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AIBU?

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Original poster

Aibu to think the new Sunak scheme is woeful

474 replies

Marg33t · 24/09/2020 12:18

New scheme is going to make lots of people lose their homes and starve.

Employers to pay 1/3rd of wages is way too high. They will cut viable jobs that will bounce back otherwise.

I'm happy to pay my taxes for all that need it to continue to receive furlough as this scheme will keep people in poverty.

Aibu to think it's a mistep?

OP posts:
MarshaBradyo · 24/09/2020 12:55

@ChromaBook

There has been payout to venues so hopefully that will help

Hardly, it barely covers the rent.

It just has to cover the rent so they stay inactive

Not jobs

RepeatSwan · 24/09/2020 12:55

If you listen to those in the Arts, it is clear they expect to go under.

BilboBercow · 24/09/2020 12:55

Does anyone hear ‘jobs in the arts’ and just think ‘hobby’

FFS, you do know that there are plenty of people who work in the arts who are ticket collectors, who work in box offices, who are cleaners and work in cafes?

The arts is theaters and everyone involved in the running of them, it's panto and stand up comedy and plenty of working class activities so it's not just for the rich. Also what kind of person is so bereft of culture that they just think "oh well, it's not essential"?

TempsPerdu · 24/09/2020 12:55

I would raise taxes of high earners (myself included btw) and use those taxes to provide financial support to those in the arts and other industries which apparently aren't "viable". There. Now what would you do?

This. DP and I are high earners and would be happy to pay more tax to help subsidise those industries too (would also have said this before Covid).

MarshaBradyo · 24/09/2020 12:57

We cannot prop up the arts industry for that long but it will come back

I am SE in the sector, I don’t recognise salaried security but I am pretty sure that when we can engage again we will.

DrinkFeckArseGirls · 24/09/2020 12:57

Is the new scheme only accessible to those who were previously furloughed?

MarshaBradyo · 24/09/2020 12:57

We will all be paying more tax don’t worry. But it won’t be just the arts who need it

ChromaBook · 24/09/2020 12:58

I am SE in the sector, I don’t recognise salaried security but I am pretty sure that when we can engage again we will.

And what do you plan on doing in the meantime, because my relative who is a salaried musician is trained for nothing else and has three young children (single parent) and a mortgage.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 24/09/2020 12:58

The arts help us thrive as a society.

But there comes a point where we have to turn our attention to "survive". It's absoloutley fucking awful that people will lose their jobs. Their livelihoods. Truly a shame.

But thankfully we live in a society with a benefit system in place to carry those through that need it.

Once we have learned how to keep our communities and our society surviving then we can look at returning to a thriving society.

ChromaBook · 24/09/2020 12:59

But thankfully we live in a society with a benefit system in place to carry those through that need it.

It isn't enough to support an entire industry. Have you any idea how many people actually work in the arts? You're talking about the total collapse of an entire sector.

MarshaBradyo · 24/09/2020 12:59

Chroma I also developed a side line in PAYE as I knew it was variable

DrizzleandDamp · 24/09/2020 12:59

I like the scheme, it’s better than nothing and has a chance of protecting some jobs.

We need to also be driving innovation somehow, this “new normal” is sadly here to stay and we need new businesses, products and service to create new jobs and opportunities. They will exist we need to find them not sit on our arses while other countries do.

And the arts will come back when we create that as they are valued, but people need o earn money to enjoy them sadly. Unlike food and shelter which are essential and right now genuinely at risk.

RepeatSwan · 24/09/2020 13:00

@HesterShaw1

Wouldnt be necessary if the economy was allowed to function.
Maybe if you ask the virus nicely it would do that? Grin
lioncitygirl · 24/09/2020 13:00

There is no money - why can’t people just bloody understand that!!!! How long should we keep people on furlough for?!?!! Jesus Christ.

StatisticalSense · 24/09/2020 13:01

The bigger issues with today's announcement is the lack of support for businesses that are forced to remain closed (or as good as closed) such as conference centres, concert venues and nightclubs and professional sports away from premier league football and premiership rugby. Many parts of the more traditional parts of the arts (such as art galleries) could actually be open if they wanted to be so in some capacity but are choosing to remain shut as it would require adaptations to their preferred ways of working and for such businesses the government are rightly saying adapt or die.

ChromaBook · 24/09/2020 13:01

There is no money - why can’t people just bloody understand that!!!!

There would be if they put taxes up for high earners. HTH.

RepeatSwan · 24/09/2020 13:01

But thankfully we live in a society with a benefit system in place to carry those through that need it.

Er, not in the UK we don't, no.

ineedaholidaynow · 24/09/2020 13:01

If things were open as normal at the moment and we just let the virus do its thing, would vast numbers of people be going to the theatre, gigs etc? I wouldn't want to sit next to someone where there was a much greater risk of getting the virus.

If taxes go up they need to spent on things like NHS, education first, unfortunately not the Arts.

ChromaBook · 24/09/2020 13:02

Chroma I also developed a side line in PAYE as I knew it was variable

Well that was nice for you but the relative I'm referring to worked a 60 hour week and had no spare money to fund additional training.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 24/09/2020 13:02

Yes. I am. And it's hard to swallow.

People cannot use the arts currently. And for the foreseeable. Even after we "get through this" we won't be going straight back to 2019. There is recovery time. People will be skint. They can't pay for theatre. For cinema. For donations to art galleries and museums.

nosswith · 24/09/2020 13:03

Wouldnt be necessary if the economy was allowed to function

If people 100% of the time wore masks in shops, public transport and some other places, and we had a proper track and trace system, then maybe people would have the confidence to be able to engage in more things.

Go to Germany and see the difference. Face coverings are worn by all, no one claiming or allowed to claim a fictitious or exaggerated medical condition because they don't like them.

RunningWaterfall · 24/09/2020 13:03

I would raise taxes of high earners (myself included btw) and use those taxes to provide financial support to those in the arts and other industries which apparently aren't "viable". There. Now what would you do?

I wouldn’t want to pay higher taxes to support “the arts”. I currently support several arts-related causes / institutions etc and higher taxes would mean that I’d have to cut back the level of support I give to them. And I prefer to choose which arts to support myself, rather than letting the government decide.

RepeatSwan · 24/09/2020 13:03

@lioncitygirl

There is no money - why can’t people just bloody understand that!!!! How long should we keep people on furlough for?!?!! Jesus Christ.
I just find it frustrating that in the UK economy 'thete is no money' yet in the French and German economy there is.

It's frustrating always having so much less. I wish Britain was doing better.

ChromaBook · 24/09/2020 13:05

I wouldn’t want to pay higher taxes to support “the arts

Would you maybe want to pay them so the children of people working in those industries don't go hungry and lose their homes?

Some of you are incredibly short sighted.

MarshaBradyo · 24/09/2020 13:05

@ChromaBook

Chroma I also developed a side line in PAYE as I knew it was variable

Well that was nice for you but the relative I'm referring to worked a 60 hour week and had no spare money to fund additional training.

Look I know you’re angry but you asked so I replied. It wasn’t easy in the slightest trying to develop two CVs but I’ve never had a salaried arts job so couldn’t rely on it.