Tony Blair today admitted that he and his barrister wife Cherie claim child benefit for their three children, renewing the debate about whether it should be taxed for high earners.
Chancellor Gordon Brown announced in the Budget that the Government was considering whether to tax the benefit for the well-off. But any such move would risk upsetting the middle classes.
In an interview with six single mothers, published today in Eva magazine, the Prime Minister confirmed that the Blair household claimed child benefit in common with the rest of the country.
''Everyone gets it. It's up to you what you spend it on. But I think most people do spend it on their kids.
''We treat it as though it's not just part of the family income and we do try to make sure that it gets spent on the children,'' he said.
Mr Blair went on to outline the Government's plans to consult on proposals to tax child benefit payments to high earners.
He then added: ''Obviously people find it strange that people on a very, very high income end up getting the same child benefit as everyone else.''
Elsewhere in the interview, Mr Blair disclosed that he still worries that his three youngsters have too much of an easy ride.
He stressed that his children Euan, Nicky and Kathryn were ''very normal kids'' coping with the trials of having a famous parent.
But he accepted that ''a little bit of struggle'' would do them no harm.
''You've got to be able to make your own way, your own life and I think to do well in life you need a little bit of struggle.
''It sort of worries me sometimes that things are a bit too easy for them.''
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