Are other full-time working families finding there is nothing left?

I know, but "up to 16k" you can still receive them, you aren't poor if you have thousands saved in the bank, therefore you shouldn't need bailing out by the tax payer. The thresholds are so wrong.

You don't seem to be able to understand what is under discussion here. It's not about who is struggling (I agree I'm currently not) it's about what happens in a society where most people are. £200 is a typical hair price for women.

I guess people are saying they’re financially not any better off working than not, so where’s the incentive. If someone is in the same position without the stress, inconvenience and sweat and toil of working, the person not working is winning in comparison to those who are

It’s not magic, just economics

Our local MP has made it very clear that any fuel support will not just be for those on benefits.

Not everyone can. That isn't going to magically change even with a new government, people and children will just go hungry or resort to desperate measures to feed their children instead.

Have literally replied twice to this comment and explained further!

It’s fine, I get it. It’s probably uncomfortable to admit to yourself. I’m afraid at some point though, people are in for a big shock when they have to start paying at least their own way and for their own children. It will either be the IMF after a loan or the next Government, but it’s an absolute certainty.

Agree! There’s times where I wonder how people get these high paying jobs but can’t grasp simple concepts. It’s frightening actually. A cleaner in a school is more aware of the tax system than the martyrs on here who think they actually pay 45% tax on every penny they earn. No wonder we’re fucked.

Yep! Both DH and I are now working more hours than ever - easily 60hrs a week each to cope with the increase in the cost of living. We are lucky that we have the ability and health to do so but it is making us tired and resentful that we are in a worse financial situation now than 10 years ago.
We no longer buy lunches, coffees out. Dinner out is birthdays only. Cinema is once a year, theatre also slashed. We no longer replace our cars and rarely go out to attractions which cost money. We are fortunate in that we can afford a holiday and to help our DC at Uni but its not where I thought I would be.

Alot of people who are struggling, are struggling because they have high debt repayments.

Actually benefits stop when you have £16000

@Frugalgal totally agree - privatising utilities, initiating selling off social housing, Brexit , allowing any Tom dick and Harry to get huge buy to let mortgages, - most shitty things started under the Tory’s and are a huge part of the underlying issues the country has - reversing any of these is not easy due to contractual or political reasoning due to the first past the post political system we have making sensible long term planning nigh on impossible - we have been looking at moving back to the EU again after having 2020 to 2022 in Copenhagen - it’s very interesting how different tax and spend systems work - in Copenhagen it was high tax but high standards and lots covered off, no council tax, cheap childcare, lots more social housing ( if Danish) and not just for the desparately in need either - in Netherlands it’s high housing costs and higher tax, reasonably high standards, but not as high as Denmark - but mandatory pay in health care at around £160 a month plus co payments up to £320 a year and childcare cheaper than UK but nowhere near as cheap as Denmark - Germany has more middling level tax if a low earner or middle earner but quite high mandatory pay in healthcare ( around £400 a month) but employer pays part and if you are self employed you can offset it .they also have compulsory long term care tax /insurance of around 3% - like the uk though they have a high tax free allowance - similar to UKs. Again childcare cheaper than UK but not as cheap as Denmark ( or Sweden) they also have quite a high payment to mothers for child allowance - much higher than uk . If I can just mention about pensions too - people go on about pensions being really high elsewhere - they really are not -maybe work ones are but state ones aren’t much different to the UK in most of these places.

I agree with this, I was trustee to one of the sports club and we had set up a relief fund for parents that couldnt afford or struggled with payments.

My DDs best friend in the sport ( and hugely talented) her parents couldnt afford to increase the hours required for her to compete at national level and this was covered until they did manage.

Some would say what we do is a luxury, and right now yes i agree it is, BUT it shouldnt be.

How long before you’d consider questioning the decisions of a current government?

well, I inherited money from my mum. I invested wisely some years ago and earned £15k that year. I paid 40% of it in tax - and very happy to do so.

The next year the same asset earned only £5k for various reasons. Happy to again pay my 40%

But literally I did NOTHING to earn that money - it took me 15 minutes on my phone , and an accident of my birth and the misfortune of my mum passing away.

We then decided to spend some of the money - solar panels, a second hand car (big investment but cheaper to run), insulated the loft.

We are so lucky - so very lucky - to have money to invest. I don’t begrudge paying tax when I’ve done absolutely nothing to earn it whatsoever.

If the government didn’t waste so much money I’d be happy if my tax on investments was 60% I’d still be happy - I have capital, and growth and the country needs the money more than I do.

But then again - I have worked my arse off the years, I’m a grafter. I see a lot of lazy self-entitled people moaning amongst the worthy workers. And I see a government that is incompetent and wasteful. I begrudge paying more tax for people to sit at home on “mental health” when what they often need is a kick up the backside (had a colleague recently take a week off stressed because her family dog died - she didn’t even live with the dog!)

Lost interest. Sorry!

I totally understand and sports is fantastic for children and young people and probably should be affordable to all.

The party who has had power for most of my lifetime - yes I blame them not labour

the party that fucked the housing market with the council home sell off - selling our assets at a knock off rate ro win a few votes - yes I blame them not Labour

yhe party that gave us Brexit and austerity, the party that puts big business and rich guys before people - yes o blame them not Labour

How long before we can blame Labour?

Fair enough 😊

Well she's not saying otherwise, only that it's hardly a 'winning' position as was previously suggested

How much tax do you think they should pay? How much is enough?

Oh don’t we all know it’s never Labour’s fault. At least Labour are gone for good this time.