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?

Key workers need to be grateful their jobs/livelihoods aren't at risk, unlike the millions of people still furloughed and the estimated 3 million self employed who fell through the cracks and received little or no grants/support.

Any "spare" money needs to be directed at those who have suffered the most financially, not as a "top up" for those who've not seen any fall in their income.

Crazy idea. How would public services be funded? I worked throughout the lockdown, from home. Do you expect me now to pay double tax to cover for what the key workers wouldn't pay? There are millions of key workers, and our economy is in shambles. Are you trying to make a bad situation even worse?

@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?

It'd be preferable to give those care workers and teaching assistants etc a pay rise instead. No tax wouldn't make any difference to those who don't get paid enough to pay tax in the first place.

There aren't only two categories - furloughed workers and key workers. Many people aren't key workers, but nevertheless worked throughout the lockdown.

Key workers need to be grateful their jobs/livelihoods aren't at risk

another naive or very simplistic way to see things.
Just because you are a key worker doesn't mean your place of employment is safe!

People clearly don't have a clue what a key worker can be.

I was classes a key worker, but not one you'd imagine. All public sectors were. I felt lucky to have a job to do during lockdown and I am happy to pay tax. Small businesses and restaurants, bars, shops, related companies on furlough are now essential to the economy. Why should they pay all the tax when a lot are now struggling as though they are a brand new business?

@Badbadbunny

Key workers need to be grateful their jobs/livelihoods aren't at risk, unlike the millions of people still furloughed and the estimated 3 million self employed who fell through the cracks and received little or no grants/support.

Any "spare" money needs to be directed at those who have suffered the most financially, not as a "top up" for those who've not seen any fall in their income.

This.

Why is there a absolutely no sympathy it seems for those people who have actually been financially impacted by this Pandemic? It's as though they are seen as some sort of burden on the rest of us when in reality, those will be the ones who've suffered the most throughout this. I don't see any discounts or anything for those people.

Plenty of people worked throughout this period and weren't classed as keyworkers! My dp works in a factory and still went to work every day

How ridiculous. I'm sick of people only key workers worked throughout this pandemic. They didnt. Other people did too.

Not putting down keyworkers btw but come on

How ridiculous

Key worked definition ended up being very wide by the end! So no.

Pay nhs, teachers etc more by all means though!

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?

Is there a reason you've included mostly public sector workers and ignored other heroes such as shop workers, delivery drivers, etc who kept foods and other essential supplies available throughout (often without PPE and unable to hide behind closed doors!).

Key worker here and I think you are being ridiculous

That said, I will be massively pissed off if there is a hike in income tax to cover the furlough bill. I do not see why I should be taxed more to fund a decision to shut down the country and pay everyone 80% to stay at home when a good 50% of the country saw no benefit of that decision.

The country's broke. The ramifications of the long lockdown haven't even been felt yet. A landlord just received 435 applications for a pub job, from very over-qualified candidates.

Where is this money going to come from?

I've worked every day, so has dp - industry didn't stop either. Neither of us would make your criteria. Not everyone was furloughed trust me, we worked from home and actually have been into the office from week 2 of lockdown, nobody at dp's company was furloughed and no one got sick either! (Supply chains would stop if companies like his shut)

Why is there a absolutely no sympathy it seems for those people who have actually been financially impacted by this Pandemic?

don't get me wrong, that's not my personal opinion, but it's because stressed, overworked full time workers (working from home or not) juggling family /homeschool and work and having had no break in months are jealous of others who had a long holiday, with plenty of time for diy projects, bbqs and so on.

Again, not my personal opinion, so don't slam me. EVEN IF it had been a long holiday, not sure why you wouldn't make the most of it. If you have kids at home anyway, it's difficult to find another job whilst on furlough.

But that's why the furlough group seems to have had it easy for some.

A lot of TA's don't get paid enough to pay tax anyways.

Too broad a category of key workers imo so no.

Just because you are a key worker doesn't mean your place of employment is safe!

I think we can safely assume most doctors, nurses, teachers and pharmacists aren't going to be made redundant any time soon!

Unlike those working in hospitality, entertainment, non food shops, factories, etc., who are currently furloughed which is coming to end yet no sign of their industries re-opening.

There would be barely anyone left to pay for the huge benefits bill and NHS bill. Do you realise how many NHS workers there are , many on quite high salaries??

I'm not a key worker but I work in a job which meant I couldn't work from home. I covered colleagues who were on furlough, colleagues who got Ill, colleagues who had to self isolate, colleagues who had their childcare arrangements pulled out from underneath them. I may not have been classified as key, but I and many others in similar positions have worked ridiculously hard through this pandemic to keep businesses going, so that people who sadly had to be furloughed had a better likelihood of a job to return to. If my taxes were then to increase to cover key workers despite all the extra hours I put it I would be horrendously pissed off, not to mention shattered.

I'm a key worker - I work in banking - you'll swiftly rule out a large majority of the highest earners and tax receipts with a policy of no tax for key workers.

A landlord just received 435 applications for a pub job, from very over-qualified candidates.

to be fair, there's nothing new in there. Any online job add receives hundreds of applicants, literally, and most of them only fit in the bin.

You sound ridiculous! The country is on its knees and the key workers did chose to work and they were paid. This hero crap is really pissing me off.

This has to be a windup. Ridiculous regardless.

My DH lost his entire business to covid, I lost several freelance contracts. We're not sat at home laughing our arses off with piles of free money. We've lost a lot but we aren't key workers so who the fuck cares eh?