Who agrees with me that child benefit should not be handed out to mothers unless they are over the age of 21?

Question

I think this would help to curb the teenage pregnancy trend where girls think having a baby is easier than working. There have been documentaries and these are the words of real teenage mums! I think if we only handed out benefits once girls are over a certain age, it would make them think twice. Do you agree? I am in the UK by the way.

By the way, for the person who says this is not happening a lot, have you not watched the TV programs about it? Also, have you not walked down a street in a town like Plymouth? There are teenage mums everywhere. Children should not have children. Some people are arguing that they choose to have children so what's the problem and I say fair enough... if you choose to have a child young, you should be prepared to support it with your own money in the same way you would have to in the days before government hand outs. It is not fair that other, hard working people have to pay for it all.

Answer 1

yes i agree i live in the UK and i have two kids and work full time i also think all benefits should he handed out responsibly its too easy for a teenager to get pregnant get a house and the government has to bail them out its not right you should be responsible and have children when your settled i think benefits are an easy way out all benefits are easily accessible and they should not be if benefits were to be scrutinized and given top people who really need them say people who cant work say ther sick that's OK child benefit is given out to any one who has children if you up ed the age limit for benefits people would be less likely to have children so young

Answer 2

Since in most places people can get married at 18, I question your logic at picking the age 21. Does something magical happen at 21 that make people a better parent? What if a young girl, got married and had a baby by 20, then was widowed? What would help curb the pregnancy trend is to give these girls hope! Get them involved, let them see what the future could hold for them, give them positive role models and people who care. A lot of young mothers who plan their pregnancies see no other choice, or want someone (baby) to love them. I use to work in Youth recreation programming and you would be surprised the difference in some of these kids with just a few encouraging words every week.

Answer 3

Disagree, mothers under the age of 21 need it more than anyone, and lets be realistic here, it's not like teenage girls left right and centre are doing this - it is just sensationalised by the media. Also regardless or not of their motive, their children shouldn't suffer any more just because they have irresponsible parents.
The real issue here is the poor quality of sex education and lack of motivation to work.

Are you possessed by the television or something? Just because there are lots of documentaries saying that the situation is out of control, (and feature exactly how many tennage mums who think that raising a child is easier than working?) does not mean that it is - and just because alot of the girls in Plymouth are being let down by their schools and their parents, does not mean that they speak for the entire UK population of teenage girls. If you research this topic properly, you will find that the numbers of teenage pregnancies have been falling since the late 90s, and the number of teenagers being admitted to university and passing A levels are rising every year - true statistics that do not reflect your belief that a shower of teenage mums are pouring down on us like a heavy storm about to snatch all our hard earned cash. By putting forth such a prejudiced idea you only show yourself to be ignorant to the matter at hand - have you thought maybe why these few girls actually think this? Life isn't fair, whoever told you it was?

Answer 4

Wow, you have some very passionate views on the matter. I agree with the fact that some people do take advantage of the system. But the system is good. I was in foster care and I fell in with the wrong guy and all that crap. My daughter was born when I was seventeen. I had no family and no help. I worked two jobs and went to school and I never applied for aid. Though once I tried to get help with daycare, didn't get it though, they said I made too much money. :)). But it would have helped a lot. See not all teen moms are so crummy. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I worked constantly to save money and took child developement courses at the local vocational school before moving on to college at 17. I've worked in gas stations and bars and resturants and anywhere else to take care of that little girl. I still do. Everyone is so harsh on teen moms, but try to look at it from several different perspectives. If I would have had a little help with daycare I would be so much farther along in college right now.

Answer 5

Difficult to reply, i endorse that you're taking step after step. should you nonetheless love her and consider that you'll be able to move over the matters that occurred, and that you just each would possibly get again in combination, then i might advise that sure you allocate an entire day of the weekend. But if matters obtained/ or have become out of hand and also you battle plenty, then if i used to be the youngster i might decide upon being with one dad or mum handiest instead then staying with them each and feature them combating. However no concerns what occurs attempt to hold well conversation and a well courting along with your spouse/ex-spouse for the sake of the youngster cos it may be very hurtful to look your father and mother separated and combating always and at that smooth age the youngster may additionally count on the blame in your separation and it's not reasonable. GOODLUCK

Answer 6

You don't have children do you? Child benefit is for the child not the parent! It's income support that the parent gets & child tax credit!

I worked from the age of 15 to the age of 21 before my first child was born, I am now 23 & have twins also. I am bringing up my children on my own so I like teenage mums are getting tax payers money but I worked for 6 years with 3 of those years working 2 jobs, 1 full time & 1 part time! Now I am studying bookkeeping at college so that I can go out to work & provide for my own children because as you say it was MY choice to have them. As it turns out situations beyond my control left me bringing my children up on my own. Their father will be back soon & I will no longer be "scrounging" your money so 1 less thing for you to worry about!

21 is very extreme. If a girl under the age of 16 gets pregnant it should be their parents who pay for that child as she is still classed as a child herself but 21? Come off it!

This country has a lot of double standards, women who leave it too late to start a family get criticised for putting their careers before their families & if young girls get pregnant they get criticised also!

So what if these girls haven't yet got a job? Bringing up children & watching them develop is the most satisfying thing in the world. Do you think that if you didn't have to pay out tax for young mothers the government wouldn't find something else for you to pay for! Also, work out the percentage of your wages that goes on single parents benefits?!?!?

Answer 7

I don't agree. What if a mother of 17 or so was raped and decided to have the child and keep it, would you further want to punish her by not helping her because she is only a teenager. I would hope not. Besides that would be punishing a baby as well as the mom. It could also possibly make teen-aged moms abandon their infants if they have no way to support them. If the baby has already happened why punish them.

Answer 8

I don't think that would deterr young girls from having sex. For the most part, teens think they are invincible, and I'm sure none of them think they're gonna end up pregnant when they are having sex.
Also, this method you suggest would probably just cause more pain for the teen's child and parent.
I do, however,think teens should take more responsibility, and I think teenage boys who get girls pregnant should have to pay normal child support, even if it means dropping out of school and getting three paper routes to do it. They're just as much to blame!

Overall, though, I think if we want to see less teen pregnancy, we need to improve education and access to birth control. It's been proven time and time again that the areas in this country where abstinence only is what's taught in the schools are the places with the highest rates of teen pregnancy.

Answer 9

Yes, it is true. There are those use abuse the system, but not everyone does. The benefits are for the child. Why punish the child for having a young mother? Maybe a check and balance system should be used to make sure the child is the benefactor.

Answer 10

It is a child benifit, for the child, so no, I don't think they shoudl put a age limit on it for mothers, I do however agree that some people abuse this privillage REGARDLESS of their age. I feel that people who are given supplements, or on welfare should not be given cash, but should be given food vouchers for groceries, and how ever much they are entitleed in rent payed directly to the lanlords, this way it would ensure that their 'supplement' was used for what it should be.