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Original poster

Am I being thick? What on earth is the point of 'tax credits'?

58 replies

moondog · 22/03/2010 22:53

Why can't they just tax you less to beign with? All this taking it away then giving it back must cost a hell of a lot to administer.

OP posts:
wastwinsetandpearls · 22/03/2010 23:20

I suspect they were invented to bribe people to vote labour.

We claimed them about 4 years ago and they were a farce, they kept swinging from saying we were being overpaid to underpaid. I stopped claiming them and have never done so again. I think we earn too much to get them now but I do despise them.

People on low incomes tend to have irregular incomes so tax credits can become more of a curse than a blessing.

I had not thought of them in that way Abeta but that makes sense.

GetOrfMoiLand · 22/03/2010 23:18

Makes sense to me abetadad.

I just think of the people who have got caught up in the adminsitratuve nightmare of tax credits. It seems so unnecessarily complex.

The way you put it seems to make so much more sense.

Original poster
moondog · 22/03/2010 23:14

Sounds reasonable Abeta.
As a public sector worker, I am enraged by what is frittered away and the lack of respect accorded to 'free' services.

OP posts:
ABetaDad · 22/03/2010 23:12

Tax credits was designed to make sure middle class higher earners did not get the benefit of the tax cut that Labour wanted to target at core Labour voters.

For example, I am a very strong believer that everyone should get a personal allowance of £10k so that low paid people pay no tax. Simple and fair. Unfortunatley, if that was the case middle class quite well paid people would also pay no tax on their first £10k and Labour finds that unaceptable so a much more complex system of rebates had to be designed that benefited only low paid people but not higher earners.

Bonkers. The whole thing needsto be scrapped and a fair generous tax free personal allowance brought in. I strongly beleive that no one on minimum wage should pay tax. It would stimulate the economy too as poorer people tend to spend their tax rebates not save them.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 22/03/2010 23:04

I think that lots of people get more in tax credits than they pay in tax. So they are basically an additional Income Support.

I agree that it's a fecking ridiculous system, purely designed to create Treasury jobs. Would be much simpler administered through the DWP or whatever they call themselves these days.

Original poster
moondog · 22/03/2010 23:00

Here's one. Very interesting points raised.

OP posts:
BoysAreLikeDogs · 22/03/2010 22:58

moony can I hijack or shall I start a new thread - wrt a link you put on here aaaaaaaages ago about why Thomas the Tank Engine is good for children with autism

BoysAreLikeDogs · 22/03/2010 22:57

yy

I think that is the point

[cynic]

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