AIBU to feel disheartened by earning into the higher tax band?

I feel guilty whining about it, but...I'm going to whine anyway. I finally get my state pension next month. I currently have my teaching pension and I'm partly on the Intermediate rate here. Next month, I move up to the Scottish higher rate for part of my pension.

I do recall voting to pay an extra penny per pound in tax. I don't recall being warned that our higher rate tax band would add an extra per cent of tax and kick in sooner.

Yes, I know...I've got my bus pass, free eye tests and free prescriptions. (I'm not currently in need of personal care, but that's not quite what people imagine it is. The private care homes here appear to have put up their prices to account for the personal care element and - of course - the residents still pay what the social work dept laughingly refers to as 'hotel costs'.

Yes, I acknowledge that I'm better off than many. Just having a moan.

ETA Yes, I got free tuition and a grant. I think it's wrong that people are now losing out.

Finally, people are starting to realize how messed up the system is. Rewarding the wrong people and taking from those who do the right thing.

I understand your perspective when I see that people who never saved and pissed their money up the wall get rewarded with pension credit. (which is a nice little passport to other freebies), I have a modest occupational pension and am worse of financially.

As a child free pensioner I directly subsidise families who use much more of the local authority services than I do. My council tax is 75% of theirs.

The entire tax system is completely rotten and corrupt. People wonder why there is a black economy where people have a cash in hand side hustle to keep a few hundred a month out of the grubby hands of the tax man.

Quite. They get heavily discounted entry despite having the same net income as me. Work substantially less yet have a better lifestyle...

Uc days out tickets are often £1 entry

I'm disabled and work full time (in v stressful job) plus an additional job.
I agree that if we were just supporting those who genuinely couldn't work then I wouldn't begrudge it. But it's abundantly clear that for some it's an absolute lifestyle choice to live off benefits. And when they have the same net income as me and I am a higher rate tax payer (with the stress and long hours that go with it) then I am afraid something is badly wrong with the system

Yeah this is the kicker, with the cost of living and fiscal drag, this concept of those with the broadest shoulders needing to pay more tax is starting to bite. Unless you are mega rich then your shoulders are already weighed down by the massive rises in food, energy, water and car bills. Two kids in nursery on full rates is £54k per year. No joke it’s £2k per month per child. They all get fifteen free hours once they turn three so it would be unusual to have two on full rates, but even so when both of mine were in nursery it was £2k for the little one and £1.5 for the big one PER MONTH. Clearly as someone earning over 100k I am a higher earner and therefore considered to have these broad shoulders, but that income these days is not megabucks, it doesn’t go as far as it used to, and certainly can’t absorb £3.5k a month in childcare. So we don’t go on holiday at all, because of the COL and the massive childcare bill, and yes it’s frustrating to see so many people getting support with various things and affording holidays. Just doesn’t feel like hard work pays.

Not until 60-80k

No, I don’t feel like this. Yes, I earn in the 40% tax band. Tax is what we have in a civilised society and it’s only right that those who can, pay more to ensure those who can’t can be housed, fed and access services. And I say this as a self employed person whose tax is paid in one colossal lump sum every year. Trust me, that’s a lot worse than having it deducted by PAYE. Billionaires also need to be taxed and yes, I do vote in accordance with my beliefs. Edited to say I also make frugal choices like staying in a much smaller property than I can afford so I’ve got more disposable income to do things I enjoy. The problem is a lot of high earners max out their lifestyles then complain that expensive choices means they can’t afford a holiday or a new car.

I never minded it until I had sight of a bunch of financial statements from people working very part time jobs and claiming UC and realised they had a higher net income than me (and cheap social housing rent)

It was a revelation. It explained why so many people in low paid jobs round here can still afford big days out and holidays etc

People who prefer to look on the bright side and choose not to feel hard done by? 😂
Of course, if a lifetime of feeling disheartened is your preferred outlook, then crack on.

This is simplistic thinking and does not take into account the cost to the OP's personal life in continuous studying and striving for promotions and pay rises only to give more than 50% to the government for piss poor public services.

The system rewards shirkers, not strivers like the OP. No wonder this country has lost steam and is bleeding out wealth creators in droves.

Ha I’m sorry but who would ever say thanks for my £1 pay rise but I’d be more than happy if you just gave me 49p

Well for every extra pound you earn, you're still getting 49p more to spend than you had before. Have you never considered looking on the bright side of life?

By the way, tax on earnings hasn't increased under Labour, it is what the Tories put in place.

Surely you saw it coming though?

The country IS falling apart. Look at the state of public services, the economy. Labour’s plan is to tax, tax, tax anyone who works to meet the ever-increasing benefits bill. I wouldn’t mind paying so much tax if it was reflected in good public services but that isn’t the case here.

Tax is the price we pay for living in a civilised society. I undoubtedly pay a lot of tax but I see it as money that wasn't ever really mine, so I am not really bothered by it.

Someone has to pay for the freebie takers, OP. Who is going to pay their benefits, if not you and the other mugs who try and better themselves and their families. This is what you get for the audacity to earn a living and stand up on your own two feet.

Like PP said. Socialism at work.

It's still more money, and you're only charged that rate on the amount you earn over the threshold, the rest is taxed the same as before

https://www.eqaccountants.co.uk/high-marginal-tax-rates/

Would it help to know you're not alone? Some Universal Credit claimants have a marginal tax rate of 83%.

All undergraduate loans have a 9% repayment above the threshold - the threshold changes depending on which plan you’re on though.

But yes, it is a lot

Depends really if you want to live in a society that isn't falling apart. Care staff, nurses other hard working people work extraordinarily hard - 12 hours shifts etc..who do you think should pay more (once they have enough) ?

If the answer is billionaires and you vote to make it happen then you'd at least be consistent...but are you? Or is it just moaning about a personal situation?

You’d also lose child ben if you had a kid.

@cricketnut77 this “socialism at work” was introduced by the Tories and their fiscal drag.