If we are all in this together, what cuts have the rich suffered?

[Grennie]

I know mumsnetters seem to be better off than average. So just want to point out that in 2012 the mean national average wage is £29,900. The median was £20,000. And only 10% of people earned £50,500 or above.

So what cuts have this 10% of people suffered?

They have received very few cuts as wealthier people tend to be far less reliant on the State. The wealthiest have had their taxes increased as the Government is seeking to reduce the deficit through both increased taxation and reduced public spending.

Wow! Some really shrill meanness on this thread!

Has anyone read any of the research/reporting indicating that wealthy people are typically less empathetic than people with average or lower wealth?

nymag.com/news/features/money-brain-2012-7/

The longer I hang around on MN the more convinced I become.

At the risk of getting a flaming, I am in that 10% but at the moment we are struggling and have really felt the pinch.

We don't get CB, childcare vouchers are capped at a lower rate than if I paid BR tax. My wages have plummeted in bonus terms since having DS.

DH doesn't work so my "good" wage, becomes fairly average if you divide it by 2. I pay a lot of tax on it too, where as if we both worked and both earned half what I do we would pay less tax and still get the CB and be able to both claim Childcare vouchers etc.

We are affected like everyone else by rising fuel and food costs

I am not saying we are poor or deserving of sympathy but I don't think earning over £50,500 makes you "rich" or immune to the current economic situation

DH and I being home around 150k, it goes up and down .

We are certainly not feeling the pinch and could pay more. I would rather people liked us paid more , as we can do so without it causing pain .

We actually take an awful lot from the state and doubt we are net contributors .

DH and I being home around 150k, it goes up and down .

We are certainly not feeling the pinch and could pay more. I would rather people liked us paid more , as we can do so without it causing pain .

We actually take an awful lot from the state and doubt we are net contributors .

Support more charities arisbottle if you feel you could do more financially?

aris We actually take an awful lot from the state and doubt we are net contributors .

can you explain that?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13633966

a calculator to find out if you are a net tax contributor

We use state schools
The police keep our area safe
The streets we walk on our cleaned
The armed services defend us
We have five children and are expecting another
We use national health
We visit theatres and museums and other public events that may be state subsidised.
We all use our library
We use the BBC
I could go on, I am supported constantly by the state.

I can't see the calculator , am not really bothered if I am a net contributor or not , I feel like I am getting a bargain.

but so is everyone else.

(may be bar the 6DCs)

so if a couple earning 150k don't pay enough, who does?

I suspect those on higher incomes make more use of state subsidised theatres and public events.

Everyone else might be using those things but we are more able to pay without feeling the pain .

Yes the middle class are more likely to visit state subsidised museums, etc.

Medical care and education for children is massively costly. So with 5 children, and 1 on the way, this is a big cost to the state.

ceeveebee

Increase of tax rate to 45% if salary over £150k

WTF?! The additional tax rate fucking dropped to 45% from 50%!

www.hmrc.gov.uk/rates/it.htm#2

So fucking hard done by.

fair enough Grennie.

but we don't have children yet so get the general benefits from living in a democracy but that's it.

i am happy to pay the current levels of taxation but don't like the way high earners are vilified.

I don't feel vilified , I feel fortunate .

Neither DH or I are remarkable in any way, fairly average people doing fairly average jobs and yet have been lucky enough to fall on our feet and have a much easier life than most.

Wmittens I think the point is the tax rate increases to 45% if your salary increases to over 150k.

aris - what do you and your DH business wise?

I think a lot of people on this thread forget the main distinction, ie the rich put money IN, the majority of those suffering cuts take money OUT.

Look it's not people who earn £150000 is it. It's people like my sisters landlord who own hundreds of properties and register them to other countries and pay no tax on them. It's criminal. Well it's not but it fucking should be.

They price buyers out of the market and then shaft them for rent, all the while not paying back in to society.

In fact we ALL subsidise these people by way of buggering house benefit!

Don't hate the player, hate the game.

I do however struggle to feel sympathy for people who have half a mil in savings or equity when visits to food banks are through the roof and so many children are living in real poverty.

And the rich getting richer really does benefit no one except the rich. The rich can afford the accountants to work the system. The rest of us can't.

The rich can afford the accountants to work the system

yes but that does not mean they use the schemes offered.

But drawsofdrawers people with half a million in the bank aren't looking for your sympathy are they? They may be keen to play the system to their advantage if they can, but I don,t think the word 'sympathy' is relevant?

I think Lazeyjaney has summed up the answer to the OP in one sentence.

Some do some don't. Goes without saying. But they have CHOICE. Truly poor people have very little choice in their life at all.

Even moving to a cheaper area is a choice some can't afford to make. Saving the £1000 for the deposit on a cheaper flat? No chance.

the vast majority don't. but just keep assuming the worst....