Why won't any political party focus or help the squeezed middle

[Winterday1991]

Off the back of another thread, has got me thinking about the next general election.

Why is there not a party that will focus on the middle earners in the squeezed south east , where both partners work full time, who are struggling juggling mortgages, cost of childcare and self fund everything and are over threshold for any help or subsidies ie child benefit, cost of living payments, free childcare via universal credit?

We are a middle/highish income family and are just so sick of paying into the system and getting nothing back! The amount of tax we pay is insane, certainly not anywhere near value for money. Labour just seem to want to focus on single parent families and those on universal credit.

Any party who focuses on the middle will surely win the election?

And there it is. The expectation. Always on other people.

Go on benefits then. I think you are utterly deluded if you think you are better off on them. However UC will require you to work or search for work at 3. Good luck trying to be entitled to those meals when they pester you to work.Read my posts. I also don't work full time because there are literally no after school clubs for my eldest and I don't have family near by. Not everyone does. Are you going to conjure one by magic?

That’s great. However it’s short sighted and economically illiterate views that are killing the country and it will mean you have no welfare system in a few years. A small minority are carrying everyone else. Painful truth and it’s backed by the ONS. People won’t work more to be actively tens of thousands of pounds worse off (net) per year. To expect that is frankly fucking crazy. Such is the entitlement of people though - they think it’s reasonable. You keep paying over 100% marginals to fund our UC and our part time working choices.

The politics of envy will kill off the welfare state. Dependency at 54.2% - getting further and further into debt to pay for it. Yet instead of taking 40-45% off the people who pay the most tax (encouraging them to work more) they get nothing. The highest tax payers are leaving, going part time or using pensions. The government then get 0% of that part. Sound, long term thinking there. They’ve been told it’s fucking the economy long term. The problem is the electorate are too dumb to realise this and won’t listen to reason when it comes to who pays the tax.

I didn't say you wouldn't struggle but even with that childcare bill you are better off than us. I sympathise with the twin childcare bill but I think you have red tinted glasses on if you think you will be much better off. I suspect you think you get loads but it really isn't. If you have a mortgage even less.

Shouldn't you be blaming employers etc? My husband is a TA. If I work five days a week in my hospitality job I can earn more. How is that right?!? No wonder we need benefit top ups. I genuinely don't really know about what to do with the tax thing to be honest. I think people's ire is directed the wrong way. Just notice the vitriol at people presumed to get loads of money.

And if you earn more than £50k you can't transfer any of your allowance.

It's terrible that your employer doesn't pay for hotels needed to do your job. I, always got mine paid when working in sales/bid management.

It’s not just employers - it’s the government and the level of entitlement of the public. You post is proof really. You think it’s reasonable to have a higher rate tax payer actively be tens of thousands a year worse off - working more for considerably less pay - to fund the system. I have news for you - people aren’t doing it. You are making a choice to work part-time because of UC and childcare and expect others to fund that and be worse off themselves. People aren’t doing it and they are fed up. 70%-100%+ marginal tax rates are mental.

It’s a combination of all three that are breaking the economy. The chancellor knows this - he was told by a report he commissioned. The ONS have filed reports about the unsustainable levels of state vs taxation.

Going to be a messy few years. All because no-one has the bollocks to say “we are lowering taxes to get those paying higher rate working more.” This would stop most accountants keeping people below 60, 100 and 125k. That would mean more tax take = more public spending and welfare. However, people are so blinded by politics of envy they don’t want those pesky higher earners (who fund everything) getting a single bean. They don’t think that it will mean people in high flying careers will stop the part time work and heavy pension loading (as they will actually see half of their earnings).

The economic illiteracy and envy of the population + poor government policy they know is economically damaging + low wages = broken economy. Someone needs to pay for it.

Do it then. What is stopping you? My issue was it sounded like you were planning to work until year 2, stop work that then claim the free meals and go back to your 60k job when they are year three. You don't see how I could think that was morally wrong? That was my issue. Go for it if you want to leave your job. Doesn't sound sustainable anyway. However you say your partner is working so unless he is earning such a low wage of something like £700 a month you won't be entitled to meals. Plus if you have a mortgage you get no help. Presuming you have one.

It isn't a choice. How many minimum wage workers in retail or hospitality can afford full time childcare? Not to mention the unavailability of the childcare. It is a big bloody problem at the moment.

So you aren't happy that some of the the 90% of households with a lower income than you get support in various ways. But you do think that the same pot of money should be supporting you in the top 10%.

@ginandtonicwithlimes am I right in understanding you earn £25,000 between 2 of you?

If your husband is a TA is this full time ?
Why can't one of you find higher paid work? Upskill and earn more money.

Planning to but will be easier when youngest is three.

Do universal credit not cover a large percentage of childcare bill before the free hours?
I'm not judging by the way I'm just curious how it works for couples claiming and how childcare is covered

diddums

So isn't it better for him to give up his lower paid job and look after them whilst you focus on looking for a better life balance job if career is important to you? Unless benefits are that important? I think personally you have misplaced your anger at benefit claimants when it sounds like you work for some rubbish employer. I know parents who WFH who earn that sort of wage.

We are a family of two adults and two teenagers. Between us we earn £33k. The only benefits we get are child benefit.
We have a mortgage, a car etc. But we have far less income than you.
I don't want government financial help. I do want services like NHS and schools to be good.

This.

Do you have any direct experience of poverty OP?

Any at all?

I think I am going to leave it because you are twisting my words. No way did I say you had to work full time. You also seem to be unable to grasp why I can't either. Hint: you earn at least 50k more than me and UC only pay a certain amount. Plus I say it again can you magic me an after school club for my eldest whilst I work? There is only one and it is full. Suppose I could leave her to fend for herself. Again you don't pay for my UC. You probably don't earn enough.