Originally Posted by garinda (Post 739633)

Like most social benefits, you don't queue up anywhere to access the money, it's paid into a bank account, just like all the other benefits poorer people are entitled to.

You don't have to queue up at the workhouse door for child benefit. Therefore there is no social stigma, and I for one be much happier if the benefit that is paid to wealthy parents was finding it's way to the children who need it more.

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 739645)

I agree on child benefit Rindi, it should go to those most in need, at the moment a millionaire can claim it which to me is ridiculous

Originally Posted by Mancie (Post 739648)

Chip away at the edges and you will eventually get down to the bare bone.. people not to long ago fought for a basic child allowance for all ... now you lot would push it aside because of the economic situation...take care.

Originally Posted by Mancie (Post 739648)

Chip away at the edges and you will eventually get down to the bare bone.. people not to long ago fought for a basic child allowance for all ... now you lot would push it aside because of the economic situation...take care.

Originally Posted by garinda (Post 739656)

We'll not agree on this one.

You may want to protect the right of wealthy parents to receive child benefit.

I'd much rather this be stopped, and the money saved given to those children who actually need it, and for who it'll make a real difference, and not pay for tennis lessons, that more well off parents would still fund regardless if they received this money or not.

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE (Post 739659)

I thought this thread was about the threat to stop DLA and AA:confused:

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE (Post 739669)

I don't see it as a step forward however much they try to dress it up. There is already monies being paid out for this very cause which is being swallowed up elsewhere.

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE (Post 739672)

Who decides what your needs are if you are vulnerable?

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE (Post 739672)

Of course people deserve to have services that help them keep their independence but the cynical side of me just can't see them getting it right. Who decides what your needs are if you are vulnerable? The way I read it on the carers sites I visit it is the complete lack of adequate qualified paid carers that is the problem. I just can't see this working.

Originally Posted by garinda (Post 739673)

The same people who decide now if someone is entitled to these benefits in the first place.

At present many thousands of people who are entitled to these benefits, and who could keep some sort of independence, are slipping through the net, because it's so damn complicated. Whilst at the same time the current system allows thousands of others to succesfully fraudulently claim, when they shouldn't be getting a penny.

Watch BBC 1 at 9.15am, or Google News 'benefit fraud', to see how easy the present system is to defraud for those who are savvy to the holes in the current way it's fragmentedly organised, and which pays money to those swinging the lead, leaving some genuine claimants in dire straits.


The present system has many flaws, and I'm of the opinion that change isn't necessarily always for the worse.

For many it couldn't get much worse.