Should the government not be encouraging people to have children?

S

sandrat

Registered User
Messages
920
Just needed somewhere to rant.

The other half and myself we last night talking about the possibility of having another baby. We had always said we would try for another when our first was about a year old. We have come to the conclusion that financially it might be best to wait a while longer because god knows what the government plans to do with the upcoming budget(s).

Looking at the statistics for quarter 2 2008 released by cso during the week there are a lot of people in the 20s-30s categories that are going to need people working to pay their pensions but a lot of people are holding off having children.

It would appear that they will be cutting things like children's allowance and early childcare supplement - the kinds of things that help families. Should they not be trying to encourage people to work and not increase the numbers out of work? More people working = more taxes etc. They way things are working at the moment if they cut child benefit and ECS we would be better off with my husband not working. He is already due to take a 35% pay cut in April, we are not entitled to a medical card of GP visit card.

The more people who are working the more taxes the government are taking in and the less welfare they are paying out. What they need to do is something about the cost of childcare but of course they won't. I know there are less jobs out there but jobs could be created in childcare!

I am probably not making much sense but I am looking to let off some steam and thought this was the place to do it.
 
Hi Sandra.
THere are a few points worth making.

The government dont currently need to encourage people to have children as our birth rate is one of the highest in Europe and is going up.

You also mention that they should be encouraging people to work, this argument doesn't go very far at a time when there are thousands of people being laid off every week. There are no jobs to encourage people to take. There are a lot of people who dont need to be encouraged to work, they would take any job they could take. Exactly how would increasing child benefit create jobs ?
 
I didnt say increasing CB would create jobs but that getting rid of it will encourage people to leave their jobs or not go back to work
 
But at a time of rising unemployment, there are not enough jobs for everyone, so encouraging parents to work by increasing CB will not increase the tax take as you have claimed, as the numbers in work will be exactly the same.
 
In that case, should they maybe introduce family friendly tax polices that might make it affordable and so encourage a parent who currently works, but would rather be at home to give up work and stay at home, thereby creating a vacancy for another person who wants to work but can't find a job. Would there be many in this position?

Not very likely, given that more taxes are needed for everyone!
 
Maybe they are planning to do so indirectly in the April Fools Budget, generally the poorer a Family or Nation is the higher the birthrate.
 
I guess if people are poor enough to not afford condoms or the pill, can't afford to go out, or have a telly there is little else to do than have a clatter of childer
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top