Child Benefit is a universal benefit.
Yes, this puts lefties like me in the uncomfortable position of arguing in favour of giving money to the already wealthy, but I'd rather this than make people jump through hoops to get it, as Child Benefit is a good thing.

As for you getting your benefits "unaccountably" clawed back: I highly doubt this. HMRC can't take money off you on a whim (even though it may seem that way, sometimes). Yes, challenging them can be a long-winded, frustrating purpose, but see it through, and they will either give you back your money, or give you a full explanation of why they were entitled to take it (I've done this, on behalf of my mother, when they took way too much tax, and for myself, when my tax credits stopped - in the former, we got the money back, in the latter, I got an explanation).

As for pegging benefits income to the bottom 10%, I'm not in a position to drag up the figures, but you do realise that benefits are calculated based on what people need, not what they deserve (a subjective measure, if ever there was one), right?
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Tue 6 Mar 2012, 9:44, 2 replies)

I don't want to be pegged in the bottom for benefits.

(Spleep Shit, or get off the internet., Tue 6 Mar 2012, 9:51, closed)

I bet you love it,
you slag.
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Tue 6 Mar 2012, 10:01, closed)

Some fine points MM
regarding benefits being based on a 'liveable' income. I want to know why employers aren't similarly charged. This would, perhaps prove hyper-inflationary, as incomes soared all over the country, and thus prices would follow them rapidly.

It would stop the whole economy being funded by govt. borrowing to subsidise low paid workers/unemployed people, but it may help to encourage the unemployed to take a job...

I'll stop now, I'm getting a headache.
(Che Grimsdale Best before:, Tue 6 Mar 2012, 13:33, closed)