Paying for other peoples kids

Why does Guernsey have a family allowance?
 
If you are not familiar with it, I should quote from the States website.
 
“Family Allowance is a weekly tax free allowance which is payable to people who are bringing up children. It does not depend on how much money you have coming in, or any savings you may have.”
 
That’s right, it is paid to every family for every child on the Island, regardless of income. If you are poor then you get it, if you are rich then you get it. It’s only £15.40 a week but in some cases this is a needless States expense.
 
Why do we pay it?
 
Most affluent families could get by without it. So let’s stop it.
 
We do not need to encourage people to produce children. We have enough. If we ever do need to take such a course of action then we can offer finical incentives then. Not now.
 
If you can’t afford to have children then don’t.
 
Or to put it another way, why should the States support your desire to have kids?
 
But it’s my right to have children.
 
No it isn’t.
 
If you want to have children, then make sure that you can provide for them. Otherwise, don’t.
 
Does that mean that we cease to support single mums?
 
Maybe.
 
Let’s look at this from a different angle.
 
You don’t have a steady partner. You don’t have money. But you want to have a baby and let someone else pay for it and for you.
 
Sounds a bit selfish doesn’t it.
 
Let’s compromise.
 
We’ll support you but in a different way.
 
We’ll provide hostel accommodation, with a creche, so that you have somewhere to stay and someone to look after your child while you earn a living. The hostel will have rules but it will be a home, with support for you and your baby until such time as you are able to move on with your life.
 
Not ideal from your point of view but why should it be. You want to take money to have children. It doesn’t work like that.
 
If we are not paying family allowances then we are not encouraging larger families. It’s the same argument. If you can’t pay for the extra children, then don’t have them.
 
Individual circumstances change and we should have a system which recognises and allows for that. What we don’t need is a system which encourages reproduction without responsibility.