Autumn Statement 2013 - your thoughts

[RebeccaMumsnet]

The Autumn Statement is currently live on the BBC

Thought to be included are a potential faster rise in pension age, married couples tax allowance, growth forecasts to be revised up and a fuel duty freeze

Share your thoughts below.

[ProfPlumSpeaking]

Great news that there is to be capital gains tax on residential UK properties owned by foreigners - the current situation is bizarre and creates expensive empty properties in London as we have become a tax haven for rich foreigners with their choice of tax free asset being prime London property.

[omuwalamulungi]

If retirement age is genuinely tracked by life expectancy, surely it needs to vary region by region.

Also, where have they got 94 from if they are arguing that a third of ones adult life is to be spent in retirement? In 2011 our life expectancy in the UK was 80.75. If we retire at 69 are they arguing we don't come into adulthood until we are 47?

Tell us how much the deficit still is not how much we will be borrowing over the next few years. I want to know what the figures are, not spin on how much we'll have to borrow to make the payments.

[omuwalamulungi]

Good about capital gains tax but why wait til 2015?

[equinox]

Great that fuel duty is to be frozen.

I don't have a problem with raising retirement age given most of us will probably end up working still in the erstwhile 'twilight' years as cost of living too high and pensions down the swanny.

[SeaDevilscanPlay]

I know the FSM for KS1 children wasn't overly popular on MN, but if its done right I think it is a good think.

Transferable tax rate will be good for us.

[SeaDevilscanPlay]

thing

[SeaDevilscanPlay]

I think that most people my age (30's) and younger are probably of the mindset that by the time we come to retire there will not be a state pension.

[SeaDevilscanPlay]

Ed Balls always comes off as blustering and a tad incompetent, however he tries to respond.

[Lauranne]

Their behaviour is shocking!

[JugglingFromHereToThere]

I've been watching and there's not much that's caught my eye. What would affect our family most is better (rather than worse) funding of early years provision and then I might be able to get a job - or not have lost the last one due to funding cuts.
Think free school meals for children in KS1 is a positive initiative, though won't affect our family. But my DC have always had school dinners and I think that's been beneficial and worth it for us.

[SeaDevilscanPlay]

I've been watching and there's not much that's caught my eye

My eyes keep getting drawn to the guy sitting above GO who is texting

[TheSporkforeatingkyriarchy]

omuwalamulungi - I thought the same, many areas of the country will never be able to retire just on age, let alone cost of living, and there are many jobs that won't be able to be done by most at that age. Quite a few problems with that that they aren't acknowledging.

I'm guessing the delay is allow their friends time to sell their homes first before it comes in .

I'm confused about his inclusion of income support in his cap - hasn't that been replaced by Employment Support Allowance? And other than housing benefit, it seems most will be affecting those with disabilities. We can't exactly cap how many disabled people there are, guess he plans to just leave more people in limbo since they've already cut out more support for people with disabilities getting into work.

[omuwalamulungi]

Good point Spork, should have allowed for nepotism!

[Juliet123456]

A kick in the teeth for single mothers and feminists.

[SeaDevilscanPlay]

Why feminists?

[Juliet123456]

Issues over separate taxation of husband and wife which people fought for for so long. Encouragement of the wife to stay home and not work because of this new payment etc etc.

[JugglingFromHereToThere]

Yes Spork regarding "there are many jobs that won't be able to be done by most at that age (68)"

For the last 25 yrs I've worked with young children and their families and I doubt I am going to find someone to employ me in this role well into my 60s. I don't see other 60+ ers doing this work.

It's probably all very well if you can spend your days dozing on the benches of the Commons (and texting your mates ) and then eventually end your working days pontificating from the even more comfy posh red seats of the Lords.

Think I might have to semi-retire to Norfolk and run a B&B with DH
(not just joking)

[itsnothingoriginal]

Yes indeed - due to further cuts to work and pensions dept, there is definitely no hope for me or my profession ever being properly funded. It's been cut so hard already

Some things make sense (tax discs) but I still maintain that cuts create more expense for the public in the future - especially to early years and vulnerable families etc.

[Retropear]

Nothing for middle income one wage families- again!

KS 2 kids so no free dinners.
Not married so no married tax allowance.
If we were married we wouldn't be eligible for the £1k tax transfer as we're just in the HTR.

Think we've got the Tory message loud and clear re one income,middle income families.Roll on the general election.

[Babyroobs]

The job I do is physically demanding and emotionally draining. I cannot see myself doing it for another ten years let alone til I'm in my seventies! My NHS pension will also be very poor due to working very part time for the past 13 years while my kids were small and working abroad for a while. I too don't think there will be a state pension by the time I retire.

[PaulSmenis]

The married couples tax thingumy bob is a nonsense. It's social engineering. Most married couples I know are better off than single people. It discriminates against unmarried people and it's clearly just a measure to try and win votes before the election.

[JugglingFromHereToThere]

Will it be difficult to organise I'm wondering (the 1k tax transfer)?

[Retropear]

Not impressed with the money they're wasting on giving well off families free dinners which we all know are generally shite quality and they could easily fund themselves.

Seems to be money available to fritter when they want it- generally when it's to push Tory idealism eg marriage.

All the good married families get a pat on the head, the rest of us are just not worthy.

[greenfolder]

Oh ffs, my pension age has gone up by another year. Given family history of keeling over in their sixties, maybe it's time for me to just stop thinking about that.

Pleased about dd monthly thing for road fund licence as mine and dhs are due in the same month.

[sonlypuppyfat]

MY DH has a manual job there is no was that he could continue with this job until 70. Not all people work in offices pushing pens all day, some people come home each day aching and dirty.