To think all keyworkers should have their tax stopped for the next two years

[marysuzairn]

All of those that worked throughout covid need to be rewarded. Why not just stop all tax for every nurse, care worker, teacher (and assistant), gas engineer, pharmacist etc. They kept the country going and weren't just at home on 80% pay (and actually better off with less outgoing). Isn't it time to now reward them appropriately?

Those that were put on Furlough should slowly but surely pay it back once back in employment. yeah from redundancy money eh

ODFO

Everyone played their part whether that was having to stay at home or go to work. I felt lucky being able to send the dc to school a couple of days a week so that sure felt like a perk! Every single person had a shit time, no one needs rewarded for that. It creates a hierarchy which is wrong as everyone had it tough. Lets just figure out how to move forward together, the furlough scheme already caused enough division!

@marysuzairn

Well if finance people are on the list I would exclude them from this.

So you’d exclude the financial sector who work just as long , or even longer hours , using their investment skills to create bigger pension pots for utility companies, health care authorities, private companies, education authorities, local council authorities, high street employers , private business employees, retirees, insurance companies, factories, foundries, couriers, vets, and many other ordinary people.

I think you might need to have a look at studying economics before you you speak.

We are all interdependent on each other. In truth we are all key workers.
There is no bottomless money pit.

Poor OP really took a pasting here for suggesting something that she thought would be a practical thing to do to thank key workers as opposed to just clapping. She's obviously seen various companies giving bonuses to their workers as a gesture of gratitude and thought "how could we do this for key workers, many of whom are public sector?"

I agree the idea is completely impractical and would be quite unfair to many but I feel so sorry that her attempt at expressing gratitude was shot down in flames.

She's obviously seen various companies giving bonuses to their workers as a gesture of gratitude and thought "how could we do this for key workers, many of whom are public sector?"

Increased funding/payrises.

@TheHoneyBadger

I have not rtft but am guessing you've been repeatedly ripped a new one.

I also think the poll shows how very not working class mumsnet is - despite the odd consultant etc most keyworkers are low paid and have continued to have to pay for transport etc throughout lockdown.

All the furloughed office workers or working from home middle class would have fits at the idea of us being given a tax break.

Actually multiple people have said that they'd rather people in care jobs etc .. receive a decent payrise. That I could absolutely stand behind.

But saying no key worker should pay tax is a really silly idea, my class is irrelevant, it would cripple the economy.

Also, as has been mentioned, not all keyworkers are on minimum wage trying to make ends meet every month. A lot of keyworkers are paid very well. Should they get a tax break too? Who decides which keyworkers should or shouldn't etc... It's really a very stupid idea.

furlough was not my choice or my husbands ! Neither was my children having to be educated from home for months and missing end of primary school . If only I was able to see into the future at 18 and chosen a different degree 🙄

When you say ‘many key workers earn lots” what is your idea of many or a lot.
The reality is the majority of public facing key workers earn very little. For every consultant there are x amount of junior docs, xx amount of nurses, xxx amount of porters and hcas no xxxx cleaners.

What you see in your circle is obviously not indicative of the actual proportions of keyworkers. But instead indicative of your own socioeconomic standing.

Key workers earning lots?

See my post above about me and most of my supermarket co workers not even earning enough to pay tax.

@Pollypocket89

Those that were put on Furlough should slowly but surely pay it back once back in employment. --

It makes me sad reading that so many are so ignorant. People PUT on furlough have paid tax since the start of their working lives. They still continue to pay tax on their furlough pay. They don't need to pay twice or three times FFS

Off topic from the main point of this thread and I have no problem at all with people who have been furloughed (I’m glad I didn’t have to be) but I don’t get this particular argument.

You don’t pay tax on your furlough pay as the money wasn’t your earnings to start with. The govt gave you the money then took some back as tax, so you got given the same amount you would normally take home. But you didn’t pay tax, the government just passed it from one place to another. YOU pay tax when the money was yours from your employer in the first place, and you then pay some to the govt. That’s how I see it anyway, or am I missing something major?

@TheHoneyBadger

When you say ‘many key workers earn lots” what is your idea of many or a lot. The reality is the majority of public facing key workers earn very little. For every consultant there are x amount of junior docs, xx amount of nurses, xxx amount of porters and hcas no xxxx cleaners.

What you see in your circle is obviously not indicative of the actual proportions of keyworkers. But instead indicative of your own socioeconomic standing.

My point was that those keyworkers who don't earn anywhere near what they should, should receive payrises. That would be far far better than saying all keyworkers should have a tax break, because there are keyworkers who don't need a tax break considering they already earn a decent wage.

Because who then decides which keyworkers are worthy of a tax break and which aren't? Should a GP earning 100k a year get a tax break? Or would it just be better than the care worker earning minimum wage got a decent payrise instead?

And it is true that there are many keyworkers who earn a good wage. I didn't say all or most, but there are many.

Give payrises to those who don't. Don't give a tax break to a blanket group of people where a portion of them already earn decent money.

@Zaphodsotherhead

Key workers earning lots?

See my post above about me and most of my supermarket co workers not even earning enough to pay tax.

I think the point is that there's absolutely no sense in generalising about what key workers earn. The term itself is so broad and encompasses so many jobs that there's zero point.

Nurse here. I’d like free hospital car parking and my annual registration fees paid. Free Tea, coffee and milk would be lovely too.

I think the point is that there's absolutely no sense in generalising about what key workers earn. The term itself is so broad and encompasses so many jobs that there's zero point

Exactly. The spectrum is so broad. You have shopworkers, GPs, nursing home staff and barristers all bunched together in the same group. It makes no sense to treat them the same in terms of the financial benefits they receive because they aren't the same, they aren't anywhere near the same.

A lot of keyworkers are paid very well. Should they get a tax break too? Who decides which keyworkers should or shouldn't etc...

It's far simpler to do the pay rises for the lower paid key workers really isn't it?

That avoids the value judgments of who deserves the tax breaks or not - the doctor who has just bought a new horse during lockdown or the HCA who has to rely on free school meals vouchers for her children during lockdown.

You don’t pay tax on your furlough pay as the money wasn’t your earnings to start with. The govt gave you the money then took some back as tax, so you got given the same amount you would normally take home. But you didn’t pay tax, the government just passed it from one place to another. YOU pay tax when the money was yours from your employer in the first place, and you then pay some to the govt. That’s how I see it anyway, or am I missing something major?

---

Well actually you are as yes I do pay tax on my furlough pay, same as I always have so I'm absolutely not just coming out with what I'd have anyway

Nope.
I've just asked my dh his opinion as he's a key worker who has worked the whole way through, and he said it don't see how that would be fair, and where would you draw the line'
Every bodies tax will go up over the next few years to cover the national debt. So if key workers stopped paying, the tax for those still paying would sky rocket to extreme amounts.

Following the oncoming job losses who then would be left to pay any? The highest earners and billionaires and companies are hardly going to start coughing up are they?!

One of the daftest things I've read on here in a long time, and I've read quite a lot of daft things on here over the years. That's speaking as a key worker.

From the magic money tree, I assume.

@marysuzairn

All of those that worked throughout covid need to be rewarded. Why not just stop all tax for every nurse, care worker, teacher (and assistant), gas engineer, pharmacist etc. They kept the country going and weren't just at home on 80% pay (and actually better off with less outgoing). Isn't it time to now reward them appropriately?

I agree with you OP but limit it to healthcare workers who have been on the front line on Covid wards and care workers who have volunteered to live in away from family during the worst of the crisis (as examples).

I like many worked throughout and payed tax , home schooled , single parent yada yada

But we do forget fast that we were very scared of catching the virus to start with
So how fast gratitude turns to resentment

I remember the bus drivers and NHS staff dying
I remember people wanting schools to close
I was also very grateful to be able to visit a supermarket

And whilst I had a salary cut I still
Earn more than some key workers

So whilst I don’t agree with OP , this thread turned nasty and is unpleasant reading

Why the fuck would we resent key workers

The people who got to work from home are the lucky ones

I agree with @Thisisworsethananticpated - the vast majority of people were very afraid of catching the virus at the beginning but the majority of key workers continued to work throughout. I am classed as a keyworker (supermarket worker) and have worked throughout the pandemic along with most of my colleagues but my sincere gratitude is to the healthcare sector on the frontline. They were the ones dealing with Covid patients when there was not enough PPE to go around and they were losing their lives in considerable numbers trying to care for poorly patients.
Some resentment has built up against key workers and this thread has turned very nasty.