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

We aren’t classed as rich* bloody autocorrect

mmmflakycrust81
XingMing
If you are on £1500 per month in London and paying for full time childcare @mmmflakycrust81 then I think you need to get off MN and rework your CV!

So you agree, we need to raise the minimum wage substantially? Cool!

No I would assume they mean leave London. We couldn’t afford to live in Dublin so 2 years ago, we moved out. Childcare where we are is similar to Dublin but rent/house costs are a third of the price. No. Raise in minimum wage will or could ever cover costs for places like London and Dublin

Ok, I will NC after this anyway. My DH arrived here aged 5 as a refugee with his mother and absolutely nothing. Given 24 hours to get out the country or be shot and all their assets frozen. Father being held as a political prisoner. Spoke no English. Bullied for a physical disability not too mention racism. Missed loads of school for surgery up into the age of about 11. Mum had various cleaning jobs. Dad finally joined but had a nervous breakdown and in a psychiatric hospital for over 5 years. Parents divorced.

Anyway, he got into a uni with ok-ish A- levels. Got a First. Had a stint in the military. Left. Worked somewhere else (finance-related) for a brief period, Started a company (with a group of friends / associates) at age 30 which 10 years or so employed about 500 people in salaries from £25k to £300k. When the company sold, his share was around £30 million. £15 million or thereabouts straight out in tax. Millions invested in other U.K. start ups and initiatives inc. a particular charity. What has he "taken" exactly?

@Quincythequince

How is my view that the wealthy are responsible for wealth inequality poorly informed?

Its a fact.

I dont need to be educated on something I already know.

Wealth inequality won't ever improve because so many people, weirdly, think its ok.

Mostly, as I said, because they they're worried if they don't, their insignificant wee slice of the pie will be affected.

Rather than caring that 1 % of the global population own 99% of the wealth.

"That’s kind of the point I was making, it’s why the “work hard” mantra is so ridiculous."

Do you mean that it's ridiculous to claim that a brain surgeon worked harder than a care home worker?

We both went to uni on full grants, studied hard for years while full time working and have a joint income of £160k pre tax. I laugh when ‘the rich’ are defined as £100k. We take home much more, live in a nice house in a nice catchment area, but there is no way we can afford private school, skiing holidays (£5 for one holiday!!! That’s insane!) as well as summer holidays. I don’t get my nails done, my hair is cut (not coloured) once every 3 months, our car we bought 2 years old for £10k. We can’t afford a cleaner. Because house prices and child care are both astronomical. Utility bills aren’t great either, and we spend a lot on holiday clubs and kids activities too.

im happy with my life, we have some savings. But we’d never waste money on designer handbags, spa days, centre parts etc. just don’t have the spare cash to burn. And super yachts???? Get a grip!

Sorry that was 29 years and I am sorry, I’d kill to live in Dublin so I know how it feels to be priced out but saying that I wouldn’t want the pressure that comes with the job that would pay for it!!!

Yes. The brain surgeon is paid for their skills. The care worker is paid for back breaking labour.

Bunch of stupid tories. God I hate Mumsnet. of course you are not being unreasonable.

And what about people who have children and their circumstances change?

Or is there now a requirement for only those earning 100K to have children?

What a totally bollocks argument.

Bugger.

The top 10% pay a lower % of their income than the bottom 10 % because everyone pays the same in indirect taxation. Tax isn't just income tax.

As for giving money away, some do ( especially as it has tax benefits) but not everyone does.

If tax avoidance wasn't legal, they'd pay more.

You think those earning 100k a year are the ones buying yachts?

Jeez

The haves and have yachts....

I think you have a very good point.

Maybe a sailing dinghy?

Unfortunately for every person who works hard and makes it there are 10 times as many who don't . A few exceptions doesn't make a truth

There are not enough great careers for everyone- never will be

What we need is that people at the lower end can live with dignity without needing handouts and without being expected to kill themselves or others through overwork

Also why is one person earning £100k an evil rich person, but a couple earning £50k each are lovely middle earning deserving folk. They still have the same amount of disposable income, oh no, wait, they don't though. The couple get to keep more of theirs.

Yes. Because successive governments have made really poor policy decisions about how to handle childcare costs.

Exactly! People earning £75k-£150k will save £377 pa with the new income tax rate. That's hardly a massive saving imo.

My dads best friend went to a local comp school, did rubbish in his exams, left school and became a builder for a property developer. He lost his job and decided to the start his own company, which was financed with equity from his house so if he went bust he lost his house. He worked his arse off for the next 40 years building a successful company with a great reputation. He sold the company for 5 million, he has paid taxes all his life, nothing was handed to him. He deserves everything he has. He also doesn't own a yacht!

See?

Everyone focusing on their piddly 100k when the op never mentioned that.

No one said anyone earning 100k was evil.

The rich are ya know. Actually rich?

And not even they are all evil. Not even most.

I'm not sure how they live with themselves but not evil.

I don't know anybody rich. Everybody I know needs their job.

However, when I first lived with my OH we paid bills as a percentage of our wealth and income and I think that's fair.

Most things are far cheaper for rich people than ordinary people if you think of it as a percentage of wealth.

So a person on an ordinary wage might be deciding not to have the heating on or to cut back on anything they can, and a multi millionaire might be putting in a new swimming pool that will cost thousands to heat.

@Topgub £100k because that's where KK redrew the tax lines.

Of course, that doesn't make them oligarch-rich. But oligarchs and the international super-rich are not subject to PAYE tax codes. And they are highly mobile and WILL relocate to a more favourable jurisdiction if they need to. But they like London, and English country estates.

I don't think the silly taxation in the UK solves the issue.

The issue is why are certain people so rich?

Why do we make it easy for rich people to get richer and make it hard for poor people. Why are wankers bankers still paid silly amounts after causing the horrendous events in 2008 and the companies never being held responsible?

The corruption and laws need to change.

If anyone has fairly become wealthy, without exploiting people, with honest work, treating their employees well - let them keep it. Tax is a % so its already proportional.

What we need though is to stop making evil people rich and sort out the joke of a legal system we have in most places. Starbucks, Amazon, etc are laughing all the way to the bank with the pittance of tax they pay here despite the UK bringing in so much of their revenue.

Have always believed everyone should pay same level of tax regardless of earnings, ie 10p in every pound across the board.