To feel that having nearly half of your salary taken away is just not right?

[WinnieTheWho]

I don't earn enough to pay tax & NI but my DH has a pretty good job & salary for which he works BLOODY hard. I was horrified to work out after last pay day that for EVERY £1 he earned, he only kept 60 pence. This is due to a combination of paying very high income tax and NI, as well losing all of his personal allowance because he might get a bonus at the end of the year! It just seems that if you work hard to get paid well and you are a PAYE taxpayer, the Government & HMRC will just shaft you from all angles. It just makes me wonder why we bother? So... AM I BEING UNREASONABLE?

I dont have a problem with paying vast amounts of tax. What I fdo object to is not being able to access the services that I am contributing to. My personal bugbear is that working full time means I cant get a doctors appointment anytime between now and hell freezing over!

And I know plenty of people who work as hard as (if not harder than) those in the 40% tax bracket but get paid very poorly. Should they not be able to have the occasional luxury?

My advice, move to somewhere where you can live in a little tax haven, surrounded by your money. Hope it keeps you warm at night.

Why do people keep assuming that some of us are saying we don't want to contribute AT ALL. That's not the case - it's about the proportion that you are expected to contribute. I think there are fairer ways.

Again I find it hard to believe that a family with an income of over £4000 would be struggling to a point they cannot buy food.

You must be detatched from reality too then, like me :o

What are the fairer ways?

Higher rate of tax for those on minimum wage, so high earners pay as much as people earning less than 20k?

If that's your solution, you have truly lost your grip on reality.

Personally I think it's a disgrace that high earners want to get that little bit more money and screw over those in need on the way.

My solution, Tantrums, would be for everyone to pay proportionally the same amount of tax and for high earning non-PAYE earners to be treated the same as PAYE taxpayers and pay at the same levels: 20%, 40% & 50%. There are many people in this country keeping far more of what they earn because of legal ways to pay less tax.

I choose to live in a tax free country for this, amongst other reasons. I don't see why I should support other people endlessly, especially when I and my family do not get anything back. What is really sad is that I have full medical insurance and last year when I was in the UK I had to see a GP and go into hospital, they wouldn't let me make private appointments and I begrudge taking tax money off other people who work so hard for it. There is something vey wrong with the way the UK spend people's taxes.
So no, I don't think YABU at all although you would be better off not asking this question on MN, it won't end well.

Really, GnomeDePlume? You can't take time off for a doctor's appointment? I find that hard to believe. You can't ask you employer or take a day off?

If you needed to see a doctor that badly, you'd find a way.

very

You don't see why you should support children and old people and sick people theodorakis? That's such a pleasant attitude to have.

No, I don't see why I should give up half my salary to do it. Why should I?

Maybe because that's the amount of money the government needs?

Because one day it could be you.

Half a salary is ridiculous for little back. I wouldn't pay more than 20%, it's stupid.

It's part of living in a civilised 1st world country, Theo.

Thanks theodorakis - maybe I'll stick to a less controversial topic next time, like "what should I give my kids for tea tonight?" Although I'm sure someone will find a reason to have a go at me for that too

Tantrums, did you read what I linked to? The proposal increases the tax threshold so people on lower incomes will BENEFIT. Overall, they will save money. Have a read, it is interesting. I do get the feeling that some people here just want to penalise others for being a HE though - how dare THEY benefit from a tax break even though people on lower incomes would too.

Presumably though, the people earning £4,000 pcm are also living in places where housing is disproportionately expensive, have to pay travel costs, high council tax bills etc. I can well believe that they have the same money left after bills that someone earning much less (but living in a cheaper area, with fewer expenses)will have.

It's wrong to say 'you earn X, so you are well off', because it might be costing them a hell of a lot of money in order to earn X.

I have medical insurance, pensions, a home to retire to and old age home provision. I have worked my arse off and so has my husband to save and have made sure that we are safe for the rest of our lives.

Winnie, now you are talking about self employed people who "cheat the system"

I don't see how that is ever something you can change tbh.

Your DH chooses to work a high paying job, knowing full well you will have to contribute more, that's a fact you choose to accept when you take the job.

You don't need to get anything directly back, do you?

Surely the fact that the government is training future doctors, teachers, shop workers and so on is enough? The fact that your worse-off relatives, friends and neighbours aren't going to actually die of cancer because they can't be treated?

YANBU in one way it is unfair and your right the more you earn the more you can afford clever accountants and the more tax you can dodge paying just think of the supper rich millionaires.

The tax system needs to be fair for all.

Plenty work their arse off for little return. I got sick in my 20s, so I couldn't work. What am I supposed to do? Just suck it up and doff my cap to you?

Is Mn only for left wing people with one belief? Why shouldn't I like being rich? I do not see why I should suffer when I pay for my health, schooling, housing, pension etc. I would happily pay tax for public services but not 50%. it's ridiculous and anyway, most high salaries are designed to swallow the taxes anyway, for example, 160k is a 100k salary. that's life.

But tantrums that's just it - they are not "cheating" the system in an illegal way, they are being allowed to do it as a result of our incredibly complex and flawed taxation system