Scared of what labour will do

[Wantachangefor2024]

Is anyone else terrified of what labour will enforce. The tax on farmers. Will they means test pip? Will they tax state pension more? What else will they do and where will it all end. They ruthlessly without no care took away the winter fuel allowance. Means testing and taxing state pension would massively impact my family

Christ. This is a pretty mean-spirited post.

If your child was/is going to private school, you're clearly in a higher income bracket.

People on PIP and pensions are often already on the poverty line. The reason they're "quaking" is that the changes won't mean they can't afford a luxury item - they won't be able to afford to live. They need the extra income to afford higher heating bills, clothing that's easy to put on, food that's already prepped, taxis because they can't leave the house and walk.

Laughing at genuine hardship is a shitty thing to do.

Because you've been affected, you're happy that people who are on the bones of their arse are also going to be hit? A little compassion wouldn't go amiss.

FWIW, I was opposed to the VAT on private schools, even though it's not something I"d ever be able to afford. I spoke out about it on here numerous times. Not everyone on PIP/UC/pensions disagrees with private education.

Thank you. They have tried to diversify the farm as much as possible. I fully agree about trump. But to all those who think it’s brilliant that labour will possibly really make drastic changes that will impact upon people, it will feed the vote for reform and a musk/trump in this country. If labour upsets enough people, you will get people not voting for them. But not wanting to vote Tory. And reform will get a stronger foothold

No but we don't "all pay the same taxes". Pensioners and others who have huge huge wealth/assets vs. income pay much less.

Far, far less terrified than I would be with any other political party in power now. They have inherited a mess after 13 years of the Tories cutting services and bunging money to their rich mates. Globally things are tough. I am utterly relieved that Labour are in power. I'm just dreading the next general election because most people are politically illiterate and think the likes of Nigel Farage give a shiny shit about them. Labour are the only glimmer of hope we have to navigate our way out of a mess.

I was more scared by what the Conservatives were doing to our public services, nhs, schools and libraries. My main fear with Labour is whether they can reverse the rot honestly, or if it's too late.

Op save your breath. Of course you are reflecting conversations up and down the country but on here there is a devout following regardless of how truly awful Labour have been so far, we are going to get much poorer for sure, and that’s the best case scenario.

I take it you have something against pensioners ? Pensioners have same tax code as those that work and pay tax on earnings over the threshold same as a basic taxpayer as far as i can see , can you post a link that says otherwise. Asset like a house that has earned money over the years will be taxable eventually, but why should someone pay tax on a property, just because ethe value has gone up, they may not have the cash to actually do this. The very rich pensioner or not will always have the best advice to pay the least amount of tax, but many will pay much more in than someone like me on middle income wage.
i had some hope for this goverment but so far I am not impressed . Not means testing the winter fuel was shocking, I work with people in real hardship who cannot afford to heat & eat, many pensioners are not well off, private pensions were not the norm.
yes there is a shortfall in the pot but we still give money away and spend on pointless things. Plus they knew the situation so should of been honest about what they would do when in power, but then none of them are. All awful , as bad as each other. The cost of living is worrying, my ctax, rent , water etc have all gone up, more than my wages.
my young dc have got no hope of moving out of home until late 20’s , I'm encouraging them to consider abroad once qualified as for first time in my life I don’t think the uk has much to offer

Oh what a load of old cod and I don't for a minute believe you are genuine.

I'm spending all my pension and savings on holidays, just in case, I doubt they will means test below about £15k income which is what I will end up with when the extra has gone.

Pensioners don’t pay NI, but they pay income tax at the same rate as anyone else.

I wonder what the limit will be if they means test pension.

They may not need help, but eroding the social compact by labelling anyone earning £100K in a different way and taking away childcare support isn’t helpful

There is certainly a case to be made if the distortions didn’t exist in the tax system the overall tax take would be higher

Lots of over emotive labelling unfortunately = poor policies and decision making

What do you mean ‘taxing state pension’?
Pension, whether state pension or private pension, is income. All income above the personal allowance is taxed.

Also, can you expand on why you think making the winter fuel allowance a means tested benefit is an issue? I think the eligibility needs revisiting, but as a tax payer I am quite comfortable that they are now excluding:
-Wealthy pensioners
-Pensioners not living in the UK permanently
-Dead people.

And before anyone scoffs at dead people receiving it, you only had to be alive for the assessment week in September to qualify under the old rules. This meant that people who died between that date and receipt still received it via their estate, despite not being alive for the winter. In my view, that’s an absolute waste of taxpayer money.

They will probably go for the cash ISAs as well which many pensioners have, there seems to be a pattern here

They don’t need to means test pensions. It’s political suicide. They can save the same / more by raising SPA. State pension was originally designed to be in payment for about 16yrs. Life expectancy has increased considerably since, and many pensioners draw for 20-30 years. Clearly, it’s unsustainable long term. But means testing would have the adverse impact of discouraging people from saving into private pensions, which would reduce investments, and pension investments are a huge part of the UK economy. Hence when Liz Truss risked everyone’s pension with her mini budget, the BOE stepped in and hiked interest rates.

Just hang on in there until 2029, OP, when the Putin appeasers will vote Reform into government. Apparently. That will be much better than evil Labour, won't it?

Yes to this, recovery from such a dire situation we've been left in will inevitably be a bit painful. The Tories have done major damage and it will take time to get back what we had.

Precisely, this is a far more terrifying prospect than more tax etc.

The tax on passing on farms is actually going to end the overinflated value of farmland. It is in demand due to city bankers and the like using it as an inheritance tax dodge. This will end if it is no longer effective.

Farmland values should be linked to the profit you can make from farming the land (diddly squat, if farmers are to be believed). Lower farmland values will also enable new farmers (not from wealthy landowning families) to enter farming and bring new innovation. Many legacy farms are not run productively! No one should have a right to a free, valuable asset just because its linked to their parents occupation.

I was more scared by what the Conservatives were doing to our public services, nhs, schools and libraries. My main fear with Labour is whether they can reverse the rot honestly, or if it's too late.

This is how i feel. It will take a super human effort to turn the tanker now.

whatever happens over the next couple of decades is entirely on the Tory voter base. You chose to enrich the 1% at the expense of everyone else and now you'll need to deal with the fallout.

This. We have had a decade of policies that have massively enriched a small number. I know, I'm one of them! Every budget for the last decade i have groaned as I've found myself paying less tax and benefitting more and more from various policies. While my sibling, a hard working teacher, despite having been promoted to head of department, struggles to afford a home in the south east.

Enough is enough. I don't take issue with any of the policies the labour government have brought in so far.

I voted Labour but I’ve never felt more worried about our country. I think it’s mostly the press. Reading stories about how savings will be taxed, the farmers and the winter fuel payments.

I’m afraid for our country in other ways now though. I hated the tories and people were skint, our bills insane, they profited personally from Covid deaths. I’m saying this because I expect the ‘oh so you would rather have the evil tories’ replies. No, I can dislike both.

However, Labour have made me fear things like war, free speech, the rule of law. Starmer says the wrong thing again and again and makes you feel he doesn’t stand with you or with Britain. I have always voted left wing and I always will, but if I feel this way, what are others feeling? He’s handing what’s left of our country over to the likes of Nigel Farage if he doesn’t sort it out. The rise of the right is terrifying to me, yet I feel it’s the fault of the left going too far with matters of women’s spaces, immigration and free speech.

The welfare budget is unsustainable, I'd be very pleased to see it cut . Not by reducing benefits for those in need but culling benefits for the workshy and this ubiquitous mental health claimants .

I'm sure they're quaking in their boots if that's your best argument 😆

It is taxed, just as it was taxed under the Conservatives.