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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to want spending cuts rather than more tax rises?

1000 replies

PinkFruitbat · 05/09/2026 10:07

The foundations are being laid for more tax rises in the October Budget.

https://www.ft.com/content/6d43b599-3d7c-471c-88c2-0f056475a840?syn-25a6b1a6=1

AIBU to ask for savings in spending to help balance the budget rather than more taxes.

With welfare spending at nearly £1bn each day, when is enough, enough?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
23
PinkFruitbat · 05/09/2026 19:38

User134098 · 05/09/2026 17:51

The provided examples don't work with this because:

  • Some of the targeted groups (such as administrators) are too nebulous a concept to be targeted, because they range from front line operational delivery to the people working in No.10. You've said MOD procurement because you've had bad experiences with them but you can't cut 25% of the Civil Service (approx 140k) by getting rid of MOD procurement.
  • Some of the targeted groups cover a wide range of functions, i.e. HR. Do you apply a blanket figure or do you target specific sub-groups?
  • There is no data provided on the number of diversity/social media/interpreter professionals in the Civil Service who have diversity as their sole full time job, so we cannot assess how far this would go towards meeting your target of 25%.

Because we can't identify the targeted groups, we can't model through what the impact on delivery would be to see if it's realistic, or assess whether this would get you to the 25% target. 'Actual meaningful change' could be 'actual meaningful chaos'.

No doubt what I have seen in one dept may be rolled out across others.

Cutting to 2021 level (-25%) is entirely reasonable.

This thread isn’t about ‘modelling’ Civil Service cuts. and it’s not something I am going to do.

OP posts:
GiaGia16 · 05/09/2026 19:37

Goota · 05/09/2026 19:37

They'll say the landlords are greedy and charging too much

I know I’m just waiting 🤞

Goota · 05/09/2026 19:37

GiaGia16 · 05/09/2026 19:34

Is it too much to expect that people contribute la bit to their own rent?

They'll say the landlords are greedy and charging too much

Wynter25 · 05/09/2026 19:36

plasticplate · 05/09/2026 10:44

Most benefit claimants don't get housing benefit now. My son is one of the few new claimants that does ( because he is in supported living) and he didn't get to choose where he lives.

I get housing benefit

Binnyforthewin · 05/09/2026 19:35

Whatalunatic · 05/09/2026 18:58

Evidence?

Evidence that they are not basic human needs? I would have thought that would be anyone with any sense.

GiaGia16 · 05/09/2026 19:34

TigerRag · 05/09/2026 18:37

How are they when LHA only covers 1.9% of eligible rents?

Is it too much to expect that people contribute la bit to their own rent?

happybug1234 · 05/09/2026 19:20

vodkaredbullgirl · 05/09/2026 10:21

Exactly this. Where do you suggest OP?

PIP and universal credit.

Goota · 05/09/2026 19:17

Whatalunatic · 05/09/2026 18:58

ODFOD. Seriously. Someone who works 40 hours a week- regardless of the qualifications required- should be able to live comfortably. Not in luxury, at the minimum wage end but should be able to cover rent, utilities, insurances, transport, nutritious food, a TV license and Internet connection. There is dignity in working. It has fuck all to do with how hard someone did or didn't work in school. Plenty of people in poverty with qualifications coming out their ears. Plenty without even a single GCSE are millionaires.

Pretending people only live in poverty because they're lazy ignores the bigger picture. Makes you a right wing dream - you got what you have cos you're so much better than all the rest. God help you should life throw you a curve ball.

Do you not think there's a correlation between education, skills and earning?

Bushmillsbabe · 05/09/2026 19:06

Goota · 05/09/2026 18:52

Then work hard at school so you have a decent career and earnings? Not hard barring obviously health issues.

Actually it is now much harder.

I shortlisted recently for a part time non qualified nhs position, paying about 14k per year (due to being part time). We had 80 applications in 48 hours. Of these, at least 60 were degree educated qualified professionals, applying for this job, as no posts available for newly qualified physios. All had high grades at A level, broad extra curriculars. They had done what they had been told to do - work hard at school, go to university. But this government has slashed nhs budgets, so there are very few jobs for new grads. When trained, bright ambitious health professionals are battling for a 16k job in London, something is very wrong.

Binnyforthewin · 05/09/2026 19:06

Badbadbunny · 05/09/2026 18:59

In theory, yes, but even if you "work hard" and get a decent career, these days it's still difficult to have a decent standard of living after all the taxes/deductions, paying through the nose for rent, utilities, cost of living hikes, etc.

Isn't that a good justification for reducing so those taxes so that people can have a better standard of living. Those in work should always be better off than those using the safety net.

Badbadbunny · 05/09/2026 19:00

ImmortalNowBabyDoll · 05/09/2026 18:49

Would you like to start by putting the final nails in the coffin of the NHS, further destroying our already shambolic education system, pushing more families into poverty or cutting pensions?

Throwing even more money at the NHS won't solve the underlying waste and inefficiency.

Badbadbunny · 05/09/2026 18:59

Goota · 05/09/2026 18:52

Then work hard at school so you have a decent career and earnings? Not hard barring obviously health issues.

In theory, yes, but even if you "work hard" and get a decent career, these days it's still difficult to have a decent standard of living after all the taxes/deductions, paying through the nose for rent, utilities, cost of living hikes, etc.

Bushmillsbabe · 05/09/2026 18:58

DazzlingPony · 05/09/2026 18:17

There is such thing as in work poverty too.

You can’t think of any set of circumstances where a persons basic outgoings may suddenly be more than their incomings and they simply just don’t have enough money to pay their bills and for a food shop?

And that's an issue. No one working full time shouldn't be able to feed and house themselves. Working people generally have higher costs, such as travel costs, workwear, paying for childcare etc

Whatalunatic · 05/09/2026 18:58

Binnyforthewin · 05/09/2026 18:52

Not the fags, drugs, alcohol and gambling that too many "parents" spend their benefits on in priority to their children.

Evidence?

Badbadbunny · 05/09/2026 18:58

SuddenlyBecoming · 05/09/2026 17:14

There are layers upon layers of people working in local authorities thiat can be cut without any affect on services. Literally zero. They could also consider the hierarchy of councils. My area for example has bins which are doubled up 1 bin emptied by the borough, 1 next to it emptied by the parish council. I know a bin to purchase is £500 and to empty each one is £900 per year. Neither bin is particularly used, never full ever. Across my area there are 128 bins, just reducing those to half yields a saving of £58k and if they were never purchased that would be another saving of £32k. There are more than 10k parishes in the UK, if all looked at and rationalised their bins alone what saving could be made? If everywhere is as wasteful could be as much as 570m - just wasted on bins per year.

This doubling up is all over the place in the split between parish and borough, town councils. Look where you live you will start to see it, two different coloured bins one will be parish or town and the other borough. And as I say that is just bins. No one would suffer no one would even notice.

Edited

Similar in our village. Three different councils come to cut the grass in various areas of the village: the parish council, the city council and the county council. Three lots of van/men/equipment all coming on different days to cut the grass in different parts of the village, some of which is literally right next to the other. All that wasted time, manpower, etc in the travel, unloading, re-loading etc. Knock some heads together and get one van/men to do it all at the same time. Multiply that by all the other villages and towns etc where the same happens and savings could be immense.

By contrast we have two churches, virtually opposite each other. Guess what? Because it's not the council(s), the two churches work together and get the same contractor to do the grass cutting and ground maintenance of their church yards/graveyards at the same time, so no wasted time by having different firms to do it, and therefore cheaper via efficiency etc.

Whatalunatic · 05/09/2026 18:58

Goota · 05/09/2026 18:49

Then work hard at school so you have a decent career and earnings? Not hard barring obviously health issues

ODFOD. Seriously. Someone who works 40 hours a week- regardless of the qualifications required- should be able to live comfortably. Not in luxury, at the minimum wage end but should be able to cover rent, utilities, insurances, transport, nutritious food, a TV license and Internet connection. There is dignity in working. It has fuck all to do with how hard someone did or didn't work in school. Plenty of people in poverty with qualifications coming out their ears. Plenty without even a single GCSE are millionaires.

Pretending people only live in poverty because they're lazy ignores the bigger picture. Makes you a right wing dream - you got what you have cos you're so much better than all the rest. God help you should life throw you a curve ball.

EasternStandard · 05/09/2026 18:54

ImmortalNowBabyDoll · 05/09/2026 18:53

They all need more funding if that's what you mean. Which requires us to pay more taxes.

It’s not really working. The tax and borrowing hikes have just caused job losses recently.

Katypp · 05/09/2026 18:54

ImmortalNowBabyDoll · 05/09/2026 18:53

They all need more funding if that's what you mean. Which requires us to pay more taxes.

They all need reform, not necessarily more funding. The NHS is a bottomless pit.

ImmortalNowBabyDoll · 05/09/2026 18:53

Katypp · 05/09/2026 18:51

All of which need reform, no?

They all need more funding if that's what you mean. Which requires us to pay more taxes.

Binnyforthewin · 05/09/2026 18:52

Whatalunatic · 05/09/2026 18:51

What is the definition of 'basic human need' as a starter? In a UK context,?

Not the fags, drugs, alcohol and gambling that too many "parents" spend their benefits on in priority to their children.

Goota · 05/09/2026 18:52

Purplebunnie · 05/09/2026 18:41

What savings? Not everyone has earnt enough to have savings.

P.S. I'm not talking about myself here although my private pensions are pretty meager and if I only had those to live on I'd be homeless

Then work hard at school so you have a decent career and earnings? Not hard barring obviously health issues.

Katypp · 05/09/2026 18:51

ImmortalNowBabyDoll · 05/09/2026 18:49

Would you like to start by putting the final nails in the coffin of the NHS, further destroying our already shambolic education system, pushing more families into poverty or cutting pensions?

All of which need reform, no?

Whatalunatic · 05/09/2026 18:51

strawberrybubblegum · 05/09/2026 18:06

Because benefits in the UK are enough to meet basic human needs.

What is the definition of 'basic human need' as a starter? In a UK context,?

ImmortalNowBabyDoll · 05/09/2026 18:49

Would you like to start by putting the final nails in the coffin of the NHS, further destroying our already shambolic education system, pushing more families into poverty or cutting pensions?

Goota · 05/09/2026 18:49

Purplebunnie · 05/09/2026 18:41

What savings? Not everyone has earnt enough to have savings.

P.S. I'm not talking about myself here although my private pensions are pretty meager and if I only had those to live on I'd be homeless

Then work hard at school so you have a decent career and earnings? Not hard barring obviously health issues

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