crappy government

[buttonnose82]

I agree with Buttonose on this topic, i dont even need to read her posts but i know we are on the same level on this subject

I wish people would think of the long term rather than the short term and their own "free money" benefeit, it will benefeit you 100000 times more in the long run!!

thankyou

 

[ClaireLR]

and butterfly... personally, i think you have a bit of a cheek even applying for the hip grant let alone using it (and for something it's not even for), when you're moaning about people who want/need CTF and that other £500 payment?? just my opinion though!!! just seems a little hypocritical

i plan on applying for the hip grant but don't plan on using it to buy healthy food, but i'm not the one moaning about it and being a hypocrite

anyway, i am not one of the people needing the £500 sure start thing, i just think that some people's views are a little rude and then the hypocracy just bugged me even more

Sorry but who on earth would turn down £190 free from the government who I give a fortune in taxes a month to just because I think it's a stupid policy????

well apparently some people are turning down payments because they don't agree with them... if i didn't agree with something i wouldn't apply for it!

Really??

Well these people have obviously more money than sense!

haha on the previous page it was claire saying she'd turn it down when i asked her!! so fair enough moan about it if you're not going to take the money but i personally think it's wrong to moan about something... but then still accept it anyway!!

I don't agree. Why shouldn't people accept it if the money's there. I only said I wouldn't accept the CTF, I will still apply for the HIP grant, I've always worked and paid my taxes and there are plenty of people through choice that have never worked or paid in, I don't see why I shouldn't have it and they should, but I think it should be abolished for everyone.

 

[MrsJ08]

The majority of women on this site have planned their babies, many have waited a long time to have them. Naturally, this very much informs their opinions on "responsibility" and "not having children unless you can afford them". Unfortunately, this isn't a reflection of the reality of many peoples lives. Having been made redundant and gone from "rich" to "poor" overnight, I think some of the ladies on this thread need to have a serious think about how they would feel if themselves or their partner was either taken ill or lost their job, it could happen to any one of us the day after giving birth. I have been doing volunteer work with under5's and their parents for the past 6 months and have found it an eye opener. It also made me realise I was guilty of being very judgemental in the past. We all have views on the ideal time and circumstances in which someone should have a baby. Unfortunately it is exactly that an ideal and not a reflection of the world we live in. I have seen 1st hand exactly how vital the Sure Start grant is to some people. I do believe the HIP grant should be means tested in the same way. However, given that everyone has been hit by increased taxes whether on fuel or income I wouldn't criticise
anyone who didn't need it but claimed it. Clearly there will be a number of women on this thread setting a "moral" example and not claiming theirs. Or will they I wonder......

 

[Butterfly1984]

The majority of women on this site have planned their babies, many have waited a long time to have them. Naturally, this very much informs their opinions on "responsibility" and "not having children unless you can afford them". Unfortunately, this isn't a reflection of the reality of many peoples lives. Having been made redundant and gone from "rich" to "poor" overnight, I think some of the ladies on this thread need to have a serious think about how they would feel if themselves or their partner was either taken ill or lost their job, it could happen to any one of us the day after giving birth. I have been doing volunteer work with under5's and their parents for the past 6 months and have found it an eye opener. It also made me realise I was guilty of being very judgemental in the past. We all have views on the ideal time and circumstances in which someone should have a baby. Unfortunately it is exactly that an ideal and not a reflection of the world we live in. I have seen 1st hand exactly how vital the Sure Start grant is to some people. I do believe the HIP grant should be means tested in the same way. However, given that everyone has been hit by increased taxes whether on fuel or income I wouldn't criticise
anyone who didn't need it but claimed it. Clearly there will be a number of women on this thread setting a "moral" example and not claiming theirs. Or will they I wonder......

I agree, I honestly can not believe that somebody would turn down such a massive amount of money just because they didn't agree with it!

 

[chelleb2]

they shouldn't moan then!!

 

[LPF]

This sort of discussion always gets my back up.

Where the CTF is concerned, why the hell should taxpayers pay for other peoples children to have savings? You want kids, you want them to have savings, pay for them yourself. What about the families that have ten kids, thats 5 grands worth - why should tax payers pay for that? Regardless of whether the country is in a mess financially or not I don't believe these should have ever been introduced.

As for the rest, why do people need £500 to pay for baby things? Have people never heard of buying second hand cots, buggies etc? I can't see why anyone would need £500 to buy baby items, a newborn baby actually needs very little, again why should the taxpayer finance other people wants for expensive nursery furniture/equipment etc? Same goes for the £190 - I am entitled to that but would actually be happy for them to scrap that also, or at least means test it. I can imagine a huge percentage of expectant mothers spending that money on anything but being "healthy in pregnancy". Surely the government shouldn't pay for pregnant women to be healthy, surely any pregnant woman would want to take care of her health through healthy eating, not drinking, not smoking, gentle exercise etc, why does the government have to bribe women to do this with this money?

Rant over.

I completely agree!

CTF - What the hell will £250 be worth in 18 years anyway, all that's going to happen is that all our babies will be using it to go on holiday or something, it won't get very far towards uni etc, it will just be flittered away! and I don't see why the taxpayer should fund this, always thought it was stupid!

Also, as adults, it is our won decision to have children and we shouldn't be putting ourselves in the position to get pregnant if we can not afford to! We have 9 months to prepare for the birth of our children and therefore 9 months to save and buy things for them so why should people get £500 to buy these things????

Also, the HIP grant to me seems like a ridiculous amount of money, what exactly is it for??? We went to the baby show yesterday and used ours to buy reusable nappies, it was very nice to have them for free but also we would have saved for them if we hadn't been given the money, it just seems so much money to hand out to everyone!! And I bet no one uses it for fruit and veg!! My midwife calls it a 'handbag grant'!!!

I agree too.

I don't agree that taxpayers should fund future childrens savings. My understanding of the account you have to put child trust fund money in is investment savings not standard savings so 'like with any investment - the value of your account can go up or down' so you could end up with nothing anyway. Childrens savings aren't taxed anyway as long as you are a trustee and not the account holder.

I think grants are fine if you are really really desperate - and can prove you cant afford to but the basic essentials yourselves, but I dont agree that anyone under a threshold of earnings should get it automatically.

I do agree that if you get pregnant, you are responsible for providing for that child in whatever way you can. My parents had me very very young, could afford nothing and we had everything second hand but they never had any help from the government. People survived and they will again.

I think the 190 HIP is ridiculous waste of money - noone spends it on being healthy, it's just added to the pot of perks of being pregnant.

Whichever party was in power would have made huge cuts. The country couldn't have sustain the debt and spending labour started so many many things will change and some will affect everyone in some shape or form.

 

[Butterfly1984]

they shouldn't moan then!!

I wasn't moaning, I was merely stating that HIP grants seemed really daft to me but I still claimed mine, I work 48 hours a week, my hubby works full time to and it's nice to get soemthing back from the government.

If that makes me a hypocrite then I am a hypocrite!!

 

[kate1984]

I was working 48 hours a week and got made redundent a week before i found out i was pregnant, since then i have had to have job seekers allowance, i have no family that could help and my partner is being a dick and now saying he is leaving me.

I went from being a independant woman, earning my own money etc, now i had to sell my car as i cant afford to tax, insure and run it, cut down on many things etc...

Does it make me a bad person to be looking forward to the £500 sure start? i paid into the system for 10 years, worked daft hours, donated to charity now i feel like a chav and a scrounger.... I wish I had one of those plums for my mouth and a silver spoon up my backside...

Last week as i had all my bills to pay out i lived on one meal a day, went to bed hungry, had no gas for 3 days till my JSA went in my bank, it's a shame but some people really do struggle, and i have had 37 interviews while pregnant and each one has resulted in me being told to apply again when the baby has been born!

I will apply for what i can get at the minute, not because im a bad person but because ineed to survive!

 

[chelleb2]

i don't mean you, i mean anyone who is ranting about "why should people get this, that and the next thing" but then in the next breath are saying that they're going to accept it anyway

 

[going_crazy]

when you decide to have a child then you should be the one to provide for their future not the government.

we managed for hundreds of years without it and will manage without it ago

'crappy government' isn't exactly fair, regardless of which government got in, the cuts NEEDED to be made.

out of interested i would LOVE to know what areas people deem 'ok' to make cuts in? i am guessing it is a case of 'as long as it don't effect me then i don't give a damn

we are a pampered country but we as individuals need to take responsibility for our own lives and not expect the government to run around clearing up after us

Agreed 100%

 

[babyfever85]

personally i dont think its anybodys single fault that the country is in such a mess there are a number of factors to blame, i do agree that cuts need to be made somwhere along the line but in an ideal world everysingle person would have a well paid job be able to support there child single handidly with out any handouts what so ever, but we simple just dont live in a economy where its possable, i can understand 'richer' people arguing there point regards to there tax going to other people, but what if the tables where turned and they needed that little extra help they wouldnt refuse it then, i will be getting both the hip grant but will be using it to buy thing for my baby and the sure start grant will go on things too, i think most people would be greatfull with the help what ever there income, after all we do pay for a child for 18 years and most of that comes out of our own pockets so whats a little help at the begining!

 

[Tasha]

claire!! buying things second hand still mounts up! babies need a bloody lot of things and some people really do need the help!! i don't need that £500 and also don't qualify for it but i'm afraid your "rant" got on my nerves

so are you telling me you haven't / won't accept CTF?

No I won't, because I don't agree with it.

Babies don't need a lot of things, as someone on this thread has already pointed out you can buy reusable wipes, nappies, other than a cot, pram/buggy and some clothing/bedding what else does a baby need?

You may as well accept the CTF, because they send you a voucher and if you dont chose an account within a certain time span they just open one for your child any way, so at least by accepting you get to chose which account.

 

[ladykara]

These cuts wont make a difference to me and understand they have to make cuts but i am angry that they are making cuts which will effect the low income families.

 

[anna matronic]

and i have had 37 interviews while pregnant and each one has resulted in me being told to apply again when the baby has been born!!

You do realise this is illegal under the sex discrimination act

They are blatently not employing you (and stupidly admitting that it seems) because you are pregnant.

Next time someone says that to you ask them to put it in writing an sue them

 

[ladykara]

and i have had 37 interviews while pregnant and each one has resulted in me being told to apply again when the baby has been born!!

You do realise this is illegal under the sex discrimination act

They are blatently not employing you (and stupidly admitting that it seems) because you are pregnant.

Next time someone says that to you ask them to put it in writing an sue them

totally agree, i would get each one of them to put it in writing why you didnt get the job and confirm that its cause your pregnant, i would then go to one of the free family advice lines and get yourself some legal advice, its disgusting they did that !!! I had a legal adviser call me telling me i would get free legal help if i wanted to take my work to court just for making comments about being pregnant !!!!

 

[Blah11]

i feel for you not having a job but would u employ someone who is going to have a baby in a few weeks? I wouldn't Theyre in business to make money afterall.

 

[AppleBlossom]

Just thought I'd stick my two cents in...

I am a young single mother. HIP grant didn't exist when I had Grace so I didn't get that. I got the £250 CTF but that is now in an account under her father's name and I can no longer add to it. However I am not worrying that because I don't get to build up her savings in her CTF account she will never be able to pay for uni or whatever. Start your own acount? Put away whatever you can afford a month. Some months you could put a fair bit in, other months you might not even be able to put any in. But as the saying goes, every little helps. It isn't the governments responsibility to save for your children's future. They're YOUR children. It would be fantastic if every single child could get £250 to help them start out. But realistically speaking we as a country are in a financial shithole. Wouldn't people rather their children were brought up in a place where there wasn't a constant threat of economic crisis, losses of schools and hospitals etc? The government aren't taking CTF away just for the fun of it to piss people off. They are doing it because it would save them millions of pounds a year, money better spent improving the country for future generations, your children.

 

[special_kala]

we wernt well off as chilren and my mum got CB and thats it. we managed.

people expect everything to be handed to them on a plate and its just silly. we managed without these things before and we will again

 

[SKATERBUN]

This sort of discussion always gets my back up.

Where the CTF is concerned, why the hell should taxpayers pay for other peoples children to have savings? You want kids, you want them to have savings, pay for them yourself. What about the families that have ten kids, thats 5 grands worth - why should tax payers pay for that? Regardless of whether the country is in a mess financially or not I don't believe these should have ever been introduced.

As for the rest, why do people need £500 to pay for baby things? Have people never heard of buying second hand cots, buggies etc? I can't see why anyone would need £500 to buy baby items, a newborn baby actually needs very little, again why should the taxpayer finance other people wants for expensive nursery furniture/equipment etc? Same goes for the £190 - I am entitled to that but would actually be happy for them to scrap that also, or at least means test it. I can imagine a huge percentage of expectant mothers spending that money on anything but being "healthy in pregnancy". Surely the government shouldn't pay for pregnant women to be healthy, surely any pregnant woman would want to take care of her health through healthy eating, not drinking, not smoking, gentle exercise etc, why does the government have to bribe women to do this with this money?

Rant over.

I completely agree!

CTF - What the hell will £250 be worth in 18 years anyway, all that's going to happen is that all our babies will be using it to go on holiday or something, it won't get very far towards uni etc, it will just be flittered away! and I don't see why the taxpayer should fund this, always thought it was stupid!

Also, as adults, it is our won decision to have children and we shouldn't be putting ourselves in the position to get pregnant if we can not afford to! We have 9 months to prepare for the birth of our children and therefore 9 months to save and buy things for them so why should people get £500 to buy these things????

Also, the HIP grant to me seems like a ridiculous amount of money, what exactly is it for??? We went to the baby show yesterday and used ours to buy reusable nappies, it was very nice to have them for free but also we would have saved for them if we hadn't been given the money, it just seems so much money to hand out to everyone!! And I bet no one uses it for fruit and veg!! My midwife calls it a 'handbag grant'!!!

I agree too.

I don't agree that taxpayers should fund future childrens savings. My understanding of the account you have to put child trust fund money in is investment savings not standard savings so 'like with any investment - the value of your account can go up or down' so you could end up with nothing anyway. Childrens savings aren't taxed anyway as long as you are a trustee and not the account holder.

I think grants are fine if you are really really desperate - and can prove you cant afford to but the basic essentials yourselves, but I dont agree that anyone under a threshold of earnings should get it automatically.

I do agree that if you get pregnant, you are responsible for providing for that child in whatever way you can. My parents had me very very young, could afford nothing and we had everything second hand but they never had any help from the government. People survived and they will again.

I think the 190 HIP is ridiculous waste of money - noone spends it on being healthy, it's just added to the pot of perks of being pregnant.

Whichever party was in power would have made huge cuts. The country couldn't have sustain the debt and spending labour started so many many things will change and some will affect everyone in some shape or form.

I agree with the above, Labour would of had to of made cuts somewhere too, the country is in massive debt!
No one is saying that HIP grant is being cut, thats surely a lot more important in the present time.

 

[kate1984]

i feel for you not having a job but would u employ someone who is going to have a baby in a few weeks? I wouldn't Theyre in business to make money afterall.

I get what your saying, and i dont know tbh, it depends on how much I wanted that person for the job, one of the points i was trying to make though is that im trying hard to get back into work..

There will be some who get the £500 sure start and use it for crap, buy there other halfs beer, use it for things that are not baby related, i really dont think everybody should be tarred with the same brush.

I went from eating out at lovely restaurants, going to the pics once a week, shopping whenever i fancied etc to being one of the unfortuanate millions+ folk who have been laid off and now live off no frills food with a 2 for 1 treat once a month at brewsters...

it makes me so sad that i have ended up like this and feel such a failure as a person and a mummy