Are we morally obliged to work ?

[Justthisonce12]

630,000 economically inactive people in the UK not claiming benefits. Early retiree’s I guess.

Hunt plans to tackle this and encourage work force participation to allow businesses to grow. ie cheap labour I presume ? But also preventing a brain drain.

Will be interesting to see how he plans to address this.

Why target the people that don’t work and can support themselves. Surely the need is to look at the unemployed that are fit, healthy in receipt of benefits and don’t/have never had any intention of working.

I’m 46 and working full time in a very stressful job. Realistically I can only do this for another ten years. Once my I have finished paying private school fees for my youngest who is nine, I plan to wind down. I won’t take my pension early but I will do something less stressful which will likely mean that I am earning a lot less. The Government will have to do with out the £25k+ a year that I pay each year in tax and NI. I value my health and well-being more than paying for other people. DH pays a similar level of tax each year plus we’ve paid huge amounts of stamp duty. We’ve will have paid our fair share.

I remember the 1980s. Rapidly contracting industry and high unemployment. Generous early retirement packages on offer.

People who didn't take it up were considered selfish.

To be fair, some may actually want to work but cant afford to eg due to childcare costs.

They're not, that's exactly what they are doing.

@TimBoothseyes but it won't be aimed at those in fulltime will it ? They will on at leaSt min wage , the fact its 600000 is clear that its not all on universal credit as many more claim it than that
It will be those doing 15 hrs , self employed maybe getting less than min wage etc

A huge number of Britain’s ‘economically inactive’ citizens are actually quite busy working as unpaid carers for the elderly/young

This.

In my experience, some of "economically inactive" are run ragged, get very little time for themselves, act as the invisible widget that enables their family and neighbours to enjoy the Important Stuff (like paid work or attending school or the doctor's) and at the end of it get informed they're a drain on society.

yes this.

nails it IMO.

There are many people in retirement who appear to think they’ve built up some kind of giant pot of their personal NI contributions sitting there in some kind of government coffers earmarked for “their” pension, which puts them a cut above the benefit claimants they see as layabouts; without acknowledging that their contributions actually paid for (or rather, very often didn’t cover) the services they used during their working lives

I have to say I read your post as aimed at retirees as a whole, whatever their understanding of how the NI system works. I know it doesn't work like that because I worked in the old DHSS in the mid 70s and that was one of the first things we learned as trainees - that you contributions now fund what's being spent now.

However people think their pension is funded, I'm afraid that the post came over as 'well, you haven't paid in enough in your lifetime to cover it, so you're not entitled to it' - which I'm sure you didn't mean to imply.

Tehehe
This +++++

Economically inactive means those who don't work who are on UC, not people who have retired early.

I've retired early at 58 so I can help look after the grandchildren. My husband 62 who I married in my forties has also just retired as there's just no building work on. We can manage on our rental income , savings and equity release as we both had houses when we met and we rent one out. Why should I go back to work I don't want to or really need to neither does he. We'd rather tighten our belts than keep paying tax for ever moving pension goal posts. I paid my dues and have been robbed of my pension. I've paid tax as has he on all our earnings since 21 for me and 18 for him. We are done.

It's not as simple as that. If you're nor working, you're not paying certain taxes but you are still benefitting from the public services thar are funded by tax payers. There's a couple of SAHMs that have commented on this thread, they are a good example. Most will have used the NHS for the birth, pre and post-natal stuff and then the kids that they're mum to will go to school. Both health services and education are free for SAHMs but they are not contributing their fair share of tax to help pay for it. They may even be claiming benefits to support their kids and/or lack of income which adds an even greater burden to the public purse. (Obviously this is not relevant for those that CAN'T work, just those that choose not to).

@Liebig that person is paying there way though and there coverage , c tax also covers local police a little
They look like yes they are a net contributer when many are not, plus things they but that has vat on is yet another tax , duty on fuel
Its not just the tax on wages that funds us

Personally I find it hard to respect somebody who doesn't work unless they are a) too unwell or disabled to do so or caring for someone who is very unwell or severely disabled, b) retired, c) unemployed but actively seeking work, d) studying. Might sound controversial but sorry, that's my opinion.

@Schlaar Don't let it put you off applying anywhere. I just applied for a full time job, no mention of flexibility, just be open and discuss it at interview stage. If you're the right person for the job, companies will often negotiate on this.

@wherearebeefandonioncrisps exactly people need to read and understand what was said

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

What’s the issue with people not working and not claiming benefits? Presumably they are contributing towards the economy with their spending?

Although to add it has to be a proper choice to not work. I know too many people- usually women- who give up work due to the very extreme and debilitating pressures of caring for elderly relatives and for disabled children. I would argue that giving up work is not a true and free choice in that situation.

If only there was a scheme whereby people from nearby countries could come here to work without getting caught up in loads of red tape...

SAHM mum and studying around my daughter. If salaries were raised to be able to afford childcare that would certainly help a large part of the population in to work

No, these are additional resources : Tony Wilson, Director at the Institute for Employment Studies, said: “There are now 630,000 more people out of work than before the pandemic began and today’s figures show clearly that people aren’t becoming unemployed, they’re leaving the labour force altogether.

Contrary to popular opinion, there aren't actually that many of them. People who aren't in work and get benefits usually have significant barriers in their way. They're not actually this untapped resource just waiting to be successfully funnelled into the tax base. The solution to the labour shortage isn't going to be found there.