to be incensed by this

[TheStripyGruffalo]

The government is right to press ahead with cuts to tax credits - despite claims millions will be worse off - because the UK must become as hard working as China, Jeremy Hunt has said. The health secretary said the cuts - combined with a higher minimum wage - would send out the right "cultural signal" to low paid workers. And he said he did not "buy" claims people would be left out of pocket.

(source BBC politics website)

I am furious about this, I work for the government and don't earn enough to pay income tax so will not be better off by the tax allowance rises. My employer can't afford to increase my hours and I am paid the same hourly rate (give or take a few pence) that I was when I started the job 10 years ago but my working hours are less as there have been major cut backs. I earn over the living wage but only just so won't benefit from the increase. I will lose over £1500 a year when the tax credits cuts come in.

Jeremy Hunt is being so offensive and downright unpleasant.

Vivienne some people can't move out of London. I've explained for instance why my mother can't. You are being remarkably short sighted and, I can't help feeling, are missing the point completely.

Whether I am missing the point completely is besides the question. The facts are tax credits are being cut. Unless a U turn happens which wouldn't surprise me. I simply don't think that paying people top ups who are on a good salary is good use of taxpayers money. You obviously do. Of course I sympathise with individual situations. When I got moved to a different site at work my travel costs went up by £80 a month. I was in a sheer panic. No benefits to help. And I wouldn't have expected it. I just had to manage. And I was earning a lot less than £34K. Hardly even a third of that.

vivienne what income do you think is the max cut off for tax credits? And for which group? And roughly how much do you think people above say £15k salary are getting, or those on £20k? Because you appear to have a different copy of entitlement and award amount to the rest of us, and indeed to inland revenue themselves.

When I got moved to a different site at work my travel costs went up by £80 a month. I was in a sheer panic. No benefits to help. And I wouldn't have expected it.

How would you have coped if your travel costs had increased by £60 per WEEK instead of £80 per month? A lot of families are set to lose £50-£60 per week in tax credits and that is a huge sum of money. I'm sure those families would find it much easier to cope with an £80 a month deficit than a £60 per week deficit.