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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

401 replies

marysuzairn · 21/07/2020 14:03

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?

OP posts:
SleepingStandingUp · 21/07/2020 15:29

@Wfhwith3yearold

What about me? I've worked at home with a year old for 3 months. Should I just get a kick in the teeth?
Your taxes are going up for not being in a job op votes worthy.
IndiaMay · 21/07/2020 15:29

The world wasnt split between furloughed and key workers . I've worked throughout lockdown and havent had a days annual leave since march. I've been working from home but manically busy!

Options8 · 21/07/2020 15:30

@FoodAllTheFood

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

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

It is a simple fact: for some people (not ALL) furlough has been an extended holiday - lower costs mean 80% has been fine and over 70% Of parents overall have not had to pay nursery costs. Why can’t we acknowledge that? Let’s not be simplistic about this. The rest of us have had to slog it out and will be expected to bear increased taxes as well.
trappedsincesundaymorn · 21/07/2020 15:31

I was furloughed and now I'm unemployed....good luck getting any tax out of me and many more in the same boat.

ActuallyItsEugene · 21/07/2020 15:31

OP, what type of 'keyworker' are you? Just so I can understand where your superiority comes from.
Especially since you think you can decide exactly what types of key workers are/aren't allowed to be on the list.

Pollypocket89 · 21/07/2020 15:32

Lower costs mean 80% has been fine? Well, thank fuck for that. I'll tell my redundant friends, British gas and eon. Wonderful. You're an idiot. A privileged idiot.

VickyEadieofThigh · 21/07/2020 15:35

I think others have already told you this is not a good suggestion.

Drivingdownthe101 · 21/07/2020 15:36

lower costs mean 80% has been fine

Hmm... better tell my friends that were furloughed that their rent/gas/electricity/council tax were reduced too!

Kazzyhoward · 21/07/2020 15:37

@marysuzairn

Well if finance people are on the list I would exclude them from this.
So you don't think people who pay pensions, work out and pay wages, keep the banking system running so people can pay bills, etc., are key workers then? You've not got a clue.
Kazzyhoward · 21/07/2020 15:39

So the OP doesn't think a GP earning £100k should pay tax for a couple of years? Priceless!

thecatsthecats · 21/07/2020 15:40

A few years ago pre-covid I ran a project delivering a service for keyworkers.

The outcome of the project was the first successful implementation of this kind of project in the UK after repeated failures. Its highly rated by the service providers using it, and has been independently acclaimed as improving the outcomes for service users. I am unashamedly proud of that fact, even though the project caused me immense stress and health difficulties.

My point being - there is great work being done all the time. I have a nurse friend for whom covid has been a doss for work as her department was barely used and she's caught up on her education to advance her career (not that I object to that in the slightest).

You just can't put in a blanket reward like this. It's totally pointless and feeds the "heroes" narrative which is really reductive.

And that's before the fact that it's ridiculously unaffordable.

WaxOnFeckOff · 21/07/2020 15:43

That's bizarre, the taxes are needed to get the country back on it's feet and DH is front line NHS and i've been 100% working from home and technically am a keyworker but most folk wouldn't think so.

Nothing about this could be described as fair as everyone's circs are different. I'm glad I didn't have to homeschool.

Bluebird1234 · 21/07/2020 15:44

No

Mightymurphy · 21/07/2020 15:45

I’ve been on Furlough at 80% and I am extremely grateful. I am however absolutely not better off at all.

Whenwillthisbeover · 21/07/2020 15:46

Since key workers are probably (combined) the largest number of workers in this country, who do you think is going to pay to keep the services and infrastructure going without their taxes?

Bonkers and ill thought out idea.

Just had a thought, I’m a key worker, I’ve worked throughout on full pay with no change to job role and from home, as I have done for 15 years, are you suggesting I don’t pay tax l? For just doing what I do, and we’ll paid to boot?

CarribeanPizza · 21/07/2020 15:48
Biscuit
QuizzlyBear · 21/07/2020 15:48

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.

This. My DH and I are both self employed and not eligible for a penny of help from the government. We've burned through over £20k of savings (otherwise known as tax money put aside) and are now worried about our home being repossessed if business doesn't pick up soon.

But, yeah. Let's just bankrupt the country because the OP is eaten up with envy and wants another pat on the back. 🙄

Newdaynewname1 · 21/07/2020 15:50

A good friend and his wife are consultants in non-covid related areas. both got their full salary for almost no work (went to shifts and basically caught up on reading).
Good for them (obviously they got childcare as well), but why shouldn’t they pay tax? they were mildly worried about getting drafted in for covid patients, but didn’t get even remotely close to any

GilderoyLockdown · 21/07/2020 15:50

It is a simple fact: for some people (not ALL) furlough has been an extended holiday - lower costs mean 80% has been fine and over 70% Of parents overall have not had to pay nursery costs. Why can’t we acknowledge that? Let’s not be simplistic about this. The rest of us have had to slog it out and will be expected to bear increased taxes as well.

You aren't in a position to tell people not to be simplistic when you're advocating an utterly fuckwitted policy because you've not bothered considering whether it would actually be legal or workable.

tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz · 21/07/2020 15:51

Oooh a banker/furloughed bashing post disguised as key worker love one. Cool Hmm

OuzoWoozo · 21/07/2020 15:51

My DH and I are key workers, between us we bring home 100k per year. We were required to work throughout. Are you happy for us to not be taxed for the next two years?

That would be 30k approx. We'd love it. We could clear so mortgage, or build that extension we have been talking about... My dear friend bd was furloughed, and her DH had not been self employed long enough to get the government support, and they struggled to feed their kids some weeks... But hey, we were given the loose title of a key worker, so huck huck, ker ching!

YABVVVVU and incredibly shortsighted.

WaxOnFeckOff · 21/07/2020 15:52

yep, lets exclude all the finance people that have tried to ensure that people have the money to pay for the funerals, stopped fraud, ensured that people are treated fairly etc etc.

This is why it doesn't work because a society needs many people to make it run and you can't arbitrarily decide who of those are valued as opposed to who needs to be out in a community/workplace during a pandemic.

Lots going on behind closed doors

Dagnabit · 21/07/2020 15:54

Yes, but only if you pay the deficit of tax direct from your own salary. Hmm

I’ve worked throughout; no furlough for me so do I get to pay no tax too?

lotusbell · 21/07/2020 15:54

Oh get stuffed, OP, fecking sick of this hero worshipping, sick to the back teeth of being made to feel inferior because my job isn't as important as a keyworker role and fed up of those still bleating on about all the freebies and benefits NHS workers should get. Most people I know who work for the NHS don't want special treatment, my oh is a bus driver being torn between following guidelines by the government and bring told by his company he can't enforce said guidelines but he is just doing his job, same as we all are.
And anyone still with Facebook profile wrapped in the words "I can't stay home/keep calm, I'm a keyworker", you can fuck off too!

SephrinaX · 21/07/2020 15:56

@GilderoyLockdown

It is a simple fact: for some people (not ALL) furlough has been an extended holiday - lower costs mean 80% has been fine and over 70% Of parents overall have not had to pay nursery costs. Why can’t we acknowledge that? Let’s not be simplistic about this. The rest of us have had to slog it out and will be expected to bear increased taxes as well.

You aren't in a position to tell people not to be simplistic when you're advocating an utterly fuckwitted policy because you've not bothered considering whether it would actually be legal or workable.

^ This

"Let's not be simplistic about this" Yeah simplistic like grouping together all key workers and giving them all a tax cut for two years?

Oh, but not the key worker finance people of course. Hmm