The top 10% of taxpayers contribute 60% of income tax...

[MsPinkMarshmallow]

I'm fed up of hearing that "high earners" will be targeted by the next budget.

The top 10% of taxpayers pay 60% of income tax.

Don't piss them off. They'll just leave the UK or work less so they're taxed less.

Some more stats: in 2024-25, the top 1% of income tax payers earned 13.3 per cent of total income and paid 28.2 per cent of income tax

35% of adults in the UK pay no tax at all

More from the Taxpayers Alliance here:

https://www.taxpayersalliance.com/briefing_share_of_income_tax_paid_by_percentile

<stands back and awaits kicking>

What evidence is there that these highest rate tax payers will move?

We've seen similar rhetoric arise in other countries when they were in the midst of tax increases, and this mass exodus of the wealthy simply did not take place.

Importantly, tax rates are lower in the UK than in many other European countries.

Speaking as a top 1% household, we will be staying. I also think it is completely fair that we pay more. A 2% tax increase has very little impact on our lives. For those on £300k who sincerely cannot stomach having £5k less a year - why?

Back in the 90s my lovely DH had to save up for weeks to do a course so he could upskill. It's a lot easier these days.

Leaning some data analysis and technical skills help.

You can do qualifications in general IT or do SAS, Azure, whatever data analysis software there is.

Can’t even say yes or no to that. Why the bluster, it’s easy to give answers.

Two socialists were talking and A said to B "if you had two houses, would you give me one ", B said "of course I would ".

B then said to A "if you had two cars would you give me one". B said "of course I would"

Then B said to A "if you had two chickens, would you give me one ".
A then after a long pause said "no I wouldn't "

B said "why ever not- you said if you had two houses you would give me one so why not a second chicken "

A replied to B "well you see I actually do have two chickens ".

Can I also just add in regards to 'oh no all the rich people will leave'...

If reform get into power there will be a mass exodus of bright young people working professional roles. Particularly those working in the public sector as they have made it clear they want cuts to the public sector (good luck cutting threads).

So what will impact us more? A drain of teachers, doctors and engineers or a drain of rich people?

It's an interesting thought experiment. I fall somewhere in the middle I suppose. My favourite ever job was working in a stately home as a guide and general custodian. I was not prepared to have the lifestyle that came with that - this is actually pre minimum wage my guess is it's a minimum wage job now. If all jobs paid the same I would love to still be doing this one.

My best paid job ever was financial services law in an American law firm. Money was insane but I could not hack the hours and stress. People who thrived there were definitely money motivated but possibly also status - loads of big client nights out (shit for me as one of few women but that's another story).

I now work in-house at a really good salary but waaaaay less than if I had stayed at my US firm. Job is loads better also though, hours are reasonable, work is interesting and quite important from a societal POV. So it's my goldilocks job I guess. I considered money and other factors which I think is pretty normal.

I have.
Why can't you read what's already written? Stop asking over and over.

Thanks for that - it sounds like you've got the balance right! Stately Home Guide does sound fun though.

Labour should do a campaign where they reach out to anyone who has posted I’d like to pay more tax.

It should say ‘I hear you want to pay more, we will be setting up x amount as you are keen. Much appreciated’

I mean you've given wishy washy contradictory responses. But not a proper answer.

Honestly I scrolled back and there were so many posts but no figures

The thing is we shouldn't be living to work, we should be working to live. We shouldn't be working to 'capacity' if capacity means we are working nearly 20 hours a day. That is working to burn out. That is working so many hours you don't have any time to enjoy your family.
Its fine if working IS living to you. But for most it isn't.

That's actually corrupt communism.
I guess a valid reason not to give away chickens is that you plan to breed them, and then give away more chickens?

Genuinely greatest job ever. Couple of tours a day and lots of general mooching about the place pretending I lived there and reading novels. On a rainy day I could go hours without anyone coming round - not ideal for everyone but very much suited me!

@EasternStandardshould they do another poll which would go along the lines of

'i want to benefit from the things that tax pays for and I'm going to bitterly complain those things aren't good enough but I don't want to pay for it'.

Pretty sure that would be popular

Time to grow up.

But someone has to do those jobs, and employers can't afford to pay a living wage. So who should do those jobs that absolutely need doing, if everyone should be sucking it up, up skilling, and getting better jobs?

How do you work it that expensive areas need basic service levels, which are done by people who have to live in the expensive area, but are getting paid a low wage?

Are you happy to pay £20 for a cup of coffee so that Costa can pay a wage that doesn't require a benefit top up?

😂

“If we want 'growth', the smartest thing would be to borrow and invest in green energies and a technological future. Nothing to do with tax.”

We cannot borrow more as we are not getting a bad rate due to overleverage. We cannot only borrow more from our own taxpayers by convincing them that we are investing it wisely. This threads illustrates clearly that nobody is convinced because Labour lied to all of us in their manifesto pledge. Like I said, taxation at the top level is somewhat voluntary. People who do not desperately need the extra cash will pay as much or as little as they want to. Time that the so called “Communists” start understanding this very basic fact.

Plus Marx is completely out of date. Like I said, high stress jobs come with a sacrifice of your time not just in terms of time with your own family, but actual longevity. That requires respect for the sacrifices those people make.

You have not given any figures.

What should the income difference be, between a neurosurgeon and a barista?

Alternatively; why should British tax payers subside a business that can only make a profit by paying their staff less than they can live on?

How much do you currently pay?

There are more than 8 billion humans and increasing every day, on a burning planet where tech is eliminating the need for human labour every day. Natural resources dwindling every day. Liveable areas getting more crowded every day. Other species driven (by us) extinct every day.

Dreaming about how things “should” be is futile. It’s survival of the fittest and those unwilling to do what is necessary are going to be even more swiftly left behind.

Right, why are you expecting absolutely figures though? It's about relative levels, not absolute levels. Those at the top shouldn't be getting ridiculously more than those lower down. Lawyers and Baristas probably don't work in the same company, but lowest level staff shouldn't be getting 10 or even 20 or more times less than highest level staff. If the wealth was more evenly distributed to start with then tax could also be accordingly distributed.

Plan their time well. It is possible. It will be very difficult and challenging. But it's possible.

Many of this humans are not the responsibility of the UK though.