To Wonder Why Tory Voters Support a £13bn cut in benefits (inc tax credits) when hardly any tory voters even receive these benefits?

[Amylovesgalaxyeggs]

Tory voters statistically earn more and live in constituencies that have higher property values.

Tory voters statistically would be less likely to rely on tax credits or other benefits that will be cut by the party.

Aibu to wonder why a group of voters would vote for a party that wants to cut something that they don't claim. Sounds like a of reverse Robin Hood to me.

It's obvious. It does not affect them so why would they care. They will be voting for other reasons.

I've never heard someone say 'let's keep the conservative govt because they are going to cut benefits'

I feel like your post is assuming that's why people who vote conservative do so and its just not the case.

Because they feel like they're paying for something and not seeing any return.

I'm not a fan of say, paying for shopping I don't actually put in my cupboard but I understand that paying tax is far more complex than that and we all need to contribute.

disclaimer - not a Tory voter! but maybe they want the welfare bill cut because they see it as their tax money and want it spent elsewhere on something they might benefit from?

Agree mrsmorton because tax is so widely spent.

Also it is easy to see the benefits of tax credits, child tax credit and other benefits.

Well that's exactly why they vote Tory it doesn't affect them.

It's an interesting point though. For a party so hell bent on austerity surely the average Tory voter should be able to pinpoint exactly where they're helping the cause.

I'm sure there're are a lot of higher rate tax payers who feel that's enough.

Agree. Because they pay for it.

They always pick on one of the most vulnerable sector of society. The last time it was single mother's who were getting pregnant to get a council house. Maggie Thatcher sold all of the council houses off off so they can't use this again. The low paid, unemployed, disabled are all in the line of fire this time.

Happy the welfare bill could be cut without actually cutting the amount people receive eg building council homes so people don't have to claim housing benefit or less housing benefit than with private landlords. Or making companies pay a living wage so tax credits are not as needed to top up incomes.

I think the councils should buy empty properties, do them up and rent them out for less than the market value.

Problem with increasing the living wage is that the cost of goods will increase too, making any increase irrelevant

I vote Tory because, IMO, tax credits and other benefits perpetuate a cycle of dependence and lack of aspiration. I speak as a lone parent who had a DD at nineteen and was in receipt of benefits. It was free money and of course I was going to take it. But given that there's no incentive to work more hours or earn more money (unless one earns significantly more money), owing to benefits being reduced as a result, then it seems to me that the system is flawed and needs an overhaul.

We get no say in how taxes are spent but many would rather them be spent on other things than benefits that allow people the freedom not to work, to just do a few hours or to have children they can't afford. People blame the state too easily and fail to take responsibility for their own choices. They aren't forced to have children or live in expensive areas.

No party will ever match perfectly, you can choose to vote for the one that will benefit the whole country or the one that nets you the most personally as many do.

Freckled tax credits are for people in work .

Freckled, so if you're no longer on benefits, how did that happen?

Did you win the lottery, or were you inspired to earn enough to not need to claim state benefits.

I am not sure if I am missing something but anyone who pays taxes is contributing to benefits. So, the fewer benefits to pay, the lower the taxes. Tories, historically, are the party of lower taxes, smaller government, so of course they will want to lower benefits because then their taxes will be lower.

Because they are selfish, lacking in empathy and don't care about how the other half live?

But surely it would be better to force companies to pay a living wage and make any price rises illegal (they can come out of their profits).

Agree Kampeki never met a nice Tory.

But I'm sure their are some nice Tories

Rose but lower for who, the average worker pays more through VAT then any tax cut the Tories have done.

I know that . But I had no incentive to work more than 22 hours per week. By working more, the tax credits and housing benefit would drop and notifying anyone of a change in circumstances meant that I would invariably lose money whilst they froze everything pending re-calculation. Unless I'd suddenly got a job that paid an additional ten thousand pounds (at least), then there was no point in me taking more hours in the role I was in. Which to me, seems illogical and creates a cycle of dependency.

No, I'm no longer on benefits. I did a degree when DD was a baby, then an MSc, then went to law school and now work as a solicitor.

The problem with a living wage is that is is very subjective. Should a retail workers wage cover two adults, numerous children whilst renting in an expensive area. Of course not. It would push up wages of actual skilled jobs and the cost of everything would just rise.

It's not easy to do that now, Freckled. Student loans, tuition fees etc. I did the same. When ds was 3 I went back to Uni and got a law degree. There were no law jobs though so I drifted in and out of different jobs until I found something I loved. It's not as easy for people now.

must tell the severely disabled adult I care for that they should look at it that way.
they should be grateful to the Torys when they cut their benefits and see it as a life lesson. just like FreckledLeopard.
starving will be such fun

I don't vote Tory but cuts do have to be made across the board benefits, social services, NHS etc.

It sucks and I am 'victim' of it as work in MH and am seeing colleagues being downgraded or put into roles they don't want. Also seeing the effect it has on service users, not just benefits but seeing MH care decimated to cut costs.

And it will get worse under whatever government comes into power because savings simply have to be made.

How does the rest of the world cope with their deficits? I doubt the UK is the only one to have issues.

OP so are Labour voters statistically lower earners then

So why would they vote fir a party that wants to bring in a mansion tax when they would never be paying it?

Oh, I see, because it wouldn't be them losing money, that sounds similar to your scenario doesn't it?