To be sick of politicians using 'fairness' as justification for tax rises?

Ah there you are. Would you be able to draw your comparison with some explanatory stats?

It means that the aims of providing welfare such as universal credit and child benefit type payments has been expanded over the years to now match a quality of life that used to be achievable to those who worked whilst those who work now find their pay hasn't kept up with inflation and also once they factor in things like commuting costs and childcare costs they are often worse off than those who don't work or only work part time. Make of this what you will but it isn't sustainable long term to make working unattractive to people.

It means your quality of life on benefits is matching that of people who earn enough money to not qualify for any kind of benefit.
Kind of makes you feel ... why the fuck did I bother when I could have sat back and had a handout.

It means your quality of life on benefits is matching that of people who earn enough money to not qualify for any kind of benefit.
Kind of makes you feel ... why the fuck did I bother when I could have sat back and had a handout.

"Now that welfare has been bolstered to match the average quality of life..."

What does this mean?

"Now that welfare has been bolstered to match the average quality of life..."

What does this mean?

There definitely are people on benefits at level
now due to housing and the removal
of the 2 child benefit cap.

I think the main problem is that it no longer pays for (more people without investments such as a mortgage) to work. In the past, working afforded you at least a slightly better quality of life. Now that welfare has been bolstered to match the average quality of life and now that most younger people can't buy their own home, it's becoming less rewarding to work and that in turn is making those who do still work feel like mugs. I'm not sure what the solution is, to be honest.

Well, I can only be amazed at the amount of knowledge you have about other people's circumstances - I neither know nor discuss my financial affairs with friends and family (well, a certain amount with family perhaps).
At least all this "discussion" about benefits online has taught be to be very cautious with who I trust and disclose personal information with.

Absolute bullshit.

The whole thing. It is more expensive but a superior service which I and I think most people would be happy to pay for.

Absolute bullshit.

Self employed and businesses pay lower tax than salaried employees. There are loads of tax incentives and advantages for businesses. Assets and wealth are taxed at a far lower rate than income, if at all.

If a small business feels crippled it’s likely that your business simply isn’t profitable and perhaps you should get a job.

Personally I am a fan of the Dutch model for healthcare and would like to see something similar here.

No child pays taxes to fund their own education though so almost all of us can say that we don't benefit from education in the present tense. It's a weird argument. It's like saying you don't benefit from paediatric care. Well obviously! Realistically we must all realise that we have cost the state money to educate us and provide health-care for us when we were too young to pay taxes and we should look to repay that investment. You have directly benefited from education and continue to do so now otherwise you wouldn't be able to read and write or use this forum.

58% of doctors in the UK were trained by the NHS. Barely over half. The link between private and state healthcare goes both ways. Often private healthcare reduces waiting lists on the NHS and steps in when NHS treatment is too slow or has failed. If there was no NHS then private provision would grow to fill the vacuum and it would offer the same treatments and provision.

What would you suggest in terms of an alternative?

I appreciate you’re just saying things and pointing them out, but could we get an idea on your own personal views?

I'm not making arguments about abolishing the NHS. My point is that lots of countries train medical staff outside without a super expensive NHS. There are clearly other ways to do it. These countries also have effect Emergency departments. I can see how a high earning immigrant from a country that doesn't have a culture of the NHS and doesn't intend to use it begrudges paying for it. Your belief that any other model is fatally flawed isn't necessarily shared by everyone. It's a value judgement.

Were you not educated by the state as a child? If you were then your argument about using education doesn't really stack up. You have already used it and of course should contribute back into the system that funded you.

Many countries still have functioning societies with arguably better functioning healthcare systems without such high taxation. Yes, those healthcare system wouldn't be accessible to everyone but higher earners would almost certainly be able to access them. In this country they are paying for their own access to a troubled healthcare system and lots of other people's access too. That's where the grind is. If there weren't obvious examples of other countries delivering better value to high earners then your argument would hold more weight.