To think that itemised tax statements

[jinsei]

will cost money to produce, which could be better spent on other priorities?

Presumably, the Tories think they will get some kind of political advantage from doing this.

YANBU, the money would be better spent improving efficiency of the tax system.

"What will these tax statements provide which is new?"

It's not 'new' but how many people actually spend time trawling through the Exchequer's accounts? A simple 'here's where your money went' summary, similar to the one we get on council tax bills, saves us the trouble.

Which most people will chuck I'm sure.

I'm all for transparent government etc but will reserve judgement until I see it.

"Which most people will chuck I'm sure."

Loads of people don't bother vote either - doesn't mean we shouldn't tell them when elections are happening so they can decide whether to vote or not.

Do you tell the bank to stop sending you statements because you'd rather they saved the money and spent it elsewhere instead???? It's your money and surely you'd like to know where it's going?

Bank statements are not a good analogy - of course I need to know how much money I still have.

However, I donate regularly to several charities, and deliberately choose those which do not waste their money on excessive reporting back to donors. I'd much prefer that they use my money where it is actually needed.

YANBU.
On Breakfast this morning they were discussing this, and they had some economics woman on, who said-"and it will show the amount spent on welfare, which may make people think twice about complaining about the welfare reforms" or some such comment.

Aaaaargh.

Of course, when people see that 20% of the tax taken from their pay is for "Welfare" they will immediately think of the Shameless type family who can't be arsed to work. Why should they be getting my hard earned dosh??

When of course "welfare" also includes pensions, and all manner of other facilities aimed at the disabled and vulnerable.
This government. You couldn't make them up.

And it will cost a fucking fortune to implement. A fortune of "our hard earned" taxes.

Why on earth will it cost a fortune?

Nowthen, it's a shame you feel like that, although I would guess that there are reasons why you feel what you do.

Not everyone will feel the way you describe,you are giving the British public very little credit and assuming the worst of people.

Many people might feel the way I expect to feel if I ever get to read one of these reports, and wonder why the hell things like wheelchair services aren't allocated more money when you can clearly see how much is being spent on wars and foreign aid.

Presumably, the Tories think they will get some kind of political advantage from doing this

Yes, it will be a justification for their relentless anti-welfare agenda, amp up the Greek Chorus of Daily Mail reading hatemongers.

Cunts.

I know Outraged, but habing read some of the bile on here directed at "benefit scroungers" (by which obvs they don't mean Nana and her pension) my faith in the British public is somewhat shaky.

if they are trying to be completely transparent then they should publish how ALL tax expenditure is broken down not just income tax. Where does our VAT go?, road tax, fuel duty, admin charges, council tax, tax on savings interest,?? all the money smokers and drinkers pay on the duty on tobacco and beer etc

if someone can't be bothered looking the info up on a website then it could well mean that they just aren't interested!

i know how much tax i pay already so if i could see online that a percentage goes to this and a percentage to that then i am sufficiently educated to be able to work it out for myself..i don't need a letter every year telling me. perhaps a better concentration of efforts would be to sort out the PAYE system first so that all these blunders of over and underpayments don't keep happening

It is the most ridiculous policy I've ever heard of, aimed at stupid people. It would be very easy for all this information to be published online, in fact it probably already is. What on earth is the point of sending me a "statement"? Am I to be able to stipulate that my personal tax contribution is spent any differently? No. Shocking waste of money.

Maybe there should just be a very simple section on the directgov website that could let you see it online or ask for a hard copy to be sent.

It can't be that hard, all I want to see is a few pie charts and a few lists of numbers.