No thats the point Rosie, the class divisions exist because we constantly judge people that way. I suppose it is a bit of a chicken and egg issue but if we stop calling people middle class etc... then we can stop thinking in that mindset.

or maybe we should just refer to the high paid, the comfortably off, the low paid and the skint because those divisions most definitely exist and are reinforced by the high paid and the comfortably off being paid allowances they don't really need.

Yes maybe we should because Class is not about money, it is about reinforcement of some arcaic family history and your supposed place in society.

Income (or wealth) is more influential on someone's life than is class nowadays.  And (to go back to the original topic) just why are those who are on a high or average income receiving child benefit they don't really need?

why should Child benefit be paid, it should be the responsibility of the parents to decide if they can afford children and not he tax burden of all to keep them. my niece has 3 children by 3 different men and her child benefit pays for her mobile phone, tobacco etc. etc, need i go on, and of course she also receives all the hanb outs that go to the great work shy of Britain. i say don't pay cash but if benefits have to be paid then they should be food/clothing vouuchers that are only redeemable against those items.

<quote>why should Child benefit be paid,</quote>

Apparently because kids are an investment for the future which is why parents will always get preferential treatment.

podette:

why should Child benefit be paid, it should be the responsibility of the parents to decide if they can afford children and not he tax burden of all to keep them. my niece has 3 children by 3 different men and her child benefit pays for her mobile phone, tobacco etc. etc, need i go on, and of course she also receives all the hanb outs that go to the great work shy of Britain. i say don't pay cash but if benefits have to be paid then they should be food/clothing vouuchers that are only redeemable against those items.

I suppose I am what you call "great work shy of Britain"... though I might add that that is not for want of trying. I am on benefits (and I hate it), I worked for 16 years before having my first child, at 13 months old I took her and fled to a womens refuge and a month later discovered I was pregnant with my 2nd child. As my children have grown older I have tried to return to work, I am doing a computer course and working a small part time job, (earning a paultry £16 pw). I went to see my consultant at the job centre last month and said that I was trying to find longer hours so that I could get off Income support....she told me that unless I could find a job which "guaranteed" 16 hours a week then I shouldn't bother as I could end up in more difficulties financially than I am in now. Child benefit, as you say, is there for the benefit of the child/children. I try hard to use mine to purchase school shoes, pay for school trips, clothing etc, but it isn't always possible. If I have a bill to pay then the money goes on that. I do not drink or go out (the last time I had an evening out was my 40th...a meal paid for by my best friend 4 1/2 yrs ago), I don't buy makeup, have a knackered old mobile with a broken screen and never have money for credit and I rarely buy myself clothes (I rely on family members to give me vouchers for Christmas/Birthday pressants). My children are now 10 and 12 and have only had one holiday in their lives (a trip to Butlins 6 yrs ago). I haven't been abroad for 22 years. I would love to know how this neice of yours does it! I had an old car up until March of last year, my brother gave it to me and my mum helped with the insurance and tax and in return I would take her shopping, to hospital/doctors appointments etc. I don't know anybody on benefit who can afford to live the luxury lifestyle that you described. I am left constantly footsore from walking miles each day (my children attend schools 2 1/2 miles away from home, I walk them there, walk home, work at my sons school 3 lunchtimes a wk so that is another trip to and from, then walk back to collect them again before the final journey home) I have a problem with my feet which the doctor has told me will only get better if I rest it! Fat chance of that happening!!

Please do not judge all of us as "scroungers" or "work shy", some of us are just having a tough time trying to break back into the work scene.

Maybe if allowances were scrapped for those who don't really need them (like those with two incomes who can afford to jet abroad at least once a year) there would be more for those who really need it.

 

Personally i think all child benefits should be scrapped, its just a license for some to get pregnant.  As a tax payer why should childless couples and singles pay out especially for irresponsible teenagers to get a free council house, child benefit and all other benefits that go with it,  lol..and dont even get me started on council tax, another perk for married couples with kids, they pay full council tax whereas a single person pays 75%, how does that work out especially when.

 Think its time for poor little me to get some benefits, might have to fall ill go to the docs, pop down the benefits office claim some incapacity, oops not enough, hmm i wonder, ahh yes, go to shops, get some hoodie to kick me in legs, pop back to docs to get my walking stick and wheelchair benefit, wheel myself to the pub get into a drunken stupor go back to the docs plead alcoholism get a vodka and beer claim.  Now alcohol not enough, pop back out get some canabis from same hoodie that got me walking stick claim, pop back to docs, now i dont have to pay for anything.

 Or maybe i should just mug a poor little granny, go to prison get all the above, not have to pay income tax, council tax, telly license and any other tax the government throws at us these days.  Now living the life of Reilly, free bed and board, free telly, free playstation (sorry Nintendo WiI, playstation not the latest gizmo these days..lol), free education to degree level and a couple of bob to keep me in fags and mobile foncards.

Now ive left prison, turned 65, not paid any taxes my entire life, hmmm wiots going to happen to me now, i know just claim the same pension that is equal to some muggins who has worked their entire life.

And what is my one complaint in life, the fact that im not an illegal immigrant who has entered the country under false pretence to get more than me...lol.

 Happily none of the above is true and i have paid my dues more than most.

Rambing yes, truthfull oh yes

You summed up the situation all over the British isles. We keep these so called baby machines who have no life unless they breed. By doing so they are given all the benefits without any of the responsibilites to earn the right to have thier siblings.

Let the tax payer as usual pay these irresponsible women/girls to rear thier young without taking any responsibility for thier actions, and also the goverment who do nothing to stem the tide of the ever increasing population.

 

Oh my god? I have never heard such a bunch of crap from a bunch of snobs in all my life? maybe you should bring back hanging for the poor people that are stuck on benefits and those that are stuck in places that is a fate worse than death why dont you tie them up and stone them to death?

because that would be better than helping someone off benefits, you think the crime rate is bad now take that away and the whole of the British isles would be like living in iraq ????????

rear there young, who do you think you are dont talk about things you do not your self understand and you are the one that is very irresponsible for leaving such a narrow minded comment.

people on benefits dont want to be on them some people have no choice,

 

 

 

Well maybe hard working tax payers should also get a little something back!!  The money we get for child benefit goes towards putting food on the table for our children!  Instead of penalizing everyone that works hard why not take a look at those claiming benefits but still continue smoking and drinking!  A good example of this was when I was recently watching Jamie Oliver's ministry of food when he asked one woman if she had been following his recipes and she admitted she hadn't, putting it down to the fact she could not justify the bus fare to travel to the supermarket to buy food in which to feed her children - whilst she was saying this I was astonished that she had the cheek to stand there puffing on a cigarette, mmm bus fare to feed my children or cigarettes!!  My husband works hard and earns a decent enough wage but we do not smoke or drink and we could not afford to even if we wanted to.  The little money we get from the government is spent on what it is intended for!  People claiming benefits should receive tokens for food shopping instead of cash then they would't be able to waste it on their own luxuries and maybe more spongers would get their backsides back to work!