To think there is no more money?

There are more billionaires than ever before. There is plenty of money, it's being hoarded by a small and greedy few. We're living in the most unequal time ever in human history. The 1970s was the most equal decade. If the greedy individuals at the top, who have more money than they could spend in 20 lifetimes, actually paid there fair share of taxes, there would be enough money. And they bloody should pay it, as they don't create that wealth without exploiting the work of the majority.

Yep, Midnight has it.

Nutshell: pensions.

Every major country has the same problem. The old haven’t paid enough tax to cover 30-35 years of retirement and we probably haven’t either.

Don’t even start on social care: it’s the most expensive, most unproductive way to lose public funds you can think of, but old people vote.

Most of the nhs budget goes on the old, as you’d expect.

So short of execution squads, we need to redo the system.

Britain has been wearing a fur coat and no knickers for decades. We absolutely are in the shit up to our necks. Why do you think Starmer wants to build all those houses? It’s not to bring the prices down, it’s to add more of the right kind of houses that the right kind of people will want to buy. If the housing market pops, we’re truly bankrupt.

State retirement age should be higher. We can't afford to fund everyone for 20-40 years. If you earn enough for a decent private pension then retire when you like but accept the financial consequences.

Massive NHS reform. We can't afford everything free for everyone always. You eat too much / smoke / drink too much etc, you pay a contribution.

Government debt does not need to be paid back eventually.

They issue 5,10 etc year government bonds and keep withdrawing and reissuing them,

The U.K. government has had debts for over 300 years. Some gets repaid and new debt issued.

It's an important part of the investment markets. It would be a very bad idea for the U.K. government to have no debt.

@Notmycircusnotmyotter fair enough. I don’t really want to but I would be persuaded if I felt services were improving & the burden was spread across as opposed to just on workers.

We need much higher wages, they have stagnated for years & assets were boosted instead.

I do see where you’re coming from but what was the alternative to borrowing during the pandemic and now that the pandemic is over can we just continue to borrow? Doesn’t debt have to be paid back eventually?
Personally, I’d like to see the NHS (and education, sorry 😞) stop wasting money. There are gross inefficiencies because experts don’t always make good business people. Our expects should teach and cure and other experts can manage the pennies 🤞

Well, with very low unemployment, a growing economy, inflation bang on target, incomes rising faster than inflation it’s easy to see what a terrible economic legacy Labour have inherited 😂There should be plenty of money ;)

@Towelmode I don't have extra money in my budget, regardless of what it's spent on. I would not willingly pay more,

I would happily pay it for pensioners but not lazy, workshy people or "refugees".

Why would you think these are exclusive groups though? does someone who is
lazy all their life become not lazy when they become a pensioner?

Agree, and am fed up with the twee wittering of the bleeding hearts 'but but you should be grateful you are working and paying tax, you should embrace every opportunity to pay more...the greater good...'

Hard to answer in a short message but… a few headlines IMO.

We need to understand what is a realistic retirement age. Even beyond the state pension, state-backed defined contribution pensions are absolutely crippling and the sum paid in is nowhere near the cost. If the state is going to be obliged to fund 20-40 years of retirement its needs to be funded by those receiving it - not future workers IMO.

Is there an ethical discussion about providing extensive (expensive!) medical care for a low quality of life for often several years) or more? Yes. I don’t think the NHS’ objective was spending a significant % of nation’s income on keeping the very elderly and infirm alive slightly longer. Ditto on the very wide-ranging treatment you can get for non-life threatening illness. Do I think we should get this help? Yes - but we need to actually work out how to pay for it.

Social care… feeds into both of the above really.

Meanwhile the future of the UK - education, childcare, housing for workers… barely even a topic of conversation re: state investment.

I’d be 1000x happier being taxed more to make schools better vs allowing Jean, 97, to stay at home in her final years fully-funded by the state so she can let her 68 year old millionaire child inherit her home.

There is money but they need to obtain it in a way that doesnt crash everything

@MidnightPatrol

Question here is, how much tax will workers be willing to pay for pensioners while living a pretty crap quality of life themselves.

I would happily pay it for pensioners but not lazy, workshy people or "refugees".

@LadyCrumpet

...And ship them home....

That ship sailed a long time ago.
The drain on the public purse will just get worse and worse.

Bring in a system that stops people that aren't entitled to any of it, receiving it. And ship them home. Stop giving billions in foreign aid. Pretty simple

it’s not as simple as the Daily Mail says 🙄

Bring in a system that stops people that aren't entitled to any of it, receiving it. And ship them home. Stop giving billions in foreign aid. Pretty simple

It’s as if they have adopted the toddler dinner and pudding tummy approach ! One is strictly limited the other can stretch infinitely !

@Notmycircusnotmyotter but would you feel the same if you saw real improvements in education etc?

The housing market has really fucked the economy & created so much inequality particularly for younger generations

I, for one, am not willing to pay more tax unless forced. I'm stressed to fuck as it is funding me and two children, childcare, a mortgage in the SE. I'm an above average earner (£70k but look after us all). I just can't.