Here in the UK, as some of you may be aware, Child Benefit, a universal benefit of £20.30 per week for the first child, and £13.40 for subsequent children that is given to all families is being cut from 2013 for families where one parent earns more than £44,000 per annum.
From the uproar that has been caused by this you would think that people were being asked to give up their first born child for ritual sacrifice to Dark Lord Cameron, Child Eater Prime, and Darth Osbourne, Shadowy Chancellor.
Some call it a tax on families, or a tax on children. I see it as a way to avoid taxing a larger majority of people. There are generally only two options open to the government. They can raise taxes, or they can cut benefits. The government have chosen door number two. To me as one of the few people who is unable to claim any form of benefit, it definately seems like the right choice.
While it may be unfair to tax families with only one parent earning over the threshold amount, whilst families with two parents who both earn just under the threshold amount still get child benefit, There are going to be problems no matter what is suggested.
In my opinion, children are a lifestyle choice, and if you can justify attacks on Alcohol drinkers, then you can certainly tax children. Well, their parents anyhow.
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