AIBU to believe rich people should contribute much more?

[marcusian]

A bit tongue in cheek, but given that its almost impossible for poorly paid workers including care workers and nurses to strike, and that the government have given people earning over £100K a massive pay rise, what other ways could the most wealthy be made to pay?

My idea: - a new LUXURIES tax (think 50% VAT) on things ordinary people cant buy, like superyachts, airplanes, £10K+ dining tables, a box at wimbledon, £500+ handbags, £100+ football boots!

AIBU - No - they should pay more and heres my ideas how they should do it!
AIBU - Yes - leave wealthy people alone, its not their fault

obviously don’t need the police or fire brigade or use the transport infrastructure then either.

The exchange rate has buggered all that up for the moment sadly

I really don’t think more taxation is the answer here.
The main issue in the UK is lack of growth, which has been compounded by brexit. Growth means there will be more people, of all tax categories, paying more tax. There will be more jobs etc. this is what needs to be tackled.

Those who have already contributed to growth in different ways shouldn’t be penalised. There needs to be a balance between serving the society in public and private terms, as they both feed off one another.

i think suggesting capital gains on house sales is stupid too- what do you think stamp duty is? Especially in Scotland- you will end up paying 100k on a house close to 1m. Then you’ll probably pay inheritance tax too.

Universal basic income was shown to be flawed through various trials, including beloved Finland.

We are struggling because our economic growth isn’t keeping up, yet we all want to be considered as a huge economic power, which just isn’t the truth anymore.

You wouldn't like receiving only half of your salary would you? There's such an obsession with taking from other people. Only 56% of the country pays tax - the rest don't. Why not encourage wealthy foreigners/ people to invest in this country by offering them visas etc. - the US does this with their EB5 visa which encourages 500K to $1mil government approved investments. These people create jobs etc.

The staff shortages in airports, nursing homes, hospitals, hotels, restaurants etc - Hire more people from abroad since they all went back to the EU - that's more income tax, more money spent in the UK on rent, food etc . . .

Firstly No one only receives half their salary

The top 45% was only charged in the earnings over 150k so would get much more than 75k a year - about 90k ( more if you make pension savings )

Secondly - the rules are known in advance so you can decide if the cash you get at the end of the day is enough reward

Thirdly - why do you think you have a right to lots when others have nothing ?

Once everyone has a basic standard of living then o don't care if you keep 110% of your salary - but I do care about people getting so much when others - no worse people, no less hard working , struggle so much

We also need to rethink the whole continuing economic growth concept

It's flawed basically - nothing can continually grow

And we saw it as a means to an end - but we have lost sight of what that end should be - I think it should be a happy population not a world ranking economy

@Topgub

They also don't contribute more They just take more

You're spreading fake news. Your facts are completely incorrect.

A quick google of reputable would suggest that the "rich" (although to be fair, who knows what that means in your mind) are net contributors.

To help you understand what that means as I'm not convinced you'll work it out on your own: They contribute more than they take

Start living in reality and stop spread hatred

Midgetastic Firstly No one only receives half their salary

No, but plenty of middle income earners in perfectly ordinary jobs who breach the 40% tax threshold only receive little more than half of any pay rise once NI is also factored in.

Thats a huge problem in terms of getting people to work harder, aim for promotion, work overtime, etc and needs to be tackled by the government because it is turning Britain into a low salary, high tax country (despite what those who want more of the pie for less work might say).

So what rate of tax should be levied for those earning, say in excess of £100,000 ?.

The staff shortages in airports, nursing homes, hospitals, hotels, restaurants etc - Hire more people from abroad since they all went back to the EU - that's more income tax, more money spent in the UK on rent, food etc . . .

Or pay a decent wage to start with so they can afford to put their heating on and cook their dinner, and maybe put some aside to better themselves or their families, they'll then be spending more money and paying more income tax, and stop telling them they're only in that job because they couldn't be bothered to do anything else and because they made poor choices - whilst benefitting from their contribution and needing it to continue.
Sure some have made bad choices but we're seeing the results of not valuing the work that keeps the country going in the shortages we're facing in those areas. Everyone working contributes to the whole picture, it's just a selection of people have decided that some people's contribution makes them worth less, not just financially but in all ways.

Piss them off too much and they will take their wealth and leave the Country. Who is going to subsidise then?

@sheener

The problem, is nowadays many people think that others should look after them.

This is absolutely bang-on.

I'm fed up of everyone blaming others or circumstance for their own situation. Even if they have had a bad roll of the die (as many have), everyone has a responsibility to accept they're accountable for their own lives and get on with being so rather than expecting others to do so for them with some lame excuse / justification of "oh it's easier for them / they're just rich because xyz". Load of rubbish.

Well, for super yachts and airplanes, the Uber rich wouldn't give a toss about that.

Many of them are bought as they can make a shit tonne of money from them, when they do t use them.

It’s harder, my ex partner was the person you refer to above, working 3 jobs in Uni, first of the family to go, no rich uncle to give him a job, but he worked his way up. Yes it’s harder, but it’s not impossible. I earn a lot more than my friends. But I was the teenage parent, disadvantaged by that, but I was the one who took a chance and left the sleepy town for London. Sure a leg up helps massively, but doesn’t mean you’re out of the race if you don’t have a head start.

All the wealthy people we know haven't come from hugely privileged backgrounds. University educated yes, but no public school connections, no real family wealth or useful networks to tap into.

But, they have all been focused and worked very long hours, going far above and beyond what most others would be comfortable to do.

Life isn't fair. Why on Earth does anyone think it ever will be? All you can do is work your damned hardest to get yourself into a better situation. It's surprisingly true that the harder you work the luckier you get.

The Uncle Crispin poster doesn’t seem to know how the professional world works. I don’t know anyone who got a successful from nepotism. Everyone just studied hard and got good jobs. People in accountancy for example come from all walks of life. Put the work in at school and university and anyone can achieve. It’s not the Victorian times now.

But maybe they’d rather think that they’re lack of achievement is not their fault.

I get slightly less than half and can only claim the rest at the end of the tax year.
I do have colleagues who wont take on additional work because of the tax burden. "The rich" who are contributing more are people earning 130-160K plus - that's not rich. I think people assume we all live in mansions with 6 bedrooms and swimming pools.

But why should people be expected to always take a higher paid job anyway ?

It's not the tax burden that's making them not take it - it's the fact that the increase they would see isn't worth it to them - it may be no increase would be worth it , it may be the employer needs to up the salary

To be fair most of these examples are people who exploited people for their wealth + lots of tax evasion

Correct. The Duke of Westminster is the wealthiest person in the country and his estate has never paid a penny in inheritance tax. Incidentally his property empire involves no risk whatsoever, there will always be demand for retail and hospitality premises in Mayfair.

Exactly this!

Interested to hear what is rich and what is medium?

Net worth and household income

@midgetastic

Only works if there is a universal basic income which is sufficient for basic living standard

Wtf? How do you jump to this conclusion from a proposal that everyone pays the same rate of tax? 🤦‍♀️

Where a lot of taxes are a % the more you earn/spend the more you do pay. Thats the whole point of the % rather than a flat fee.

I do think some wealthy people dont realise how much they get out of public services though. They think they didnt use state schools and dont get benefits so just see their contribution. But then forget things like defence, the public nature of health, transport, police, foreign aid, waste management, and the cost of the government itself which seems to work in their favour right now.

Who knew tories were so scared eh?

🤣

The terror coming from these posts is quite funny.

Or it would be if it wasn't all so fucking depressing

When things really start going tits up (constant growth is not sustainable) its going to be fucking awful.

aye because the current is afloat with folks being offered higher paid jobs and knocking them back,