I don't want to pay more fucking tax!

[marthainthemarket]

I am the sole earner in a family of four, earning just under 40k a year and getting probably fuck all or below inflation pay increase next year, if I am lucky enough to keep my job ( public sector and employer needing to make massive budget savings). I barely cope now.

I am so fucking angry that Labour fucked up the disability benefit cuts. Other countries don't have run away disability benefits crises because they have a proper assessment process that means they keep a lid on people getting disability benefits who don't really need them. But instead of dealing with that, they came up with a crap proposed cut that wouldn't have dealt with the actual issues and they couldn't defend.

And having fucked that up they are now raising everyone's tax. I hate them!

As long as PP isn't claiming benefits that's fine by me.

And even if she was?
Low paid work is not enough to live on due to rents and the cost of living crisis. That is not the fault of the people in those low paid jobs that they get UC top ups despite working full time.
If everyone up skilled and left those jobs, the country would grind to a halt.

No. That to me should be looked at. It’s about fairness. And that benefit is not fair.

I just can’t pay more tax. Im utterly bereft at the thought. I’m one of the ones that the government is threatening to squeeze even more money out of. Sales role so I earn commission on my sales - basic salary is very low but I work really hard to get sales in to boost my income. I feel like my hard work is for nothing. I’m taxed to my eyeballs. And it is very hard work. Long hours - often 12 hour days. I’m tired all the time and I juggle childcare to fit around my job. I’m the breadwinner in the house on around £70k

I earn over the threshold for child benefit - what I cannot wrangle my brain around or accept is why, when this is a benefit given to ANY parent, do I as a higher earner, who pays an awful lot of tax, am I penalised for this hard work and made to pay that child benefit back each year? I can appreciate my earnings being taxed at the higher rate, that’s just how it is, but it’s just an extra kick in the teeth to have that payment to make every year back to HMRC. I do not claim any other benefits. And yet they want MORE tax.

And yes I do appreciate when people say - “well you earn more so you don’t need it.” But - everyone else gets it. Every single other parent. It’s just not fair.

And I can’t zero out the child benefit figure either, because if the proverbial hits the fan and my earnings are lower or close to the threshold, then I would miss out on that payment entirely.

The government needs to stop squeezing the middle or ‘higher’ earners - they need to go after the incredibly wealthy. Or they need to make any tax increase fair across the board. They themselves don’t seem to have any handle on what is a ‘higher’ earner anymore - tax wipes out the majority of earnings anyway - or any thought to how a tax increase will impact on that person or family - £70k in London gets you a lot less than £70k up in the North.

Why are you the sole earner in your family? Why isn’t your partner earning a wage? You’re a disgrace to blame disabled people.

And too many people are keen to overlook the obvious downsides. Your model doesn't address the potential issue I outlined of of trapping people in permanent workfare, for one thing.

Yes, people could sign up to do those things. And then they would be working, and should be paid at least minimum wage, like everyone else who works.

Yes exactly. I also live in one of the most rural parts of the UK. Most jobs are low income Job's here. Very few professional Jobs. Retail, Admin and Care work is most of the jobs.

Maybe reframe it as, why on earth should you be given cash for having a child.

If she's entitled to them it's none of your business if she claims them.

Or on that logic why should anyone be given cash for having a child?

Well quite, I couldn't agree more!

Yes I think so. Don’t think the taxpayer should be funding this.

it has become a racket

Well as a taxpayer facing higher taxes it kind of is her business.

You do realise that there is no such thing as Government money, only money that is takes from taxpayers or borrows from the Bond markets.

The extra cost of having a bmw as opposed to a cheaper car doesn't stop with that 1st payment that is covered by the recipient. All insurance and maintenance costs are free to the driver. These costs will be higher for cars like a BMW, tires alone are much higher than a standard car. If they want to keep having these type of cars then maybe they could pay a percentage towards these things that would cover the full difference. Then it really wouldn't matter and I don't see how anyone could complain about the sceme then as, like you say, they would just get the cash otherwise so no harm done

A good summary

I mean as a taxpayer and someone that doesn't claim benefits wouldn't I have a right to inquire? As we'd be paying for it.

I'm very sorry PP has severe MH issues and I wish her well.

It's really quite simple.
Tax "the rich" more but do not raises taxes for "hard-working people"
Cut benefits for all the "workshy scroungers" and those that are "swinging the lead".

“Family allowance was introduced in the UK in 1945 primarily to ease the financial burden of raising children, especially in larger families, and to promote child health and well-being. A key feature was that the allowance was paid directly to mothers to give them more financial independence and to ensure the money was used for the children”

Alternatively, I could give up work, claim UC as well as additional benefits for my son with him being SEN, and I’d probably only be around £10k per annum down, and have a lot less stress. Or I could continue working, contributing my tax, not claim additional benefits and have HMRC relentlessly claim as much as they can from me. What situation would make you happier?

Low paid work is low paid for a reason. At some point is it not their responsibility for the line of work they are in?

It does as I said it would not be for private employers. It would be for council work while still working alongside people in the job centre who will know have more to work with to help them find a role.

I addressed the minimum wage in my 1st post saying they would work up to the hours of the benefits they recieve. Get £75 a week then 6-7 hours earning it with the council and rest of time looking for work

Depends if a standard car would be able to fit in a wheelchair. That's the issue really, big cars are more expensive than standard cars but wheelchair users need big cars.

It isn't always just a want.

Actually it's not that simple:
what do you define as the "rich"
Who are the work shy - for every person you feel is work shy they will defend themselves as physically or mentally unable to work

But you wouldn't or you would have done it by now! So I am not sure what your point is. The world is a different place from 1945 and the idea of just handing out cash to all and sundry simply for having a child is simply ludicrous. It's like the argument that if we got rid of child benefit people would stop having children, you just have to look at the birth rate in countries with no benefits to know that one isn't true!

Absolutely. But entitlement exists because of need.

I can understand you'd want to enquire, but if someone has been assessed as in need of benefits, no, you're not entitled to the ins and outs of that person's situation.