to think that we should pay more in tax?!

[MenMust]

I am wondering whether tax rates should go up rather than public services being cut. When I first started working tax rates were around 33% and now they are down to 20% and services are being cut. More tax should be raised from large companies and from the rich but I also think that if we want to keep our services including the NHS then we all maybe need to pay more in tax. any views on this?

The NHS is on its knees because of inefficiencies and wastage, not a lack of funding

Rubbish. The UN said recently that we have the most efficient health care system in the world.

The NHS is on its knees because of underfunding in the last 6 years when billions that could have been spent elsewhere have been spent on an un mandated top down reorganisation.

Then there's the cuts to social care, which have meant that hospital beds and wards are full of people that could be treated at home, if the Local Authorities had the money to do so.

There are far many more reasons, but it certainly isn't health tourism and wastage.

You ain't getting a penny more out of me, so don't try!

Here's the thing though.

If we fund investment in schools, healthcare, infrastructure etc, we get better long term growth and EVERYONE does better.

The current tax system just works for those at the top, who get more now, but won't benefit later either.

A progressive tax system which taxes the highest earning more, means and those lower down less works best because those lower down have a higher propensity to consumer than those at the top. Therefore more gets bought, businesses do better, those at the top and in business earn more.

It works, if you can see further than the end of your nose.

Your OP is very over-simplified, although I think you've realised this by now. A point that hasn't yet been brought up is the narrowing of the normal rate tax band. The personal allowance has risen hugely in the past 10 years, just about doubled. That's a lot more than the rate of inflation. It's very much Tory policy to try and move very low earners out of income tax altogether. Meanwhile the threshold at which higher rate kicks in is lower than it was, although it's to be raised soon. The one has paid for the other. I'm not opposed to the raising of personal allowance, and as a part time worker I do well from it, but I think raising it to potentially 25k per two income household could have significant implications.

On the efficiency point, that's absolutely true. But one thing many of us could do more of is try to spend our money in places that do actually pay their full UK tax, rather than Amazon, Starbucks et al. If you're in a position to do so, I recommend it. It isn't necessarily always more expensive, either.

if just 3 of the biggest tax dodging firms paid their back-taxes we would have no deficit in public services. That's the kind of tax payments we need. The rest of us already pay our fair share, thanks!

As well as the super rich and companies being targeted I would like all the. cash in hand non declared black economy to be dealt with. People always bang on about large companies but vast amounts are lost this way. By this reckoning a few years ago £ 150bn.

[[https://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/jun/04/uk-shadow-economy.

No I don't want to pay more tax.

ODFOD

Eh so rather than counting out my coppers this morning to scrape together my fate to work I wouldn't even have the spare change!

Get rid of the second home allowance and set up a halls of residence for MP's. Also why are we subsidising their canteen. They can well afford to pay for their own meals at full price. The gravy train makes me livid as 'in it together' are we fuck!

Things like scrapping second home allowances for MPs or making them eat in a canteen wouldn't even be a drop in the ocean. That's just envy talking. And the cost of implementing would be higher than the saving, at least at first.

As for 'fair share' - if stuff (NHS, schools etc) cost more to run, we all have to pay more to fund them. Common sense.

Agree that tax avoidance should be clamped down on.

Agree that the big companies escaping tax need dealing with.
Ordinary people paying more? Loads more people struggling, having to make cutbacks and frugality?
No thanks.

I pay top rate tax on most of my income.
I have no personal allowance.

I think that's enough. I feel that I should keep over a half of every £ I make.

What Chikara said on page 1.

I pay enough tax as it is quite frankly, it is galling when companies making millions in profit and the super rich seem to get away with paying a mere smidgeon of what they should. They, along with a focus on using resources more efficiently should be the focus, not Joe Bloggs who earns a low or middling wage as it is.

No thanks, with the income tax I pay every month, plus national insurance contributions, plus VAT, plus council tax, plus VED, plus fuel duty, plus alcohol duty, plus insurance premium tax, plus stamp duty; I think I pay enough tax already.

And if you use the bucket analogy for the NHS, the way to fix a bucket with holes in the bottom (NHS), is to actually fix the bucket and not keep pouring in water (other peoples money).

I'm surprised by people saying there's no point in taxing the rich as there aren't enough of them to make a difference, or some such.

The IFS analysis earlier this year suggested that the richest 1% pay a whopping 30% of all tax and that this is forecast to increase to a third. So don't knock the rich.

No thanks

We pay 40% tax already. We also pay for private schooling and private healthcare. So we don't get that much back imo in relation to the tax we pay. Never had benefits.

Nah, I don't want to pay more tax. However, more people should be paying tax i.e. lower the income tax threshold.

Tax freedom day this year was June 3rd. Everything you earned up to that day is paid in taxes over the course of the year.

This is four days later than in 2015.

Approximately one month later than US.

"We also pay for private schooling and private healthcare. So we don't get that much back imo in relation to the tax"

That kind of comment really presses my cider.

1. You don't pay 40% tax on your entire income.

1. JUst because you don't directly benefit from government spending in one way, doesn't mean that you "don't really benefit", you are enable to earn what you do because you live in a society funded by that society.

I wouldn't suggest taxing the bottom and the middle more, just those at the top. Increases to the top level of tax, closing loopholes, increases in Captial gains, increases to corporation tax ( lowering it hasn't caused increased investment) would all help.

" However, more people should be paying tax i.e. lower the income tax threshold."

Fine, and see lots of people go on benefits because working doesn't pay.

Small - what are you talking about?

We pay 0% on first £11k, 20% on 11-43k, 40% on up to £150k, 45% on over £150k

As both owners of companies that do rather well, we are paying huge huge amounts of tax on both private and business earnings. It evens out around 40%.

I'm not enabled to earn what we do by anyone other than myself. I pay for virtually anything I use on top of my tax.

Majority of the U.K are actually negative contributors. I think it's something like if you earn under £28k you are taking back more than you pay each year.

smallfox
I am already a net contributor in terms of tax, why should I pay more?
I have no tax free allowance, use private education and private healthcare.
Target non paying corporations routing their profits through LuxCo's, tax exiles like Mrs Tina Green, cash in hand workers and massive governmental inefficiencies first before asking me for more.

"I'm not enabled to earn what we do by anyone other than myself. I pay for virtually anything I use on top of my tax. "

So you have staff right? Who were educated?Who have children in education ? Who have used health care? All of which allows you to have them working for you and facilitating your earning?

You are able to trade because of the laws of the land, which are upheld?

You don't benefit from infrastructure etc? You don't need it in order to be able to operate? You don'thave supply chains that rely on others that have had health care, been educated?

You don't need any input other than your own munificence in order to be a success.

Yeah right.

I'm a net contributor too, I agree that cash in hand should be clamped down on, and that tax loopholes should be closed, but I also thing that the higher rate should be higher ( its been since most of the time since 1945) and so should that on capital gains, stops rent seeking see.

Nah, I want to pay as little tax as possible. Unless everyone is paid properly by companies and in turn pays more tax too. I think you could keep taking tax out of families that are doing okay to prop up other families that are being abused by companies.

I say tax investments like stocks and shares more so that they are less attractive and companies stop screwing the workers in order to line their shareholders pockets.