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?

Because people that make good decisions get penalised or so it seems

Glad to see someone has taken control and deleted some of these comments. Some people hate people claiming benefits.

It shows how bad the state finances are. Slashing benefits wouldn't make a dent but abolishing the triple lock would..

One of us does work full time. Imagine berating someone to work full time when you are on 60-70k. Surely it is obviously I can't afford £1,375 nursery fee for a full month (not including food) on minimum wage, zero hours? Universal credit only covers half of that. But yes at some point I want to get something better and work more than a couple of days! The state should be providing decent subsidised childcare where even Eastern Europe get it right. It isn't an active choice. Many parents have no choice. Look at "pregnant than screwed" on Instagram if you like.

Maybe she meant 24k per child

I didnt shame even once with sugle parent, nor I lied about anything. Show me where I did. I talked about better economy and income for all.

Are you the OP? Have you name changed?

Do you want everyone to love benefits claimants? I don't think anything that normalises it or makes it acceptable as a good thing.
People should be against claiming benefits. Otherwise it becomes an acceptable lifestyle choice.

Of course, no one is stopping you from talking about your situation.

We here regularly about how poor in UK are betrayed by governments and rightly so. Why such an issue with middle class posters complaining politicians never caring about them. In the end, when these people leave the country or go on lower pays like some threatening, it is going to impact tax pool. So policies keeping middle class included a bit in addition to lower income benefits is not so bad for overall society.

But why would you want to? No other country needs to. You’ll be a pensioner one day.

I am not. Why would you say that?

I don't think people should need to claim them but obviously most people on benefits are low paid workers who would have been better off if they were paid properly. No you don't have to like people who claim benefits (although the majority are working people too!) but the type of anger I was subjected to is too much. Misplaced anger.

Because I was talking about the OP and for some reason you have assumed I am referencing you! You're being odd!

I said I was reporting the OP for benefit bashing...

You quoted me and said it was a civilised debate....

I said slagging off single mums and lying that council houses were provided for free was not a civilised debate.... and the reason I was reporting the OP.

You denied saying that- which is true- you didn't but the OP did and this was who I was talking about!

Why do you keep thinking it's you unless you're the OP? If you aren't then its not you I'm reporting is it???

No other country has the state dependency we do now. 54.2% of adults being net takers. ONS have released the figures this year - the highest on record. Also our highest earners pay more than their fair share and are some of the most over burdened. Again, all out there. The chancellor governed a report which told them the tax cliff edges are harming tax take.

Other countries have a much larger percentage of the population paying tax overall. Many people in this country pay low tax, the higher earners do not. We now have a system where we are in colossal debt as not enough people are paying in. Really simple answers. We cant afford it as not enough people are paying in. Other countries tax everyone more broadly and more people pay in. Everyone pulls their weight. In this country - they don’t.

I said slagging off single mums and lying that council houses were provided for free was not a civilised debate.... and the reason I was reporting the OP.

You didnt write that. You said -

'Tis not a civilised debate when you shame women for being single parents and lie about council housing being free.

It's the usage of you which made me think you assumed I am one of the posters who have issues with benefit claimer. I just have issues with the recent governments and their overall policies lowering every one's standard of living except for super rich.

I don't have problem with reporting, you wanted to delete the thread. It's not so common to talk her about politics and economy, so I didnt understand why we should stop debate from different sides.

We emmigrated from the country a year ago because of working long hours, paying higher taxes, long commute, being mugged twice in the street in London. So I can understand Op's frustration in original post.

I dont agree with her last posts where she begrudged single parents or made assumptions about benefit claimants. Hope it's all clear now. I dont know much about benefits and I do not want people especially kids to lose out as I grew up poor with one parent being addict.

I am 31, it will be means tested by the time it gets to me. Not counting on it lol

the only alternative is Labour, who always make things better for ordinary people anyway 🤣
Good joke!

Still don’t think the pension is the thing to change. Why are we doing so badly compared to others? Fix that.

Like I said. Campaign and vote in ways that mean that doesn’t happen. Don’t be so passive (especially when it means you throw others under the bus).

Because we don’t encourage productivity. Literally what the op has highlighted alongside many on this thread. One of the most broken and weird tax systems in the world. Not enough people are economically active. Need to fix state dependency and make achievement aspirational and rewarding.

The problem in the UK is that the 40% tax band has not been indexed to inflation.

So it effectively starts at £50k, which is far too low. If it had been indexed to inflation properly (as it was intended) it would be £82k now.

People genuinely think £80k/year is a big salary in the UK. They have no idea how high the marginal rate is at £80k/year.

Work doesn't pay anymore in the UK. The country has become a bottomless pit of dependency, full of people who seem hellbent on bringing everybody else down to their level.

These folks have no idea how corrosive that is for society in general.

People simply stop working hard to advance, because why bother? 50+% of the pay gets vaporised subsidising the people who are actively trying to bring everybody else down.

Its even worse if you are a young person with marginal rates over 60%

Aspiration has been crushed in the UK due to higher taxes and masses of dependent adults which is why the country is getting poorer. These folks actually believe its the responsibility of higher earners to pay high taxes to subsidise them because "reasons".

Until this stops, the country will keep sinking.

This x10000000

Economic growth of 2.5% real GDP per year (what is needed to counteract the ageing population and its cost) is impossible when you cannot invest in infrastructure, childcare, education etc. because you are diverting increasing amounts of tax revenues to unproductive older folks.

It is simply mathematically impossible.

The only way this works is if the old folks get less, and that reduction is routed towards productive investments.

The UK has started to circle the proverbial financial drain due to the material increases in cost of the SP and NHS, so this decision needs to be made asap.

Well, OP. Jack in the job, you and your DP and get yourself in some benefits. Get yourself some freebies - you’ll need to get rid of any significant savings, money first obvs- then come back an update us about how that’s all working out for you.
Free school dinners … ooohhhhhh

Agreed.
I keep offering the admin staff in my department more hours. None will take it. They all want to work the small number of hours that means they don't lose any benefits.

I feel like a fool for working my butt off to progress while juggling two young children as single mum. Didn't cross my mind to just expect someone else to fund me.

There has to be a system that means people are incentivised to work and rewarded when they do, or some people will just never bother