The tax system in this country is unfair and penalises hard work

[renouncefifty]

I have just finished an assignment working 20 days straight and put in nearly 300 hours. Im exhausted but have a week off to recuperate.

I get overtime for every hour over 8 hours a day I work and overtime for weekends all day. I just realised I've "earnt" £9000 this month which sounds fantastic BUT over £3000 is going in Tax and god knows how much in NI. I dont get a full personal tax allowance as im taxed on my private health insurance premium. I will be lucky to see 5.5k of that money. Oh im in scotland so we pay a penny more per pound in tax also.

I just think sometimes why bother ?

OP maybe you did it to be goady but if not and you wanted a genuine discussion on the topic, you should never have put your earnings as anyone earning above minimum wage on this website gets hounded.

Ok slight exaggeration but you get my point.

@SegmentationFault - absolutely. The free market provides.

I'm a health care and probably work just as hard as you for £14,000 annual income. 9k is money I can only dream of.
But hey let's make it easier for higher earners and harder for people like me who work are arses off and get minimum wage.

Last shift I did was 12 hours without a break and so busy I forget I actually hadn't been to the toilet untill 5pm started at 7am.

I am going back to uni to get a degree. But I'll be happy my tax is going to people who really need it. It's not fun and games for us either.
If I had 4k at the end of the month I think I would be overjoyed..

Seesh!

i don't see why we have to say that people that earn high salaries don't work hard - i wouldn't say that a nurse or a care worker doesn't work hard - i haven't been a nurse, so why do you have the right to say a CEO/IT contractor/doctor/lawyer etc doesn't work hard?

It's this that bothers me - you're not allowed to say that people on higher salaries work hard as well as people on lower salaries.

Or that some people on lower salaries or benefits have made choices that have resulted in them earning lower salaries.

I said just as hard.
If that was aimed at me.
Plus it's not always a choice and some people genuinely have better opportunities. So that's a low dig.

Doesn't mean they can't better themselves and earn higher incomes.
It just means it takes some people longer and they are a bit more appreciative of those who earn the lower salaries.

Without them, the country simply would not run.
It's when higher earners moan about doing their bit to support the people who help make the world go round that pisses me off!

SegmentationFault

Yes pretty much. MN socialism = no one should be well off, we should all be equally poor.

It's when higher earners moan about doing their bit to support the people who help make the world go round that pisses me off!

What I really object to, is essentially subsidizing e.g. Tesco shareholders and CEO.

So companies like Tesco pays wages that are too low for a family to live on. The parent worker is topped up by CTC and WTC. Tesco makes more profit than they would do otherwise. Ergo, I am paying tax directly to Tesco CEO for his bonus.

i quite clearly said it's a choice for some people, which it is. Yes, I also get the impression that on mumsnet that there's never any allowed financial return for hardwork, nobody that earns a lot of money could possibly deserve it and anybody that does earn a high income has to be constantly vigilant that they are one lucky blighter that really doesn't deserve to be where they are...

FYes pretty much. MN socialism = no one should be well off, we should all be equally poor.*

That's bollocks, both in MN and real terms.

How do those advocating a true free market economy suggest that infrastructure is paid for, emergency services and the military?

So if you can't afford to pay for life saving care, or phone the police or the fire service in an emergency, you're fucked. Seems fair.

@SegmentationFault about as fair as the government stealing my money.

SpringSnow

So your saying get rid of government altogether?

You're

Should we have any laws and if so who makes them?

So far all I can come up with in response is 'aww, there there diddums'

@KennDodd. In an ideal world yes. Because we don't live in one I'd advocate a shrinking of the state.

That choice for some people effectively empties your bins and drives your ambulances.
So that choice is essential! Whether people view it that way or not.
Doesn't mean they no harder. It does however mean they should be entitled to a fair living income.

work no harder

100% agree. We have a punitive tax regime, it's absurd how much some have to pay.

@KennDodd

A libertarian Britain

@SpringSnow, you don't seem to be offering any solutions of how your ideal world would work. When your neighbour's house (without fire service cover) is burning down and yours is going to be next if it's not stopped, what happens? If one goes, they both do. When the Russians declare war and we have no military, what then? Who pays for the roads, is there a toll booth at every corner?

Doesn't sound particularly ideal to me.

I'm a carer. I also have 10 GCSEs, A levels, a national diploma and a BA hons degree
I have another FT job but do care work PT for £8.23ph.
Total hours worked 50 per week with two severe health conditions. I work bloody hard in both jobs

Taxes are needing an overhaul but wages need to be higher. Large companies are making millions whilst paying staff a pittance, they are the real issue. If wages were better, we could all pay more tax and help protect vital services. Our schools, hospitals etc are on their knees.

@Bombardier25966. I'm not saying freedom comes without cost. And FYI, if Russia declared war now we'd be fucked.