3rd and more child benefit

Nanazolie

Hi

I only have 2 children so I'm not impacted by the budget, but I was wondering why the 3rd and beyond children get a bigger allowance. Is it not cheaper to raise a 3rd child considering you'd already have most of the things? Or are parents under so much financial pressure already than they need a boost to raise them all? This is a genuine question, not a judgemental view, I am just wondering.

Also, I didn't know that there was a school allowance for children aged 2. Are kids not starting school at 4? Again, just a question, not an opinion

Thanks

January

From Parenting

Fittle

I don't know the answers to your questions, but I would imagine the legislation or the budget changes for these payments, were introduced a very long time ago (I've tried to do a google, but can't find much info). I am also amazed that people with twins get a triple payment in childrens allowance.

ShaShaBear

I imagine the Clothing and Footwear allowance is for two and up because a lot of parents are putting their children into active learning centres and creches while they work/go to college. My boyfriend's niece is in pre-school at the minute, she has to buy books and has a uniform!
As for the jump in payments, I really have no idea. I'd personally be with you in that the first, and maybe second child would be the hardest to raise financially, especially if a boy and girl, but I guess they're taking into account childminding for three, food, bills etc.

tenchi-fan

ShaShaBear wrote: »

I'd personally be with you in that the first, and maybe second child would be the hardest to raise financially, especially if a boy and girl, but I guess they're taking into account childminding for three, food, bills etc.

Hand me downs, economies of scale.. nah I think it's a remnant of a runaway welfare state. Maybe it made sense once, but doesn't any more.. which is why it's being curbed back.

Fittle

ShaShaBear wrote: »

I imagine the Clothing and Footwear allowance is for two and up because a lot of parents are putting their children into active learning centres and creches while they work/go to college. My boyfriend's niece is in pre-school at the minute, she has to buy books and has a uniform!

With respect, that's a choice that her parents made - to send her to a pre-school that requires books and uniforms!! I haven't heard of any of those type of 'active learning centres' in the general area I'm from in Dublin, and I know alot of parents with children in 'normal' creches. I'm not saying that creches themselves aren't expensive (I could possibly have 3 more houses when I consider the amount I've spent on childcare in the past 9yrs!), but there are certainly alternatives to places that insist your pre-schooler needs books and a uniform.

ShaShaBear

Fittle wrote: »

With respect, that's a choice that her parents made - to send her to a pre-school that requires books and uniforms!! I haven't heard of any of those type of 'active learning centres' in the general area I'm from in Dublin, and I know alot of parents with children in 'normal' creches. I'm not saying that creches themselves aren't expensive (I could possibly have 3 more houses when I consider the amount I've spent on childcare in the past 9yrs!), but there are certainly alternatives to places that insist your pre-schooler needs books and a uniform.

It was that or send her to the next nearest one, which would cost €12 a day in travel expenses, so yeah She turns four in January, and since she can't start school until September, she was recommended to put her into an ALC, essentially a creche for kids who need the mental stimulation or are just short of the school age once September comes around. It's not really any more expensive than school will be for her next year, but a lot of the kids in the area I'm living and where I'm originally from (Dundalk and Monaghan) are in these centres. My mother used to be a childminder in one of them.

JackieChan

I'd imagine the roots of the additional payment for the 3rd and subsequent child was simply to encourage the larger family and try and help boost the population.
But today it looks totally out of place and probably should be tapered slightly less for the more children you have.