Popular cuts and popular taxes

[jollydiane]

Can we think of anything which we could agree on?

1. The national lottery is a type of tax, but nobody is forced to pay it and we all like the thought of winning a million pounds so lets increase the tax up on this.

1. Winter Fuel allowance. This is scary for all governments but it cannot be fair for higher rate tax payers to receive this benefit, scrap this allowance they managed to do this for Child Tax Credits so it cannot be that hard.

1. When I went to Turkey I had to pay for a £10 Visa to get into the country, lets have the same here for tourists. After all many of our best tourist attractions are free any way so its not much to ask.

1. Can we scrap the free swimming for over 50, would it really put the over 50s off swimming if they had to pay a few pounds?

1. How is it that so many big projects go so wrong, e.g. NHS IT system, what system do we have that allowed this to happen?

1. There was talk by the government that if a pensioner paid £8500 they would have all their care paid for and would not have to sell their home. Although I have not heard much about this I cannot think this would ever be affordable.

1. Do we really need Trident are there better alternatives?

If we can agree then perhaps we can give this to our MP's or let Ed and David know we have solved their problems

Ok over to you

Their would never be a tax that everyone agrees on this is the whole problem

You may get a majority but never complete agreement

Because some peoples agreement won't be based on facts but on morals, political leanings, race all sorts even your job to and degree

I believe welfare needs reform
The public sector
And tax loop holes need to be closed

I don't know enough about trident and out home land security to say weather we need it or not

Scrap free bus travel for over 60/ 65s
My mum works but gets free bus travel and to subsidise this the bus companies put the prices up to stupid amounts!!!

Even a £1 a day scheme for the elderly is better than the free for all
My bus driver dad said its the worst thing they ever did (obv not ever but from a public transport pov)

Scrap free referrals to weight watchers. Why is
It
Suddenly free if you ask for it? When I went I paid. Why do I need to pay again for others?

I think free bus travel for children was a bad idea in the summer kids ride the buses in gangs

Yes. Agreed. Someone has to pay for all these
Popular incentives and it's not the free car and driver government

Kayano - I had no idea about weight watchers, what a good idea for the 'cut' suggestion box

I only know about it because my friend and me both went at the same time and had the same job
Whereas I paid for mine they had cried to their GP and got a full 10 weeks free, that then got extended! I felt a right fool. We were both 'overweight' as opposed to obese so I couldn't understand why anyone in their position should get it free? ESP we were on the same wage

I agree with nearly all of the above, but I think we do need trident, or at least some form of national protection.

I think we need to stop handing over so much money to other countries, both Europe, and foreign aid.

MP's and all those other political people need to have their wages drastically cut.

Personally, I'd also be happy to see the back of libraries and sure start centres, as well but I know that's not popular.

maypole - do you mean teenagers get free travel on buses I didn't realise that.

Er, visa nationals already pay for tourist visas. £76 to be precise.

I certainly agree with a tax on gambling winnings, including the lottery.

I've never understood why gambling winnings are tax free and yet hard earned wages are taxed!

slavetofilofax I do agree about the libraries they closed the one down near us that was under used and re built it as part of a health centre and mini police sation it works really well went the other day it was heaving people go in their while their waiting for their appointment.

To be honest I think having libraries part of couminty centres or sports centres are the way forward

And I alway thought that sure start centre to be really useful need to be mandatory as the most needy families would never go near other wise

Honey - wow £76. I just remember standing in line with other tourists in Turkey for a 7 days holiday and having to hand over £40 for my family and thinking why does't this happen at Gatwick.

Doesn't happen at gatwick because people apply before travelling. :) Some other categories of visa cost several hundred pounds, so £76 is a bargain by comparison!

jollydiane in London children 0-19 get free travel I can tell you during the holidays this is no fun they hop on and of transport in gangs.

For the life of me they could of simply said free travel between 7-10 and then 2-4 term Time then you would only be having free travel for to and from school which seems fair to me

But we have a free for all and this change is largely associated with the decline in behaviour on buses amongst young people

They don't even bother to show their passes to get on free and when their challenged they get abusive

Oh I have one before someone is allowed to come here either on a holiday or student or working visa they must show they have health insurance

The bill that is owed t the nhs is very big

Maypole, why do you think people who work and pay taxes in the uk should not be entitled to NHS treatment?

Good idea maypole, perhaps it could be a condition on their visa if it isn't already. I sort of remember there was an E111 card which allows Europeans to have the same cover as they would have had in their home European state. I wonder how many of actually use this facility abroad? I don't have any data but good suggestion.

Tanks Maypole, I certainly didn't expect to get any agreement to that comment. It sounds like the library thing you have in your area is a much better idea.

Agree about health insurance for visitors to this country too.

I agree with most pf those, but i also think theuy ned to ensure politically "we are all in it together" by:

• closing corporate tax loopholes
• clawing back taxpayors bailout money that was splashed out to bankers as bonusses

Windfall taxes are not new and I think both these areas need one.

Saving on Trident is minimal, the whole defence budget is about 5% of Government spend and Trident is a tiny part of that. Not Being In afghanistan or Going to War would save far more

If you want to save money, of c £700bn Government spend, about 25% is benefits, 16% Health, 10% Education and about 5% on Scotland and Local Government respectively. The rest are tiny budgets comparatively.

I think it should just be one simple tax. Forget all the faffing about NI etc, just take 40% of income over 15,000 or something. No road tax, no council tax, no VAT, whatever - just take from source.

Tourists are only entitled to emergency treatment on the NHS anyway. Longer term visitors who are resident in the uk for more thsn six months are eligible for treatment, however.

I think where a library is underused we should ask the question, could it be doubled up for another use. I do wonder why some libraries open on a Sunday. If there is a huge demand fair enough but otherwise I'm not so sure.

HoneyandHaycorns students and people on holiday don't pay tax id they fall I'll who pays us then what the nhs sends them a invoice when they gone back to china mmmmm

Working visa it depends if it was say less than a years visa they really ought to have health insurance because if they get say a life treating illness or are really poorly they won't have been paying in long enough to justify how much the nhs would spend on them

OMG! Benefits take up 9% more of the budget than the NHS??

If that is accurate, we need to be cutting benefits too!