AIBU to think the govt should do more to help/support single people?

[windygallows]

Increasingly I've become more aware of how how single people really struggle in a society geared towards couples. Not only is it pretty hard to get by financially or even to afford a house as a house as a single person, but aside from a small council tax rebate there is absolutely no tax relief or support given by the government. One person paying all bills in a system which 'assumes' and sets couple-dom as the standard.

Surely the govt could intervene by, for instance, setting a different/reduced tax code for those who are single than those in domestic partnerships/couples. Being single is usually out of people's control, often down to fate, and shouldn't be penalized.

I've been single for the majority of my life and vividly recall how much better off I was in the 10 years I was with ex-DP; it was a marked difference. I've seen accomplished, but solo, friends struggle. I certainly don't want to hope and pray that my DCs meet someone just to ensure they have a good quality of life and, as a society, it sends a pretty rubbish message that being independent means that you're likely to have a reduced standard of income.

Some good points OP. Back in the 90s a friend of mine was told that as a single woman she was less likely to be housed by the council than a single man.

The attitude was......."oh you will probably meet someone and move in with him"

That's shocking Helena. I imagine this post might be a bit unpopular amongst those who want tax rebates for married couples.

Yes I agree in some ways
Plus council tax should be per person
Plus homeless shelters, hostels should be providing San pro for women!
I love being single though, I think the risk of supporting someone being unemployed is quite high.
The capital gains stuff - put in lower earner name etc is annoying
Plus some bank account rules - eg I can open one high interest account but if I was married I could open a joint one
Could marry my best mate to see if we could increase our savings via those things, would be an interesting experiment!!

YY Windy Its sexism Would probably end up on social media if it happened now.

i TOTALLY got where you were coming from on your marrying well thread btw.

I agree

I rent privately alone and spend far more of my wages on rent and bills than I would if I lived in the same home (or a similar two bed) with a partner

It's not about tax breaks on savings for me, it's about the day to day living expenses, which are almost unaffordable on one salary.

Lone parents are in an even worse position as they have dependent children and less freedom to move or take better jobs. But they at least get recognition of this in the form of tax credits and other benefits. A single adult gets nothing.

Add in any MH issues and you have a recipe for homelessness...no landlords will touch you..no social housing..and young single men make up a huge proportion of those..

Sorry but I think people need to support themselves as they see fit. No government intervention is necessary.

I do not want state intervention into my life, and I do not think it should become 'essential' in any shape or form.

Nanny state seems to rule ok, but never in my life!

Plus council tax should be per person

They tried that. It was popularly called the poll tax. Can't remember what the official name was. Didn't go down well.

Surely it's a life choice.

Mum2 wow, you obviously have no clue how some people are having to live. No guessing what party you vote for.

I agree OP. My coupled friends are all massively better off than me despite mostly earning less. And I wouldn't really say it's a lifestyle choice. I would love to have a partner to share my life with. It's a bit of a kick in the teeth to add poverty to the loneliness of singledom. Also, children are arguably much more of a choice and yet are heavily subsidised (rightly in my view).

I think what would be better is some sort of rent control (and build more social housing).

Single pay get a 25% reduction on council tax.
Why not 50%?

Harriet, yes I was a toddler I think. I don't know why it caused a problem on the per person basis, per property seems mad as well.

I do agree about the life choice but I don't understand things like CGT in partner name or married couple allowance.

I suppose I'm thinking more of equality in terms of financial stuff rather than tax breaks if you're married. I'm not looking for handouts, I should be clear. It's just my understanding from volunteering at the shelter is that single people are often seen as "oh well someone will look after them" - like a mate or whatever. Seems a bit odd.

Harriet, yes I was a toddler I think. I don't know why it caused a problem on the per person basis

I had no problem with it. I was an adult, in employment, living with my mother at the time. There was no reason why I couldn't or shouldn't pay.

Your arguments assumes that both parties in a couple are working- what about couples where one party is a stay at home parent with no income? Surely they are facing exactly the same problem- one income to pay all household expenses/bills/living costs. Surely they have exactly the same issue?

The problem with the Poll tax was that everyone paid the same, regardless of income.

Surely it's a life choice.

But mostly it isn't. People generally tend to want to be part of a couple. And when they're not because they haven't had the good fortune to meet someone. So why should they be penalised?

OP YANBU.

I agree. Single people get quite a raw deal. If a single person without children has to go on benefits they are very much more stingy than for people with children even taking into consideration extra costs to bring up children. And much less protection for people in relationships but not married.

There is going to be a huge timebomb going off when women who haven't worked or have had only part time jobs reach pension age with very meagre or no private pensions Unless things change.

If I remember rightly the issue was 4 adults living in a council house with low income and fewer local services paying considerably more than a single person living in a much more expensive house in an area with more amenities.

So the age old thing of people who can least afford it subsidising those who can.

Sorry, that was re poll tax...

TeamSteady. But that's a choice, surely, for most? Excepting things like disability (children or parent), the other parent could choose to work. If earnings are low, parents should get help with childcare. Same as if a single person only worked part time or something.

Team A couple filing taxes together will find themselves better off financially then a person filing taxes as a single person.

Mum2Jen I take it, you don't hand back any tax credits or child benefit you receive from the Govt. I think, you're failing to understand the point the op is making.

Council tax isn't linked to income either. We have a band A house and an above average income whereas some people, generally widowed pensioners in family houses may have a lot more council tax on to pay on a much smaller income.

Everyone did not pay the same in poll tax regardless of income, there was a discount for those on various benefits though if I recall you still had to pay 20%.

I'm no longer single but lived alone for several years and the one thing that pissed me off more than anything was the council tax discount for one person only being 25%. Taxation of the single person at it's most blatant.

I'm with you OP but I don't have the answer.