noun

• 1British

  former term for child benefit

  ‘He wished to see equal amounts of funds directed toward the disadvantaged in the form of family allowances and old-age pensions.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Demand for education increased dramatically between 1950 and 1975 as real wages rose, supported by family allowances and social security, the economy boomed, and families sought a better future for their children.’
  • ‘Truancy continues to be a widespread problem across many indigenous communities, and Noel Pearson has suggested parents who don't send their children to school should lose their family allowances.’
  • ‘There is NO association between the prevalence of teenage birth and the proportion of national wealth spent on family allowances.’
  • ‘He says that family allowances and childcare do have a role in the decision women make to have children.’
• 2Australian An untaxed allowance paid by the government to the parent or guardian of a child.

  Formerly called child endowment

  ‘the uncertainty of the situation meant they were sometimes overpaid family allowance’

  More example sentences

  • ‘The sample of families participating in project consultations was selected from records of family allowance customers.’
  • ‘Workshop participants reported many disputes over Family Allowance monies.’
  • ‘Governments should also look at ways of giving families the option to take future family allowances up front.’
  • ‘The third group studied included a mixed group of Family Allowance customers, including sole parents.’
  • ‘They would also keep more of their family allowance than would otherwise be the case.’
  • ‘Families said they needed Family Allowance to help them meet the costs of having the child back.’
  • ‘The suggestion was a non-means-tested family allowance payment, to reduce high effective welfare-to-work tax penalties.’
  • ‘Low-income parents faced the loss of a significant part of their resources when losing Family Allowance for a child.’
  • ‘That's the heavy handed way it's trying to recover incorrect family allowance benefit.’
  • ‘The Cape York Aboriginal leader has suggested, among other things, redirecting family allowances for parents who consistently fail to send their children to school.’