Losing Valuable Time With my Child

I am currently on maternity leave and do receive some income from my job whilst I’m off (it’s enough to cover my mortgage and leave me with about £150 leftover) and thankfully I was entitled to maternity benefit earlier on in my maternity leave and do receive some child benefit.

However around the 1st of April I received a letter saying that my maternity benefit would be cut to a few pounds a week as I earn above a certain amount-this calculation was based on the previous tax year when I was working full time and now my income nowhere near reflects that amount.

In May I received an additional payment of around £150-those in receipt of child benefit got it, I then got my oil tank filled which cost almost £1,500. I don’t expect the government to pay for everything but covering 10% is neither here nor there. I need to use hot water to bath my baby and in the winter I will need to heat the house to keep her warm. I think in the winter it might be necessary to heat her bedroom with an electric heater whilst the rest of the house remains cold.

On the other hand I have a friend who is a single parent who is in receipt of EPA (employed persons allowance) and the full amount of child benefit who so far this year had managed to pay for two holidays, a new car and non essential cosmetic procedures. She will benefit from from extra grants this year but I won’t despite my income currently being much less.

I am being penalised for being in a relationship, if I was single i would be hundreds of pounds better off each month, families should be encouraged. Child benefit needs to go back to the old system where it wasn’t means tested-everybody should get the same amount regardless of income. 

I am having to return to work early from maternity leave to save for winter fuel. This is valuable time I’m missing out with my child. Had prices not risen so much I could have stayed off work to be with my baby. 

It will be impossible for the government to means test everyone and it is also unreasonable of them to assume that anybody who is a single parent/disabled/jobless needs X amount of money whilst other people who work and contribute taxes and NI are absolutely fine and not struggling. Regardless of income, circumstances, number of children, level of disability everyone will be impacted by the current cost of living crisis.

Take note that England have given each household £400 which has been paid directly to energy companies (meaning it can’t be squandered elsewhere). A blanket approach such as that is what is required on the Isle of Man. 

This morning, as with yesterday we are giving over Gef to you our readers.

We will be running a series of articles which reflect the challenges people on our island are already facing ahead of a a rise in fuel bills and others costs heading into the winter months.

We are doing this because today sees CoMin meet before all Tynwald members gather for a behind closed doors discussion on what to do to help people on our island.

We hope members read these articles, they are after all the experiences of their constituents and our fellow islanders. You can also email your MHKs and all members of Tynwald with your feelings, thoughts and concerns. All their email addresses and some of their phone numbers can be found here.