I just find it baffling that all these super rich people seem to try to avoid paying into the system, and little old me is fine with it.
I'm self employed, and earn under 30k a year. i work as a driver. I do my own accounts and only really tax deduct for car costs (mileage system) and phone/internet. Other drivers are always going on about subtracting for things like suncream, sandwiches, coats and shoes which is fine but seems a bit nitpicky to me. The actual amounts on yearly accounts are very small on the odd occasions you have to buy these things.
But the biggie, is that on top of my regular courier contract, I do 3 evenings a week delivering takeaways which brings in about £100 a week. Literally everyone I've mentioned this to has made some kind of comment about being paid cash in hand (nudge wink), and are then totally astonished when I say I declare the earnings for tax. This includes dh, who wants me to pocket the money, but I refuse and get quite cross. In fact I'm increasingly uneasy with the fact that he would tax dodge if he could. He points to the fact that all the rich sorts do it, but that's not the point!
18 years ago I was homeless, pregnant, penniless, and my child's father was terminally ill. I have had a COLOSSAL amount out of the system. It was not perfect, I have been cross and frustrated many times. It took years to get appropriate housing and a care package for my first husband who managed to live an extra 10 years in the end (unexpected). But there was a system, with people working very hard within it, why would I not pay in? I accept there is always mismanagement of money under whatever administration but where would we be without any taxes at all?
It's not always easy to pay my tax bill, but when I do it always feels great to have done my thing. Having been so dependant in the past, it feels great that my life has improved and I can now contribute although I doubt I'm anywhere near being a net contributor.
I've desperately tried not to make this post sound smug, but I think I've failed and will probably be flamed. I'm not smug, one life change, and I could be back at the bottom, and then I hope others continue to pay their taxes so I may be helped again. So why is it so common and open for people to try all sort of tax dodges? Not just the super rich, I have heard all different classes talk of trying to keep their money from the tax man. Why? It's not for him, it's for all of us!