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Originally Posted by SMHarman
<snip> Children are usually good for the economy and should be encouraged.
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Unfortunately, Children are only good for the economy when the government isn't passively encouraging UK companies to outsource their operations to other countries (by "passively" I mean they are making it easier, but not actively encouraging it), but that is a topic for another thread.
Regarding the government paying mothers. I think they should. As other people have said, if the birth rate goes down (which it will do if people can't afford children), then as the population gets older, there will be fewer people to support the elderly (and anyone that think their National Insurance even begins to cover the benefits and pension needed as they get older is badly mistaken).
I think we are starting to feel the effects of reduced child birth now (pensions not going up with inflation etc), but it will get a lot worse over the next 30 - 40 years unless we start actively encouraging people to have kids.