So far the Tory gov't has announced cuts that will directly cost my family £750 through axing the child trust fund.
How much will their cuts cost your family?
you think any government would be able to avoid cuts in this economic climate.
and child trust funds are regressive anyway as they are not means tested and takeup is higher among the middle/upper classes
(kind of just responding to the Tory part of your message but i expect ill loose out somewhere too. we are all gonna have to)
Nothing at the moment but I don't think that cutting the child trust funds was an unreasonable one though.
[img] 
[/img]
"they must die the death of a thousand cuts!"
I know little about the child trust fund, but as I understand the government gives your kids some money to put in a savings account, so how is the axing of this going to cost you £750?
Gonna save me money, and probably most working people, especially those who have chosen not to have kids.
I work, the government takes more than half my money and gives it to someone else, it's my money I've worked for, I should be able to choose who I give it to!
Face it, there have to be big cuts in public expenditure, MTFU and stop wingeing.
I thought the child trust fund was paid out just once at £250 per child when they are born.
Are you saying you've lost out on £750 because you planned to have 3 kids and they're not yet born?
There are easier ways of making £750. 😉
In 5 or 10 minutes?
What gearfreak said.
And I don't have kids nor do I want any.
I do feel for families who have zero income from being unemployed but thats about it.
I always though that child trusts were a waste of money, and in reality were no different to someone putting money in a savings account while carrying a balance on a (greater interest) credit card - ie pointless and stupid.
"Tory" cuts, not really the case is it?. I didn't vote for them and wouldn't but I know whichever governmment had got in massive cuts were on the way.
I think cutting CTF a fair one, and I hope they cut the £190 health in pregnancy grant too. both fairly pointless imo.
Child trust funds used to get topped up by another £250 when kids were 7yr old. It's that bit that they will miss out on.
They're hardly "Tory" cuts. Do you think things would be much different if anyone else was in #10?
I work, the government takes more than half my money and gives it to someone else
I don't know the exact figure, but I think you'll find a fair bit of it does go back to you. Never been sick? Never driven a car or ridden a bike on a public highway? Never had a decent night's sleep due to lack of a police force and judicial system so you live under constant fear of being broken in to (take that whichever way you want 😐 )? Need I go on?
In all honesty, it's a pretty minimal amount in the grand scheme of things, has no immediate effect (you don't miss what you didn't have) and in turn means not having to make £500m of other savings (which presumably means jobs) right now which will affect people.
There's no such thing as a free lunch, you have to pay for it sometime, and that sometime is now.
Dyslexia must be kicking in, could swear it said Tony Curtis content.
you know to really get this country back on track, all the work shy bog trotters should be given vouchers for basic food clothing and housing needs, with no cash for luxuries, this will never happen as too large a percentage of these are voters so this party would never get in power, but it would sort the defecit in 1 foul swoop and give people more incentive to get back to work!!
mrsflash - Member
I think cutting CTF a fair one, and I hope they cut the £190 health in pregnancy grant too. both fairly pointless imo.
Perhaps in the middle class utopia of STW, but no doubt made a difference to some.
....and another really unpopular one, give only those who contribute to society (either work, volunrary work etc) the right to vote, remove the freeloaders from the electoral system, and far harsher but far more beneficial cuts could be achieved
pedalhead - MemberThey're hardly "Tory" cuts. Do you think things would be much different if anyone else was in #10?
Surely it's who the cuts are targeted at which defines them as "Tory" cuts.
Hardly costing you anything, it's money given to your kids that can't accessed for 18 years.
It was a stupid idea and a waste of money.
If you've got kids put money away for them yourself and don't look to the state to provide.
Yeah, think more things should be means tested (like the 'health in pregnancy' one which seemed silly to give to a comfortable family who were always going to be eating well/etc irrespective).
I don't know the exact figure, but I think you'll find a fair bit of it does go back to you. Never been sick? Never driven a car or ridden a bike on a public highway? Never had a decent night's sleep due to lack of a police force and judicial system? Need I go on?
Playing devils advocate...
I can buy my own health insurance (reduced as I would be faily low risk as I'm healthy, eat well, do plenty of excercise and wear sunscreen), could pay tolls for the roads I use in proportion to the damage I do to the (so not too much as a bike don't do much damage), and as for police and judicial system, I've had quite a few sleepless nights due to the ineffectiveness of the one we have. But if my whole street clubbed together for 24 hr security I could sleep better at night knowing my bikes are nicely protected.
this will never happen as too large a percentage of these are voters so this party would never get in power
Logic would dictate that, but in reality, turnout in deprived areas is very low.
Surely it's who the cuts are targeted at which defines them as "Tory" cuts.
Who is the child trust fund cut aimed at?
It's not costing me anything. If you read carefully what I typed up there you will see that.
To be fair though the Child Trust Fund always was a bit of an odd one - surely any parent should be planning for their children and saving if they can.
£500 per child is not going to go very far if the parents are not able to save on top. And if the parents CAN save, then they shouldn't really be given the money anyway surely?
As has been said, it isn't means tested - they just give money to you whether or not you need it.
Other peoples kids will be paying for your public services and pitiful state pension as you grow older if you don't have any, your money is being spent on caring for the current crop of social care. The theory is an investment in the child and healthy happy families reaps future tax income for all.
I have benefitted from the child trust fund but I agree they are sort of pointless - worst thing is they get the money at 18 regardless, and I know exactly what I would have done with it at that age, and it wasn't invest it in my university education.
gearfreak - presumably you'd also never leave your street (as you'd get mugged) and certainly never go riding as people would just push you off your bike and nick it.
I'm still waiting for Georgie Boy to cut the ****king nonsense that is PFI.
And Trident, of course. 😈
TooTall - Member
mrsflash - Member
I think cutting CTF a fair one, and I hope they cut the £190 health in pregnancy grant too. both fairly pointless imo.
Perhaps in the middle class utopia of STW, but no doubt made a difference to some.
Do any of us really believe that people on lower incomes went out and bought lots of healthy food with their windfalls?
'Ahh, £190 - now where is the organic freerange kiwi fruit isle?'
yes it probably does make a difference for some (although most people I have heard of are just putting the money towards their pram) but I still think it's a fair cut compared to cutting other spending.Perhaps in the middle class utopia of STW, but no doubt made a difference to some
clubber - MemberSurely it's who the cuts are targeted at which defines them as "Tory" cuts.
Who is the child trust fund cut aimed at?
Ain't got a clue, as I've never heard of it!! But I'm sure the definition of a "Tory" cut would be one that favours the "Tories".
Could you explain it to me, please?
All benefits should be means tested. Disabled people, parents, oldies etc all get benefits however much they're earning or sitting on. A lot of that money could be put to far better use.
They could save £15,000,000 plus whatever the security will cost if they (we) weren't funding The Pope's visit.
Just thought I'd throw that in for a bit of troll fishing. 
It was a stupid idea and a waste of money.If you've got kids put money away for them yourself and don't look to the state to provide.
Bit ambivalent about this- I can see that for cashstrapped low income families it could be a boost for their children in the future, especially in the current 'user pays' world of education. In the same way we're en couraged to start pensions as soon as we're working, we now need to save for education in the same way-it's just that the onus for this lies with the parents, who may not be in a position to do so.
It's not costing me anything. If you read carefully what I typed up there you will see that.
You said it's costing your family. It's not. It's just removing something that was "freely" given. Totally different. Cuts, so far, don't affect me at all.
Sure, Don Simon 😉
I reckon it's a pretty well non-targeted cut that affects almost everyone and once again, has no immediate impact which as I said, is better I reckon than cutting jobs or important services right now instead.
In fact, as above, the child trust funds apparently go more to better off families who tend to actually take up the option so I suppose that you could argue that this 'Tory' cut affects their 'Tory' supporters...
All benefits should be means tested.
Agreed, our family get benefits, we don't need them, I resent paying tax only to be given stupid bits back.
Why should you get money for having children if you don't need it?
We've never used our child benefit, don't need it, waste of government money. It comes in by DD and goes by DD on the same day into a pension for the kids.
I can see that for cashstrapped low income families it could be a boost for their children in the future
But £500 won't go far.
I would rather see Jonny Two Audis get nothing if it means a genuinely needy child gets his £500 as well as their own £500.
We've never used our child benefit, don't need it, waste of government money. It comes in by DD and goes by DD on the same day into a pension for the kids.
So in effect you are using it, to build up an investment for the future?
Presumably this "Child Trust Fund" is paid for out of my taxes, at least in part.
Can you give me a good reason why [u]I[/u] should be paying for YOUR children? If you can't afford them, DON'T HAVE THEM.
for cashstrapped low income families
Whats the odds for the above demographic
90% spend it on a wicked sound system for their Corsa / Xbox / Big Earings
10% on Uni fees
I am now donning my fireproof suit 😀
