford to live without it but I don't agree with the way they have gone about it. In my opinion it should have been done on a joint income and the threshold set much higher (maybe £70k household income).

BTW I pay £700 a month for Wil's childminder and she is worth every penny and there is a high probability I will be forking out £10k per year on school fees for him from 2013 onwards because I don't want my child to receive a substandard education because there aren't enough good teachers and resources.

GillandWil wrote:

BTW I pay £700 a month for Wil's childminder and she is worth every penny and there is a high probability I will be forking out £10k per year on school fees for him from 2013 onwards because I don't want my child to receive a substandard education because there aren't enough good teachers and resources.

Well my child is going to have to have a substandard education. (Though education system in NI isnt to bad imo) Even if I get a SW post my income isnt likely to ever top £25-30k and OH limited due to epilepsy, working 18hrs in supermarket for £4k a year. Its not always a matter of who worked the hardest deserving the most. Many people are limited due to genetic intelligence, the support they received as a child, disabillity and the opportunities in their area. A lot of life & success is hard work, but some of it is good fortune.There's a lot of things I want for Caitlin but I cant provide & never will be able to. Id like to hope that Caitlin will be a future tax payer too, I have a degree and hope to encourage her to go to uni and reach her potential. I dont think its right to assume (perhaps you arent) that because you are high earners so will your child be, and equally that just because you grew up with 5 sibblings in a 2bed council flat that you wont be as useful to the economy in 20 years.

My whole issue with the CB thing is that its not household income. Im not agreeing that high end tax payers shouldnt be entitled to any state benefits but I do think if this money is being used to help fund their childrens private education in any way at the expense of it being invested in state schools is morally wrong!

The bbc news there pointed out that many conservative voters who were pro benefit cuts are now kicking up a fuss because its affecting them. How do they think the rest of us feel?! (Again im talking about really rich not middle earner cpls)

Btw Gill this isnt all aimed at you! Iv kinda went off on a rant again!

Laura wrote:

Mario, you wouldnt lose your CB as it is a joint household income of £44, not one person earning that amount.

x

''But Osborne sparked fury after admitting that a household with two people earning £43,000 each, totalling £86,000, could still receive the benefit, whereas a household where just one person was earning £45,000, would have it withdrawn.Osborne said this was because the government was trying to keep the system "as simple as possible".''

I cant believe they are using the excuse that it makes it simple!

Its a joke Lisa! FGS all they need to do is ask 2 questions instead of one- What is your income before tax? ok, What is your OHs income before tax?

Numptys!

My heads all jumbled... It wont effect us, but I do feel for those who it will.
But I am shocked people on 100k were getting it! If I were on 40k alone I would be happy. so in that respect I think its for the best...

but I think it should be tested as those who are those type of wages obvioulsy work longer hours = child care which take a massive chunk out! should be taken into account!!

But is it me.. but they said they want more people to go to work, adn 'work pays' but they seem to be pushing more out of work...

but they either way what ever they do no one is going to be happy.

I agree that they need to do something to reduce the debt, but they are hitting the wrong people here, we will lose ours, but we are by no means well off, I know £44,000 sounds a lot to some people, but when you have to livein an area where the average mortgage or rent is well over £1000 + a month plus all your bills and childcare costs it doesn't leave you with an awful lot. I really think they should just stop it for the 50% tax payers, so the ones earning in excess of £100,000 a year.

We, as a family are going to to lose it too as my OH earns above the threshold. I currently work, but am about to be made redundant, and have applied for 20 plus jobs with no success. Therefore I will be a stay at home Mum, unless i find employment! I wont be able to any claim other benefits as my OH earns too much, which I can truly understand, as in theory as a family we dont need it! However, my OH is a tight s**t, and on my wage i have to pay for Childminders fees and all the food, and Joes clothes and then my personal bills on top of that (£200 + to get to work a month) even though he earns quadruple the amount i do.......

I suppose my point, being a selfish one, is that when I am "unemployed" the CB would be my only source of income, obviously this a "relationship" issue rather than a "need" and I feel bad for mentioning it, as on paper, our household is one of privilige.....but on the other hand, i will not have a bean to my name!

I can imagine i will get a backlash from these comments, but i do however agree it should be based on joint income rather than a singular above 44k. They say that to means test would cause complication, which is ridiculous. Lets hope that between now and 2013 they will hear the public and change their policy to one which is more balanced.

mario it's ok I think my first comment might have looked like it was aimed at some of the previous posters which it wasn't

Your right it's not fair that you pay so much and get so little back and I don't really think any government are going to get it right unless they really pull their finger out and get on the case of people who DO take the pee and use up the money that should be going elsewhere.

Maybe one of the BANDA ladies should get into politics and run for prime minister?