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.

I think it would be fair to take marital status into account when taxing people.

I don't know op, I am married disabled and unable to claim ESA as dh income should support us both.
So we are forced to have one income support two of us never mind just one.

I think it would be fair to take marital status into account when taxing people

They do. Married people get a tax break because being married is what the Conservatives want - rather than giving the money to help elsewhere.

iirc re tax they do take marital status into consideration in other countries e.g. Canada.

I'm unsure what kind of benefits you would expect single people to get? I really can't see how that would work. A lot of it is down to choice, for example a single person could opt for a house share instead of living alone, thus reducing costs.

Soyamilk. I think the point IS that most people over they age DoNT want to flattshare but sadly have no choice.

I think the rhetoric doesn't help either. All politicians talk about 'hard working families'. There is zero recognition for people not in families, who, as usually working, youngish, healthy people contribute lots and take very little from the system.

And others are right, society is geared towards couples. I'm invited to a wedding later this year. Double rooms are £100, singles £90. So I have to find virtually the same amount of money as my couple friends from a fraction of their disposable income.

Should someone working in the UK on a full time but minimum wage salary be able to rent a place out and be able to afford bills and food without Government support?

Sabs. A couple could flatshare as well, you know living in a house with 5 other people. But that is considered inappropriate somehow as couples need their private space as if coupledom is sacrosanct.

Plus the present for the couple will come out of one salary and the travel expenses, ottilie

I think it would be fair to take marital status into account when taxing people

In which case many more people would just cohabit, and single people would still feel hard done by.

Orlantina. Quite. I just, just about manage on my own in a small flat with no outside space and I live in a cheapish area with a wage significantly more than the minimum. Past generations would have supported a whole family on an equivalent wage. No chance now.

Ottilie agree about terminology. Hard working families and even JAMS are all predicated on some nuclear family type model.

I think that median HOUSEHOLD income (even after tax credits etc) is £26,000.

I don't know how the UK works. Given that median value is going to have massive variation with London affecting it - and rents / house prices being what they are, I just don't get how people in the UK have money to pay for everything.

Is it all just a house of cards?

Windygallows

I think the point IS that most people over they age DoNT want to flattshare but sadly have no choice.

So the government should subsidise single people because they don't particularly fancy flat-sharing.

No owl, it's not about being hard done by but fair.

A couple - whether married or cohabiting - each earning £25,000 so joint income of £50,000, get taxed less on that £25,000 each than a single person on £50,000. It would be fair, imo, to take this into account when taxing the single person.

AndNowItIsSeven assuming you are not working than the benefit you have as a married couple is that you can give your husband some of your tax allowance to increase his so he pays even less tax. As a single person you don't even get that option.

Owl then we should probably base taxes on living arrangements. Single parents are able to get more in benefits if they claim that aren't living with anyone. I'm not challenging that but it opens itself up to abuse but still is kept as a policy.

Soyamilk. The whole socialising shebang is a nightmare with mostly couple friends is a nightmare. Some (thankfully the minority) expect to split a taxi in half or buy rounds of drinks by them/me/them/me.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/2902932-young-and-vulnerable-females-being-targeted-by-rent-for-sex-landlords

yes single people end up paying almost the same for accommodation when you go to somethign like a wedding, but also end up bringing the same present, or still bring a bottle of wine somewhere rather than a joint thing between a couple.

`Household bills - things like broadband, telephone line and tv licence don't change but there's someone else to split the bill with. Some heating and electricity might go up in a couple ,but not double. Insurance doesn't change much whether there's 1 or 2 adults. Etc. It just seems that there are so many bills that could be split if there were two of you, that would make things so much more manageable. Food is often really hard to get in small quantities - unless you have a market nearby, it's hard to even buy any loose veg, and even one of something is often twice as much as you actually need, let alone a packet of 3!

I don't know what could be done about it though, and I don't know if the government is the right place to change things. But I do find it hard.

So a person should have to flat share simply because they dont have living proof that they have had sex without contraception.

Owl, the government currently subsidies parents with one low earner just because one parent 'doesn't really fancy working.' Is that fair?

For clarity, I don't actually view it like that.

There was an interesting thread a few weeks ago from someone single and not loving it.

There were a few posts from people saying how wonderful it was but for once most of the posts were interesting and thoughtful.

Hemi it's not about a new programme if benefits for single people it's about recognition and starting to think about single people when considering public policy or taxing structures. It's like single people are invisible.