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

Lots of people missing the point that most of the high earners pay very little tax because they have accountants who can sort that all out for them

Would someone working Fulltime on minimum wage be entitled to claim benefits?

@ExpectMore

Oh dear.

I'm not sure how many more times I can do this.

Apples and gold are resources. They are "processed" (into cider, into jewellery) through the application of effort and innovation, the process of doing so has created wealth.

How?

The pp specifically said in this universe that there was only apples and gold. Now cider and jewellery.

So unless they are swapped for each other, in which case it doesn't really matter what you make them into, or sold for something else (what?) They're useless

And not creating wealth.

As to your other point (mostly lost in a weird attempt to be insulting) I think everyone should be able to earn a decent wage for what they do.

I dont think a ceo is worth more than a nurse or a teacher. Regardless of what our crazy society currently values.

I dont think ceos are better qualified or harder working than most other professionals

I think a better distribution of profits would be far better than redistribution of taxes. People can still earn high er wages. Just not as ridiculously unbalanced as it is now.

Its not ok that people live in poverty while others live in luxury

And no. Not everyone can work their way out. That is demonstrably not true. And if they did (for the millionth time) there would be less for those at the top

If you're ok with that, great. No argument

Let's do it.

Increase wages for everyone

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!

Hahahahahahaha. Seriously? No one earning 100k buys those things. Especially a single parent working 60hours a week paying tax pension NI and childcare. Its quite hard work to earn 100k you know.

And some people also missing the point many people on a £100-200k salary are in fact on PAYE so choices of ‘scamming the system’ via an accountant are in fact very limited.

Yes. Not all of them. It depends a bit on age, any dependents and housing costs.
Some disability payments arent means tested at all and child benefit is for people upto 50k.

I'd rather the rate at which you start to pay 40% was increased from £50k to £85k and then close all the tax loopholes businesses take advantage of instead.

Maybe reduce Lords and MP salaries down to a high earner but not HIGH earner rate, say £55k and remove all their freebies and deductibles not to mention the cheap lunches.

I honestly think until MPs, including the PM, have to live on the same kind of income as their citizens, they will never understand what is actually best for the country and its citizens.

TRIPE.

Oh, and also a sweeping generalisation that is abundantly NOT ALLOWED from the other side, lest there are protests of stereotyping.

Apparently FINE from one side only.

High earners avoid tax/have accountants to avoid tax/are posh/have privilege/have posh accents/"know" people in their industry/work in offices all day/got lucky/inherited their wealth/don't appreciate low earners etc.

Lazy tropes.
And easy to make some sweeping assumptions about the lower earners which would be pounced upon like a pack of wolves.

Reverse snobbery at its best.

TRIPE

Tripe! That is a hilariously posh thing to say 🤣

Not from a privileged background at all 😍

@Thesinisterdiagram

So you think there’s a well paid job or opportunity out there for everyone who would like one and is willing to work for it.

Yes. From my own personal experience, everyone that I know that has wanted a more well paid job or opportunity and has been willing to work for it has got one.

they just want to be compensated fairly for their own work

I'm sorry but the thread topic is that of tax, specifically taxing the "rich". This exactly translates into taking money of one individual to give to another (or spend on public services which the taxed individual may / may not benefit from). So it's exactly to do with "taken what others have worked hard for" and absolutely nothing to do with fair compensation for their work (ie the salary someone takes home isn't linked to a how much someone else gets taxed).

On the topic of individuals wanting fair compensation (which I of course agree with, who wouldn't). Again, if people believe they're worth more than what a company is willing to pay for a particular role then either don't do it, or negotiate a higher salary (where that's an option). We're all free agents and no-one is making anyone work for any amount of money - we all offer to sell our services in exchange for a remuneration package. If we're not happy with it then it's on us to find one we're happy with. People need to stop expecting others to provide for them

I'm from a working class Scottish council background.
Stick your privilege up your arse.

@Lassie76

You seem desperate to let's us know about your low earner stereotypes.

Don't be shy

🤣

My Mum was a cleaner and my Dad was a joiner.
So much for your theory.

Maybe you should broaden your vocabulary, then you wouldn't think some words were only for "posh" people.

Yes tell us what you think about people who don't earn loads of money!

You know that some people don't believe money makes them happy don't you. You don't seem very happy.

I would just like decent services for vulnerable people. I don't need stuff or cars or anything like that

@Topgub I'd be interested to know how much you think a nurse and a ceo should be paid.
I agree with you that everyone who works should be paid a fair wage. No one working should be struggling to put food on the table and going to a food bank. Instead of getting top up benefits, they should just pay less tax. Would save loads on admin.

Unlike YOU, and the lazy tropes you have stated, I wouldn't ACTUALLY presume to know these things and present them as fact when in reality, I don't actually have proof of them.

@marcusian

If people want to leave the UK to earn more than £250K then frankly let them, absolutely no one is indispensible, and there are at least hundreds if not thousands of intelligent people in the UK who could do any of those jobs well.

There really isn't. There's a serious shortage of workers for the "top" jobs as the UK is simply not an attractive place to work. The "top" workers have a choice of working in virtually any developed country, many of whom have lower tax rates and offer better working conditions and standards of living.

As for higher earners leaving - what a short sighted comment. I'd far rather we kept pop stars, actors, top athletes, etc living in the UK and paying their taxes here, buying their goods and employing staff here in the UK, rather than them moving abroad to tax havens or lower tax countries. I really don't want to see any more pop stars moving to Switzerland "for creative reasons" when they really mean to pay less tax!

20% tax on something is better than 90% of nothing. Piss off all the rich people and they'll just bugger off abroad and spend their money there instead. Don't say you wouldn't.

@Charles11

I dont have exact figures in mind.

I just now the second doesn't deserve so much more than the first.

🤦‍♀️

🤣🤣 here we go again... can't have a reasonable debate so end up at mockery... so what is she had a privileged background? So what if she didn't? What difference does it make?

@ExpectMore

There are a finite number of high paying jobs.

How can everyone get one if they want 1?

Yes, it always descends into the mud slinging, and predictable stereotypes.

The absolutely laughable thing is, if anyone knew my background they would laugh their arses off if they thought anyone could ever described it as privileged. It just proves what goes on in these people's brains.
It's a little sad.