General Chat

I'll keep my fingers crossed that you'll find a decent job, Cait.

Just don't take it out on immigrants. they are people too.

Sue x

Taxing those who in a decent job more wouldnt meet the supply and demand out the national pot.

there are too many areas of need that puts a vast drain on funds.

The people living longer are a drop in the ocean in real terms against the vast increase in the population in this country whos funded by the govs payout system.

I'm just hoping there's a decent job out there next May :-)

Of course instead of children we could invite immigrants to come here in the future. We have an ageing population and need someone to come and work here to pay taxes and keep the country going.

When the Welfare State was devised it was assumed that those who retired would only live 5/10 years after retirement. People now are living longer so more is being spent than say 50 years ago.

Cait, which is why these atrocious cuts are so very wrong. Will someone please wake up to the idea that there was another way to balance the books., ie tax those of us who are lucky enough to have a decent job more.

Suex

"Why should people knock out kids and expect the tax payer to pick up the bill?"

Why should someone who pays for private education for their child/ren pay towards state education? Why shouldn't someone who pays for private medical treatment pay towards the NHS? Surely these people should get a refund of the amount of their taxes that are paid towards these. Individually if might not amount to much but collectively it could add up.

Quite, Salt

I can't quite see Mrs Daily Mail protesting except on the basis that she's a bit worse off...i

Believe it or not some people take a job that pays less than what their qualifications/experience say they are worth because a) they find the job fulfilling and/or b) it's the only job they can currently find and they need it to pay the bills.

As for some of the ignorance about SN/SEN children on this thread beggars belief. Schools who have a SN/SEN child, who has been statemented, receive extra funding for that child, which often goes towards a classroom/teaching assistant, who can provide one to one for that child. The curriculum is so varied now that the teacher often doesn't have time to provide each child with individual attention and these children need individual attention, for a variety of reasons, those reasons being dependent on what their SN/SEN is.

As Mel said, iirc, being in a mainstream school and being given the extra help can help a child to achieve so much more. These children have SN/SEN through no fault of their own and deserve every chance they are given to achieve their full potential.

agree with you........everyone claiming should be means tested, and those that protest, have something to hide.........imho

couldn't agree with you more, Salt

Which is why I believe that child benefit should be means tested

Sue x

having kids is a life style choice, if you want them, then pay for them. Why should people knock out kids and expect the tax payer to pick up the bill?

That's why we in the UK have the highest pregnancy rating in the EU, gym slip girls know (and i have spoke
to them) that they'll get hand outs, left right and centre from benefits.......

STOP these hand outs!! If kids want kids, let them pay for them!!

If that's your definition Salt, then I'm completely with you.

"Foreigners? it isnt too difficult is it? A non "British" person ie someone living here that shouldnt be...."

Which, of course, includes people from the the enlarged European union, who have a right to be here. And people from the African continent who are here because of a right to remain. All of whom are here because they are allowed to be so

Sue x

I consider Army bases abroad as uk soil and as such your brothers family would be "residents" of this country.

SaltnPepper although to some extent I agree with you, I do not agree with paying for people having children without the intention of supporting them. But then again, I keep thinking, everyone who is paying tax should at least get something back so why should they not be entitled to child benefit. After all they have paid for it.

I'm totally with you salt n pepper

"Give those that need the £ and those that dont, dont!

Means test, money to those who "really"need it.."

I'm not sure who's going to decide "who deserved it and who have earned their right to claim it." though

Sue x

Foreigners? it isnt too difficult is it? A non "British" person ie someone living here that shouldnt be.....

I'm British and have the right to say so!"!

not quite what you said, "Child benefit should be paid for the first child only and only for children born and resident in this country"

I'm not trying to be clever, I'm just trying to challenge exactly what people mean when they say "foreigners".

I tried it with Baz, and his response was " Not going to be drawn on this thanks, I thought it was going to be a bone fide discussion. See ya . Bye."

Sorry, but I thought I was having a bona fide discussion

Sue x

No TootyFruity, child benefit goes back to my original comment, Means Test!

Give those that need the £ and those that dont, dont!

Means test, money to those who "really"need it...and who deserve and who have earned their right to claim it......

Suzian

As your niece's father is serving in the Armed Forces she should be class as a British citizen and as such should receive Child Benefit.

However, if he had emigrated then no

Playing devil's advocate, TootyFruity, so should my brother's daughter, who was born in Germany, because her dad was stationed there with the Army, be discounted from receiving child benefit?

sue x

We signed up th the European Community, we have reciprocal agreements with them, NO major party not even this lot will pull out of those. Therefore those Europeans who come here to work will continue to do so, simply because they can undercut the minimum wage expected by 'us', they expect and accept less because it buys them more back home. I am not suggesting that is fair on British workers, but maybe we have learned to set our sights too high?

Everyone had the chance to vote UKIP ...how many did ?! Yes there are major drawbacks to being part of Europe, but we are not in the position to pull out I don't believe? Certainly not in our present state. We couldn't be self sufficient, not in terms of trade, we are no longer a world power in the sense we were in days of Empire.

There has been an expectation in this country for years I think that everyone can have what they want and have it now. We have run out of credit basically , both on a personal level and whole economy wise. Like the banks we got greedy, now those who are least able will suffer the most.

Good idea, Baz - a bona fide discussion without definitions. Not what I'd call a bona fide discussion. But there you go....

Sue x