Make Child Benefit Count!

[Shirley]

http://www.makechildbenefitcount.org/

1. Why now?

Child benefit and its predecessor, family allowances, are 60 years old this year. To mark this anniversary the Make Child Benefit Count campaign is calling on the Government to increase child benefit and ensure that younger children get the same rate as the oldest child.

Please give your support to the campaign by sending a message to the Chancellor (LINK is on the MCBC website)




2. Take action

Dear Chancellor

Child benefit and its predecessor, family allowances, are 60 years old this year.

This birthday is time to celebrate the role child benefit plays – showing society's commitment to our children and helping parents make ends meet. Child benefit is popular, effective and reaches more children living in poverty than any other benefit or tax credit.

I ask you to increase child benefit and ensure that younger children get the same rate as the oldest child. This would help support larger families – which is vital if child poverty is to be ended once and for all.

So as we celebrate 60 years of support for children, let's make child benefit count.

Send this message to the Chancellor
(This will take you to a page where you can complete an e-postcard.)




3. Find out more

More information about the campaign including our policy briefing, press releases, a link to the 1946 public information film that promoted family allowances and an interview with one of the first mothers to be paid family allowances can be found on CPAG’s child benefit page at:
www.cpag.org.uk/makechildbenefitcount


4. Who are we?

The campaign is being supported by a growing number of organisations including: Child Poverty Action Group, End Child Poverty, TUC, Save the Children, Citizens Advice, Family Welfare Association, One Parent Families, National Family & Parenting Institute, One Parent Families Scotland, National Council of Voluntary Child Care Organisations, Children in Wales, National Union of Students, Barnardo’s, Communication Workers Union, YWCA England & Wales, 4 Children, Daycare Trust, UK Coalition Against Poverty, ATD Fourth World, Ethnic Minority Foundation, Poverty Alliance, Labour Students, The National Youth Agency, National Children’s Bureau, NCH, Contact a Family and National Deaf Children’s Society.

[the woodmaiden]

I SO! agree with this,I think it is a travesty that the elder of my twins gets the £17 pound odd whilst her sister born 1 minute later gets £11???
TAMBA the twins & multiple births association have had a massive campaign on this subject.

I think it used to be that ok if you had one then at a later date another child,you didnt need to buy a highchair or a pram or whatever so the costs are percieved as lower,I am all for handme downs but having twins they are at exactly the same stage & needs are virtually the same gggggrrrr it makes me fume!!!! & I can see in the future that could make for one of those famous twins rows.....you ar worth more than me etc etc....

All kids should get the same,nuff said lol!!!
Danette
x x xx x

[chadspad]

Good luck to you all with this!

Unfortunately here in France I get no child benefit as I only have 1 child. The French are trying to encourage parents to have large families - even more unfair me thinks!

[baldowrie]

and just a little more information for you Shirley, many people think that having twins mean that both children get the high rate. Wrong, the elder twin the higher rate and second the lower. Twins means more expense because need two of everything and very little chance of hand me downs

[Chickpea]

I SO! agree with this,I think it is a travesty that the elder of my twins gets the £17 pound odd whilst her sister born 1 minute later gets £11???
TAMBA the twins & multiple births association have had a massive campaign on this subject.

She doesn't get £11, you get £11.

A family with a child with have more expenses than a family with no child.

But a family with 2 children doesn't have twice the extra expenses. You don't need 2 buggiess when you have twins, you need a tandem buggy which costs less than 2 buggies, for example. You don't need 2 bottle sterilisers, you don't need 2 baby baths, there are all kinds of things you can reuse or share.

So it makes sense to me that the benefit you get to help with the extra expenses of your first child are greater than the benefit you get for subsequent children.

Whether child benefit is enough, whether it should be given to all parents or should be somehow means tested, these things are worth debating. But it does make sense to me to give different amounts depending on how many children you have.

[the woodmaiden]

My understanding~& I may be wrong~is that the amount is lower for subsequent children as there is an element of hand me down,ie you would already have items & wouldnt need to rebuy them,clothes,cot etc,but with multiples they arrive all at once,their needs are exactly as their multiple siblings are?

I know *I* get the money but the forms come thru with M being awarded x amount & E being awarded less,which as the mum of them I find unfair as they have the same needs,they are at the same developmental level etc

We did only have one baby bath,one steriliser, & my tandem buggy was 2nd hand & cheaper than most single ones

[dibnah]

we have three kids 3,9 and 13 it would be great to get a little more money but I would rather get more for carers allowance I get 46.50 for looking after my disabled mother where as people on the dole get 50+ a week for which they have to do nothing- yes I know you are supposed to be looking for a job. I don't understand as if a person had to do it for me employed by the council I'm sure they would get more per week. sorry grump over.