To want a budget which puts young people and families first

[HFJ]

In advance of an upcoming budget that will likely hammer working people (again, despite the rhetoric), I’m consoling myself by imagining my own budget. You’ll notice a theme. This is because I believe young people and families are the future, deserve to have hope, aspirations and goals. Please feel free to contribute.

1. The first 5 years of young people’s full time earnings to be tax and NI free. This would enable all to save for a house deposit, rather than only the few who inherit. Imagine the incentive to work hard!
2. No increases to any tax that primarily affects working age people, including fuel tax (because working people need fuel to go to work)
3. No stamp duty for young people and those with children under 18. This enables them a fairer chance of buying property rather than have to compete unfairly with cash buyers
4. Complete removal of the pension tax free cash allowance. This is because 100s of 1000s are poised to take their 25% lump sum and plough this into the property market (tbf I think the gov has got wind of this, hence the landlord tax changes)
5. instead of massive increases to NHS budget (which does not really benefit the young or families), a £10 charge to see the doctor, so people start to take ownership for their health
6. Removal of the free prescription for over 60s. Instead, use this money to bring back the school nurse and perhaps even school dentist visits

Any other ideas?

1. Great, so young people will have to work for 40 years full time to qualify for the state pension as the first 5 years of working full time they can’t pay NI contributions. Add in motherhood and you’ve pretty much guarenteed no young woman who wants to be a mother will ever get full state pension.
2. I disagree with “working age” people for no tax increases because that includes the so rich they don’t work but are under age 67 cohort. Also, it’s unrealistic.
3. I’d rather see no stamp duty and capital gains charged when you sell your home. Having any stamp duty to buy is a barrier and is making it difficult to buy a home. There are also many people who have lost their homes due to economic and personal crises and now they can’t even qualify for help like first time buyers always do.
4. This I agree with. Instead all pension income should be taxed like any annuity. The tax free lump sum is encouraging people to endanger their retirement security.
5. The increase to NHS budget would certainly benefit the young and families. Prenatal care, childbirth, vaccinations, child check ups are not cheap and your taxes are covering you plus children compared to what a single person pays. Young people are also more likely to suffer sports injuries, broken bones, and overdose. A £10 charge to see the doctor would only penalise the disabled and those with chronic health conditions who are the most likely to be in poverty. Also, studies done on countries that do charge, have found that this doesn’t cause “ownership of health” but for the poorest to go without healthcare and an increase in excess deaths. Imagine a mum with a poorly toddler deciding they can’ go to A&E or call the GP because that £10 is needed for petrol to go to work. The toddler then dies. That’s what happens.
6. I agree with removing free prescriptions by age. They should be free for everyone. It’s not like people decide they need a prescription, a doctor decides.

Number 1 is my favourite.

1. The first 5 years of young people’s full time earnings to be tax and NI free. This would enable all to save for a house deposit, rather than only the few who inherit. Imagine the incentive to work hard!

Or they can use that extra money to go on as many holidays and music festivals as possible (all my grandchildren would have done, as would I when I was young!)

Am I correct in assuming you are a young family struggling to get on the housing ladder (or have children who can't buy a house)?
In other words, is this dream budget bespoke to your needs?

So do we think uni fees was a nail in the coffin for young as well?

YABU an and a bit ridiculous , why should the people who have paid in least get all the benefits of tax cuts etc .

Fucking love this!!

What a horrible ageist post

I think the OP’s view is that people who don’t have kids and aren’t young themselves can just get to fuck. Regardless of whether they own a home, have savings or are completely dependent on one income.

I’d rather see a health / care prioritising budget.

Carers allowance to be hugely increased and no longer a means tested / taxable benefit .

Free prescriptions for all. Free flu vaccinations for all. Weight loss medication criteria widened.

Obviously OP meant that "young people" shouldn't have to pay NI for the first five years of earnings, but everybody else should pay yet more tax to ensure the "young people" still get their contributions for those years so they won't have to work into old age, the poor lambs.

I think overall your suggestions are quite short sighted & unrealistic but the worst idea you’ve had has to be the paying to see a GP. There’s been times in my life that myself and, much more importantly, DC would have just gone without medical care if that was the case. That seems to go against your ‘fuck anyone over the age of 40 and give the kids unlimited access free ice cream’ ethos.

Thanks sick of the "families" thing - have one if you can afford. Paid tax all my life never entitled to a damn thing. And never will be.

Does 1) include all the graduate lawyers/investment bankers, joining magic circle law firms and Goldman Sachs on £120k a year? 🙄

👏

I really wish op that it was quite that simple. It really isnt. Whatever is to come, I just hope that they put into place a universal standard for all kids, free school meals for all, after school clubs, at primary and secondary school, free transport, school nurses/possibly even dental clinics. no matter the earnings of the parent, all children deserve a high level of health care and education until the age of 21. It isnt just the responsibility of the parents, it’s should be and should have always been shared responsibility amongst our communities that we all raise our children to certain standards. No one after all is bette than anyone else.

I have accepted that things will never get better for me, because the system has always worked against me and my personal circumstances. I’m sure a lot of people feel the same way.

Anything the government says is going to fix our current issues will take years and years, and no one of my generation and personal circumstances are going to benefit in any way are they. Just a lot more and worse of what we have already got. It’s sad but it’s true. Anyone who believe otherwise is delusion/very naive.

I would welcome any government that created a fair means testing programme to equalise the haves and have nots.

No one looks or plans for long term it's always hot takes that get votes, it doesn't work, it hasn't worked for a long time their needs to be a complete restructure from the ground up please.

May I add a free puppy to the list?

I'd have to think as it may distract from creating the future.

Kittens are the future.

Don't single people matter? Or is it just people with children and the young that should get help buying a house?

I know we single, childless people are the bottom of the pile and second class citizens but you know we struggle more than a couple with children do getting on the property ladder as we only have one wage.

Also as someone that through no fault of my own has had to see a doctors several times in the past two years it has nothing to do with not looking after my health, my body decided to say "fuck it, I'm going to put her in chronic pain" it wasn't caused by anything I did. Also people can't help being born with certain conditions so all those would have to pay under your scheme too?

You’re quite right there.

Tbf I’m voting for Larry the no.10 cat next time.

This. The workers are the ones who earn the jncome for taxing! Your list of options looks fairly naive OP.

I'm on min wage with chronic health conditions
In October I've seen the GP 3 times and no I don't have a spare £30