Child benefit changes

off topic, not really electrcial...

The government is to remove child benefit in January 2013 from households with someone earning more than £42,475.

Fair enough, but it should be on family income, not one earner…

Is it an anomaly that a family with a single earner taking home more than £42,475 would lose child benefit but a couple each earning slightly less than the top rate could together take home £80,000 and keep the benefit.

The Daily Telegraph reports the cut-off point might be raised to £50,000, but that would make it works as it would then mean two earners could earn just under £100k and still keep the benefit – another ill thought out concept.

A Treasury source described the latest claims of a government re-think over child benefit as "speculation.”

we say Child benefit for children who are still in their home countries may ne wrong. Just because it doesn't affect 85% of people doesn't make it fair or right.

All its going to do is punish those on Paye in the 40-50 bracket. It will cost more to administer than any real saving and the rich will get their accountants to cook the books so they still get it. All that gets penalised is a few poor schmuks in the middle.

So much for the pledge to support family values, but wants to punish a mum (or dad) who would stay at home to give lil-un a bit of TLC

Well we may well need to speculate, cos you got it wrong.

Unfair? I dunno

lets see what happend in the budget??? maybe it would be better to scrap it all together and counterat it with a base rate change. less admin!!!