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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to question people claiming they would happily pay more tax?

335 replies

Towerinthegarden · 05/09/2026 14:03

Yet another thread about should there be tax rises or spending cuts, and invariably you get a host of people coming out saying they are happy to pay more. Well you can https://www.gov.uk/guidance/voluntary-payments-donations-to-government

I’m pretty sure what they actually mean is I am happy to pay a tiny amount more on the understanding others will pay a lot more and then I’ll see the benefit. If that assumption is wrong why aren’t all these people saying they’re happy to pay more doing it?

Voluntary payments / donations to government

Find out how to make a voluntary contribution to government.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/voluntary-payments-donations-to-government

OP posts:
EasternStandard · 05/09/2026 14:56

Towerinthegarden · 05/09/2026 14:21

And that’s fine in my book, because it’s honest. What I don’t buy is people saying they’d happily pay more, but not!!

Show quote history

Ik it’s often said but probably never done.

Harrumphhhh · 05/09/2026 14:42

moonraker0 · 05/09/2026 14:13

You can tell from the first response that you are correct OP. There’ll be various excuses from the people who have said they’d be happy to pay more tax but no one will be clicking on the link and signing up for it.

But that’s not what I said at all. I genuinely would happily pay more if it was going into making schools better. And that’s the real problem. We all have different ideas of what governments should prioritise. I definitely wouldn’t want to pay more under a Reform government, for example.

Original poster
Towerinthegarden · 05/09/2026 14:23

Harrumphhhh · 05/09/2026 14:06

I’d happily pay more if I felt it would make a difference to education funding. I presume my measly extra alone wouldn’t make much difference. Increased taxation across the board could significantly improve schools, which in there would improve outcomes for younger people, lead to them earning higher wages, paying more taxes, etc.

But if everyone who claims they’re happy to pay more did it wouldn’t be a measly amount. Therefore my first claim is correct, you’re happy to pay a little more only if others pay a lot more.

OP posts:
Original poster
Towerinthegarden · 05/09/2026 14:21

Cardhey · 05/09/2026 14:17

I pay way too much so nope, had enough.

And that’s fine in my book, because it’s honest. What I don’t buy is people saying they’d happily pay more, but not!!

OP posts:
Cardhey · 05/09/2026 14:17

I pay way too much so nope, had enough.

moonraker0 · 05/09/2026 14:13

You can tell from the first response that you are correct OP. There’ll be various excuses from the people who have said they’d be happy to pay more tax but no one will be clicking on the link and signing up for it.

BeardySchnauzer · 05/09/2026 14:12

The problem at the moment is to balance the books you need to increase your income and reduce your expenses. They are terrified of touching the latter and there’s only so far you can go with the former.

more money isn’t always the answer - modernising and cutting out the dead wood would help enormously. That includes the tax system itself!

at the moment it feels like they’ve run out of ideas and introducing new taxes that raise very little because they’re scared of just bunging 1% on income tax isn’t going to help anyone

HPFA · 05/09/2026 14:10

I'd certainly be happy to pay NI on my pension if I make it that far.

If I make it my state and LGPS pension will be about £27000 -its absurd not to be paying NI on that.

SleeplessRoads · 05/09/2026 14:09

I’d be happy to pay another 1% on my income on the basis everyone else does. I’m an additional rate tax payer so 1% is still a chunk.

Harrumphhhh · 05/09/2026 14:06

I’d happily pay more if I felt it would make a difference to education funding. I presume my measly extra alone wouldn’t make much difference. Increased taxation across the board could significantly improve schools, which in there would improve outcomes for younger people, lead to them earning higher wages, paying more taxes, etc.