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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:
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23
AmazonAntiqueStore · 05/09/2026 19:39

Goota · 05/09/2026 19:37

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

The cost of housing compared with income is an issue.

Someone working 40 hours on minimum wage would have a take-home of around £1880 a month. A one-bedroom flat around here is at least £1000 a month to rent.

Wynter25 · 05/09/2026 19:40

strawberrybubblegum · 05/09/2026 18:06

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

Are you having a laugh. Theyre not enough

Olivetree77 · 05/09/2026 19:40

Goota · 05/09/2026 19:17

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

I think you are conflating education and skills. In order to increase economic growth through productivity, the UK doesn't necessarily need more education, it needs more valuable skills and better utilisation of those skills. Employers ultimately pay for productive capability, not certificates.

Velumental · 05/09/2026 19:41

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.

Do you understand there is a limit to what percentage of the population can work in professions? There will always be a need for 'unskilled labour' and until there's a living wage a lot of these people will need topped up by benefits

PinkFruitbat · 05/09/2026 19:41

MumofCandR · 05/09/2026 18:06

Are you a financial expert and economist OP? Assume not.

Edited

I have already stated that I am an engineer.

OP posts:
AndyKitten · 05/09/2026 19:43

Velumental · 05/09/2026 19:41

Do you understand there is a limit to what percentage of the population can work in professions? There will always be a need for 'unskilled labour' and until there's a living wage a lot of these people will need topped up by benefits

Do you understand that there is a limit to how much tax everyone can pay?

PinkFruitbat · 05/09/2026 19:46

Ponoka7 · 05/09/2026 18:12

@PinkFruitbat you haven't touched on our unlimited asylum seekers budget, or foreign prisoners. While there are jobs that different disabled people can do, employers don't want them.

Well yes I’m sure there can be some affordability savings there too.

Paying for 5000 empty hotel rooms just in case they might be needed for migrants/asylum seekers was utterly wildly bonkers!

OP posts:
Velumental · 05/09/2026 19:46

AndyKitten · 05/09/2026 19:43

Do you understand that there is a limit to how much tax everyone can pay?

Do you understand that the very rich are not inherently more entitled to the world that the very poor? That as a human society we should everyone to have the basics at least. When you tax those on the breadline and force them below the breadline it's very different to taxing someone's disposable income. And I say that as a high rate tax payer married to a high rate tax payer

AndyKitten · 05/09/2026 19:47

Velumental · 05/09/2026 19:46

Do you understand that the very rich are not inherently more entitled to the world that the very poor? That as a human society we should everyone to have the basics at least. When you tax those on the breadline and force them below the breadline it's very different to taxing someone's disposable income. And I say that as a high rate tax payer married to a high rate tax payer

Benefits cover the basics and more.

Lugol · 05/09/2026 19:48

Bushmillsbabe · 05/09/2026 18:43

As someone who visits children in their homes, there are absolutely children living in poverty, with inappropriate clothing, no toys, poor quality food, mouldy walls/damp. There shouldn't be with our benefits system, but there is. Many families are under pressure to send a proportion of their money to relatives abroad who have no benefit system in their country. Live in poor housing which costs a fortune to heat, taking out expensive loans to cover emergencies and getting stuck in a debt cycle.

Giving more money won't necessarily help this though. Improving housing would. Making it illegal to send benefits abroad so they aren't under pressure to do this would. Making it compulsory to learn English so women can understand tenancies, loan agreements etc, and also have a greater oppurtuinity to work. Providing a proportion in supermarket vouchers so has to be used on food (I know this is not popular), high street vouchers to buy shoes and clothes.

I agree with the food vouchers. I know it isn't a popular option but it would mean more chance of those children being fed.

I think there should be community hubs that teach cooking and budgeting and money management classes alongside home management classes.
You'd be amazed (or maybe not) at the amount of people who don't know how to cook. I had to write out a basic pasta recipe for a man at work who didn't know how to cook and relied on expensive takeaways because he didn't know any other way. Same with stuff like when to change a bed, how to shop for a week etc.
Basic skills but so many people aren't taught how to look after themselves properly. People need to learn these skills to take responsibility for themselves.

Urgentbiscuitrequired · 05/09/2026 19:48

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Velumental · 05/09/2026 19:49

AndyKitten · 05/09/2026 19:47

Benefits cover the basics and more.

What do you consider basics?

LuckyHazelFox · 05/09/2026 19:51

Lugol · 05/09/2026 19:48

I agree with the food vouchers. I know it isn't a popular option but it would mean more chance of those children being fed.

I think there should be community hubs that teach cooking and budgeting and money management classes alongside home management classes.
You'd be amazed (or maybe not) at the amount of people who don't know how to cook. I had to write out a basic pasta recipe for a man at work who didn't know how to cook and relied on expensive takeaways because he didn't know any other way. Same with stuff like when to change a bed, how to shop for a week etc.
Basic skills but so many people aren't taught how to look after themselves properly. People need to learn these skills to take responsibility for themselves.

Common sense and traditional values have gone out the window. Agree with you about basic skills. That reminds me, why aren't kids taught how to tell the time these days instead of relying on their phones?

GiaGia16 · 05/09/2026 19:51

Lugol · 05/09/2026 19:48

I agree with the food vouchers. I know it isn't a popular option but it would mean more chance of those children being fed.

I think there should be community hubs that teach cooking and budgeting and money management classes alongside home management classes.
You'd be amazed (or maybe not) at the amount of people who don't know how to cook. I had to write out a basic pasta recipe for a man at work who didn't know how to cook and relied on expensive takeaways because he didn't know any other way. Same with stuff like when to change a bed, how to shop for a week etc.
Basic skills but so many people aren't taught how to look after themselves properly. People need to learn these skills to take responsibility for themselves.

The trouble is the will has to be there.

AndyKitten · 05/09/2026 19:58

Velumental · 05/09/2026 19:49

What do you consider basics?

Living expenses and housing.

What do you see as basics?

The Maldives?

AndyKitten · 05/09/2026 20:03

AndyKitten · 05/09/2026 19:58

Living expenses and housing.

What do you see as basics?

The Maldives?

Add to that various perks, free dental
care, eye care, reduced attractions and others, and things are not quite so basic anymore.

Bushmillsbabe · 05/09/2026 20:05

LuckyHazelFox · 05/09/2026 19:51

Common sense and traditional values have gone out the window. Agree with you about basic skills. That reminds me, why aren't kids taught how to tell the time these days instead of relying on their phones?

Schools teach time and clocks in year 1 and 2. So everyone should be able to tell the time. But using a phone to tell time is the default option for many I think.

BrokenWingsCantFly · 05/09/2026 20:05

QwestSprout · 05/09/2026 13:05

I fail to see why you (England and Wales) can't pay the same tax rates as us (Scotland). For all your complaining you pay 2p less for your Higher Rate and yours starts at 50k while ours starts at around 43667.

I highly doubt any of us went bankrupt or suddenly became homeless or could no longer afford a cup of tea (or whatever).

No thanks.
You had free university fees there, those of us around the 50k mark here have usually had to go to university to get there and left with bigger student debts we are unlikely to get out of anytime soon (unless from a rich family), so are paying 9% more out of our wages too. If went on to do a masters, like myself, then that is another 6% on top. Paying tax at the same levels at Scotland would make it be pointless even bothering

LuckyHazelFox · 05/09/2026 20:05

AndyKitten · 05/09/2026 19:58

Living expenses and housing.

What do you see as basics?

The Maldives?

😆 🤣

Lugol · 05/09/2026 20:07

LuckyHazelFox · 05/09/2026 19:51

Common sense and traditional values have gone out the window. Agree with you about basic skills. That reminds me, why aren't kids taught how to tell the time these days instead of relying on their phones?

My school taught cookery and sewing lessons for all throughout our school years (in France) It might seem old fashioned now but these are life skills really.

The man I wrote my pasta recipe for had never cooked anything. He couldn't afford to eat because he was spending so much on takeaways, he was thrilled he could cook a meal now and it got me thinking how common that seems to be. People don't know how to take care of themselves in a basic way.

We had to learn how to tell the time with a clock, you're right I don't know if many kids would know how to do that these days.

foursquares · 05/09/2026 20:10

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dustabsorber · 05/09/2026 20:13

Ginmonkeyagain · 05/09/2026 10:57

The biggest thing that would reduce the welfare bill and make work pay would be a massive fall in house prices.

So people who want to cut welfare should either support a massive house building programme or other policy measures to reduce the price of housing.

A collapse in house prices would trigger a recession leading to more unemployment.

foursquares · 05/09/2026 20:16

Really don't want taxes to rise any further particular income tax, but would be comfortable with NI rising. We really need to do following :

  1. Stop triple lock for pensioners
  2. Increse NI by 2%.
  3. Scrap council tax and introduce property tax at 0.48%
  4. Stop sending money to Ukraine each year
foursquares · 05/09/2026 20:16

dustabsorber · 05/09/2026 20:13

A collapse in house prices would trigger a recession leading to more unemployment.

Talk us through the economic of that...

EasternStandard · 05/09/2026 20:21

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