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Andy Burnham should put the damn social care tax on landlords and big occupational pensions

353 replies

CurdinHenry · 29/07/2026 13:30

Why is it always workers who pay

OP posts:
lemonts · 29/07/2026 13:55

I would rather he got rid of child benefit, 13.4 billion available straight away.

magnomam · 29/07/2026 13:58

@lemontswhy should we take more away from children? Child benefit used to be universal

WhatAMarvelousTune · 29/07/2026 13:59

Sweetpeasaremadeforbees · 29/07/2026 13:54

Neither did I but it nearly lost her the election when Corbyn dubbed it the dementia tax. Everyone wants someone else to pay for social care.

Ridiculous because 10% tax on all estates after death is something that could easily have come from Labour. And if it had, the Tories would have criticised it. But because the Tories came up with it, Labour had to criticise.

Just like if Labour came up with a policy that Tories might generally like, they must criticise. You’d never know from the response to VAT coming off electricity bills that Badenoch called for that in March of this year.

They’re all so tediously predictable.

hairbearbunches · 29/07/2026 14:00

magnomam · 29/07/2026 13:55

What counts as a big occupational pension

One with a big fat employer contribution

The NHS would be in the firing line then. Private sector workers would give their right arm I'm sure to have a 23.4% employer contribution to their pensions. This has long been unsustainable and is completely unfair. It's unfunded, it's a massive liability, and every single government just studiously ignores it because the debt burden is now so big it risks knocking over the entire economy. As of March 2025, the liability was £457.2 billion.

WhatAMarvelousTune · 29/07/2026 14:01

magnomam · 29/07/2026 13:55

What counts as a big occupational pension

One with a big fat employer contribution

I’m not clear what’s being suggested. Tax pensions when received if you look back and see that there was a big employer contribution? Tax employer pension contributions when made? Seems like a slight own goal when the gov really needs people to have private pensions because the state pension is unaffordable.
Or just get rid of the big NHS employer contributions that a PP mentioned?

Soontobe60 · 29/07/2026 14:02

CurdinHenry · 29/07/2026 13:30

Why is it always workers who pay

Surely anyone who has an occupational pension is a worker!

Soontobe60 · 29/07/2026 14:05

CurdinHenry · 29/07/2026 13:37

To be clear I'm not saying instead of workers I'm saying the tax should not only be on workers

I’m a pensioner and still pay tax on my occupation pension. Someone on UC pays no tax and could be receiving much more in benefits than I get in pension

washingmysocks · 29/07/2026 14:05

Why do you assume landlords are not also workers? Not all landlords are living entirely off property income by any means.

WhatAMarvelousTune · 29/07/2026 14:07

CurdinHenry · 29/07/2026 13:37

To be clear I'm not saying instead of workers I'm saying the tax should not only be on workers

Pensioners do pay tax though.

If you’re saying that it should be funded through income tax, rather than a rise in NIC which pensioners and landlords don’t pay (on their property income) then I’d agree.

Polyestered · 29/07/2026 14:08

We just need to admit that we are keeping people alive too long. That’s the problem. I’m not talking about killing people off to be clear.

but stop healthcare being SO FOCUSED on tight control of cardiovascular disease, blood pressure, etc etc and extending life expectancy into the 80s. Why?!? We can’t afford it!!

MidnightPatrol · 29/07/2026 14:08

It’s mad that workers need to pay, while inheritances are protected.

magnomam · 29/07/2026 14:09

MidnightPatrol · 29/07/2026 14:08

It’s mad that workers need to pay, while inheritances are protected.

completely mad

auntiemaryhadaredcanary · 29/07/2026 14:09

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · 29/07/2026 13:34

I think we all need to contribute to the cost of social care in a fair and proportionate manner.

Yup, "those with the broadest shoulders should take the biggest load" - so let's start with our overpaid underworked MPs.

auntiemaryhadaredcanary · 29/07/2026 14:14

hairbearbunches · 29/07/2026 14:00

The NHS would be in the firing line then. Private sector workers would give their right arm I'm sure to have a 23.4% employer contribution to their pensions. This has long been unsustainable and is completely unfair. It's unfunded, it's a massive liability, and every single government just studiously ignores it because the debt burden is now so big it risks knocking over the entire economy. As of March 2025, the liability was £457.2 billion.

When I worked for the NHS I paid out 1/3 of my salary every month in stoppages. Tax, NI, Graduated Pensions and Superannuation !

Duvetdayneeded · 29/07/2026 14:17

controversial question perhaps - then what about the vastly increasing number of people relying on benefits as a Lifestyle choice who will never have to pay towards a pension and will never have to pay towards this social care tax? How is that fair? Why should they continue to be subsidised?

auntiemaryhadaredcanary · 29/07/2026 14:17

magnomam · 29/07/2026 13:58

@lemontswhy should we take more away from children? Child benefit used to be universal

because now the State is feeding an awful lot of them in these breakfast clubs.

Child benefit ( family allowance) originally wasn't paid out on the first child. So if you only had one child, you got nothing.

Retro12 · 29/07/2026 14:18

CurdinHenry · 29/07/2026 13:41

A lot of people. Retirees are the richest demographic in the UK by miles.

But they have worked and paid for that privilege, have they not?

angelos02 · 29/07/2026 14:20

Duvetdayneeded · 29/07/2026 14:17

controversial question perhaps - then what about the vastly increasing number of people relying on benefits as a Lifestyle choice who will never have to pay towards a pension and will never have to pay towards this social care tax? How is that fair? Why should they continue to be subsidised?

At the minute they are paid for by other people in the same care home - those that are paying, pay more to cover those that don't. For exactly the same level of care. You couldn't make it up.

Digerydont · 29/07/2026 14:21

I just need "scrap the triple lock" for a full house.

FredaMountfitchet · 29/07/2026 14:22

Er it’s workers who get occupational pensions ….

Darker · 29/07/2026 14:24

Landlords would just pass it on to renters.

hairbearbunches · 29/07/2026 14:24

auntiemaryhadaredcanary · 29/07/2026 14:14

When I worked for the NHS I paid out 1/3 of my salary every month in stoppages. Tax, NI, Graduated Pensions and Superannuation !

Graduated pension and superannuation was being taken off younger you to provide for older you and the NHS were still adding almost 25% on top of that to your pension.

NoSausage · 29/07/2026 14:25

CurdinHenry · 29/07/2026 13:41

A lot of people. Retirees are the richest demographic in the UK by miles.

You mean people who worked and paid in to dave for retirement.

magnomam · 29/07/2026 14:26

Digerydont · 29/07/2026 14:21

I just need "scrap the triple lock" for a full house.

why shouldn’t it be scrapped?

magnomam · 29/07/2026 14:28

auntiemaryhadaredcanary · 29/07/2026 14:17

because now the State is feeding an awful lot of them in these breakfast clubs.

Child benefit ( family allowance) originally wasn't paid out on the first child. So if you only had one child, you got nothing.

Are they feeding a lot of them in breakfast clubs?

We know families were bigger in the past, people had more dc….

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