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?

Everyone's a key worker these days. And those who aren't and were furloughed are those most likely to be made redundant.

Seriously, this whole keyworker things seems to have gone to people's heads. We're overloaded with self-styled Mother Teresas.

Badbadbunny

I think we can safely assume most doctors, nurses, teachers and pharmacists aren't going to be made redundant any time soon!
what about the others?
Do you even know what a key worker is? You should look at the actual list.

It's very simplistic to pretend all key workers are medical workers safe in their job.

And that's part of the problem, people don't have a clue.

If anyone should get a financial benefit it should be those who have lost their jobs. Many keyworkers have risked their health to go into work, which is great, but they've had paid work throughout the pandemic, and likely a more secure position for the future (key workers being less dispensible), so they are not the ones in need of this kind of benefit.

And key workers are a large proportion of the working population, we do actually need to the country running as well.

Not a key worker but had to work long full-time + hours throughout whilst balancing homeschooling for young children (vital to the economy job but didn't qualify as a key worker). It's pushed me pretty close to a breakdown to be honest. While I understand how hard ICU nurses etc had it, seeing part time keyworkers drop their kids off at school and then head out for a run or a lovely relaxing day at home by themselves made me pretty resentful to be honest, particularly as my kids suffered with mental health issues from being so isolated at home while me and DH worked. This would tip me over the edge. I think paying nurses and care workers fair wage is the best way address this and I'm happy to commit to never voting Tory in my life as a way to achieve this. That's the best I can do at the moment though. I'm pretty burnt out to be honest.

I am a key worker but it’s important to remember that MANY people worked throughout lockdown, not just key workers.
Sometimes people forget that is wasn’t just the key workers who carried on working. On top of this, the many that are/were furloughed must not be begrudged. Their company furloughed them.

If there is anybody out there who benefited from this lockdown - then good luck to them. It’s nice to hear some did

We are all in this pandemic together and taxes definitely shouldn’t be stopped for those of us who are key workers

I’m not a key worker, but didn’t miss a days work and didn’t have any childcare.

We need to stop thinking of this special " Keyworker" group as some kind of wonderful, selfless human beings who have all selflessly worked extra hours for no pay throughout.

Within my family and that of my siblings we have

• NHS nurse - has been home not working on full pay since march (not shielded but has autoimmune condition that may mean she is vulnerable.) -TA - has been at home not working on full pay since March as she had to homeschool her children so not added to the rota for KW children. No work asked or expected of her throughout.
• Council officer - worked throughout from home helping to co-ordinate the food parcels, whilst homeschooling 2 children. Worked well over and above contracted hours for no extra pay
• NHS Mental health worker - clinics cancelled, working from home whilst homeschooling children, minimal workload, no need to make up hours, but back to work now with workload gradually increasing
• IT manager - business as usual, but from home. No decrease in workload. Homeschooling children. -Retail assistant - worked throughout in the supermarket.
• Pub worker - furloughed on 80% until June, then back preparing for reopening, now back working usual hours for usual pay.

Which ones are worthy of a tax break? All but one or two are considered "Key Workers".

Not everyone who isn’t a keyworker was furloughed. Many non keyworkers continued working full time.
DH is a key worker. He works from home normally apart from a day a week in London, continued working from home throughout lockdown, and has a high salary. So while we’d appreciate the 40% tax break I’m not sure he deserves it for doing exactly the same thing he usually does, bar a day a week in London!

Get eh money back by not paying foreign aid when people in our country and towns are starving and need food banks, get the likes of amazon, virgin, Costa, to pay THEIR FUCKING TAXES..we would claw back plenty if only BOJO would do his job properly

YABU and silly. You talk about the furloughed as if they had a choice in the matter. Newsflash: they didn’t.

Make everyone who was fuloughed pay back the support they received in increased tax - choice or not it would have been lovely to have time off for 80% of pay (up to the threshold) and this benefit that was enjoyed (I saw many people have a wonderful time while others were pushed to the limit with stress) should have a cost attached to it. It is pure economics.

Totally ridiculous idea. You obviously have little to no comprehension of the economy. I'm shocked that 6% voted YANBU.

You obviously haven’t thought this through

If all workers who worked had their tax stopped for two years who would lay for the nhs, pensions and everything else paid from tax? Not to mention the very large Covid bill

Why just the people you mention? What about all those back office workers who answered phones? Ran the banks, ran the country from their office? Kept businesses going do that they didn’t go broke and have mass redundancies? Every single person who worked , wherever they worked, made sure the country carried on

You are absolutely outrageous to suggest that being on furlough meant an easy time. For many 80% would not have covered bills and most employers are unlikely to be able to pay the extra. Many are now facing redundancy as firms don’t bounce back, look at the numbers applying for pub jobs etc in the papers. And lots of them volunteered within their community, at ford backs, helping the elderly, so perhaps they should get their tax back as well

You are incredibly stupid, in fact this is the most stupid post, ignorant, self centred post I have seen for a long time

I'm currently 1 of those sat at home as you put it on 80% pay. Is it us that you want to subsidise this tax break? Oh but hang on a minute, my company has announced they're cutting 8000 jobs so I probably won't have a job to go back to.
Guess I'll just carry on sitting on my arse at home then, it's not like I've got 2 kids or bills to pay or anything

Im not an economist, but this sounds like a terrible idea, and an unfair one. There are plenty of people who weren't key workers technically who had to keep working throughout, and those who were furloughed weren't through choice. Those who have lost their jobs or their businesses also didn't through choice. Me and DH are key workers and we feel very fortunate to have had a steady and secure wage coming in, and being in a position to be able to work, despite the additional stress. Most of the country has pulled together, I'm getting a bit bored of this divide between keyworkers (many of whom actually weren't on the 'frontline') and everyone else.

And no tax break for key workers - it would have greater impact to reward them more for the work they do (where they are paid at a low level but exercise considerable skill/have undergone substantial training eg registered nurses)

Make everyone who was fuloughed pay back the support they received in increased tax - choice or not it would have been lovely to have time off for 80% of pay (up to the threshold) and this benefit that was enjoyed (I saw many people have a wonderful time while others were pushed to the limit with stress) should have a cost attached to it. It is pure economics

Fuck off with this ridiculous shit. You have no idea if it was a lovely time or not for many many people. A friend of mine was furloughed and already struggled to house and feed her children on full pay never mind 80%. She has now been made redundant and is in absolute bits. How dare you suggest this has been a benefit or a lovely holiday.

I'd politely (or not actually) suggest you don't have a fucking clue the reality for a lot of people right now and how it's the complete opposite of lovely.

Are we really such a us Vs them society now? It's disgusting and I'm sick of seeing this vicious, horrid attitude.

I'm grateful to just have a job.

Don't be so ridiculous.

What about non keyworkers in revenue producing jobs, with no slowing down at all, who juggled childcare and homeschooling during lockdown?

Who kept the wheels turning to generate money to pay these key workers and flew under the radar totally?

The key worker veneration is getting ridiculous now. As is the assumption that only key workers worked throughout.

@Catspaw123

I'm not a key worker but continued to work throughout I haven't been furloughed. I don't think that would be fair

Same here, worked more hours for no extra money to help keep the company afloat.

Honestly anyone who thinks like Options8 should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.

I could never publicly admit to being such a twat personally.

Ah, you want to be rewarded for doing your job because those that were unable to do theirs weren't made to starve/lose their homes?

You'd also like to see those who were unfortunate enough to be unable to do their job have their taxes rises, so that you don't have to pay any?

No the keyworkers list is actually very small, those that were important enough to need to work and the state had to provide child care for. It would be a drop in the ocean compared to furlough!

It's like a petty child wanting other people to be 'punished' because they are jealous. It's really an unattractive way of thinking.

And those who worked but aren't keyworkers OP???

And those keyworkers who worked from home and weren't risking their lives daily??? (Because there were many) and were just doing their jobs?