Tax increases imminent

[Iwishicouldflyhigh]

Heavy hints that taxes will rise in the next Budget after the recent climb down (as the ‘taxes won’t rise again’ was based on a 5 billion saving in benefits).

I can’t lie, I’m so pissed off about this. I don’t think anyone wants to see someone who is genuinely unable to work to be further penalised, but we all know there are thousands of people who could work but don’t.

this country is going to absolute shit . We pay more and more for less and less.

@Lioncub2020

but I don't believe that 23% of working age adults can be possibly be so disabled

is it 23% of working adults? I thought it was of the population?

Of course larger houses reduce stock.

Bulldoze a large house/plot - shoehorn in HMO’s.

The old widow living in a house with five bedrooms could take in lodgers etc.

You simplistically said the people should not own more than one property.

Please decide what system you want to live in - it’s not a la carte. You want capitalism or communism?

Yes they are. Motability is a charity, not a government department. People are granted to mobility component to decide how to use it. If they didn’t lease a car, they would still get the money.🤷‍♀️

When I worked for the DWP, back in the day, the mobility component was basically only awarded with disabilities around “limbs and breathing”.

It was purely about ability to walk and get around.

Various governments have changed this, over years, so that other groups can recieve it. 🤷‍♀️

I'm not saying tax rises are the only (or best) answer.

But we either tax more, or cut some things, or carry on exactly as we are with the health, social care and education systems non-functional at points.

Those are the options (unless I have missed something). Which would you pick?

That's true, but it is the median (ordinary working people) who are taxed less than their peers in other European countries with more effective public services. 7k on 38k is 18% of gross income. In Denmark, the equivalent Salary in DKR would result in 33% in income taxes and health insurance, France 22%, Germany 45%, Italy 37%, Spain 27%.

Add £100k to that, and the UK tax rate is still a bit lower than peers, but much closer to the EU figures. UK public services are suffering not so much because of lower taxes on the rich as low taxes on everybody. It's one reason why we spend more money on debt interest than on any of education, defence or universal credit.

It is indeed mad that Labour said they wouldn't raise taxes, but they need to raise taxes significantly across the board, or we need to decide what we cut spending on.

Yes, but it is Labour’s to own now. They campaigned on fixing it. They won a GE on it.

But they are simply playing a difficult hand badly. Error-strewn. Alienating almost everyone. Divided. The Tories 14 years vs 12 months of Labour.

Those are the options (unless I have missed something). Which would you pick?

I'm intrigued as to what the other options are too?

It isn't . I live here.

If we can't borrow more or cut spending it only leaves rasing taxes.

After 14 years of Tory rule not sure there is anything to cut or underfund that isn't going to hurt someone. Plus elder care spending and defence will be going up.

I'd expect as bussiness just had load added on and ratio of working population to dependnts ever lowering - they'll have to look at asset taxing or inheritance. I expect they'll be a lot of not raising thresholds and tinckering.

The demographics are against us - we have an aging population and a decreasing work force - topping up with immigrations brings it's own problems.

There are no easy popular solutions left really - and I think with current crop of polticians it will just be tinkering - no one advocating radical change anywhere I can see - it's at most popularist solutions that clearly aren't costed and come with problems a la Trump.

We kicked the can down the road for decades - housing costs are hampering our young and no-one has got anywhere with solutions in decades.

Yes, but it is Labour’s to own now. They campaigned on fixing it. They won a GE on it.

You think one political party can fix years of mismanagement on both sides? Fix the NHS? The ageing populations issues? In a few years? Because they said so?

I guess some of us are more critical thinkers?

I would disband the NHS.
I would dismantle the benefits culture.
I would structure a pro-business economy.
I would temporarily close our borders.

There would be winners and losers - that’s life. The world has never been egalitarian.

We kicked the can down the road for decades

And we have run out of road unfortunately

First up they pledged on this very topic no tax rises.

I would disband the NHS.
I would dismantle the benefits culture.
I would structure a pro-business economy.
I would temporarily close our borders.

But you wouldn't get in because the majority won't vote for you..,

I recall Starmer saying pre GE that it was a 10 year task to fix the UK.... he didn't say 10 months....

We - as a country - voted for Brexit, voted for the Tories, the mess we are in is down to us as much as it is the Cons or Labour to attempt to fix.

Tell Labour HQ, not me.

Is mention of ‘critical thinking’ supposed to burnish your pseudo intellectualism?

No, because, as we have just seen this week - politics is tribal. Everyone has an axe to grind.

Tell Labour HQ, not me.

They aren't on this thread last time I checked.

Is mention of ‘critical thinking’ supposed to burnish your pseudo intellectualism?

Nah, it's not that deep 😆

Rory Stewart was saying what reform were saying in part, that we have too many MPs - reform are saying that we need MPs with expertise. It’s a funny line coming from Farage, but we’ve had a lot of talentless career politicians of late…

but there is already a limit to how many days you can spend in the UK without being deemed resident. It’s 183 days if I remember correctly. V easy to track on a passport too

I think those are actually excellent suggestions although I would make appointments for children free.

Given the 1st and the 4th are impossible... how would dismantle the benefits culture & construct a pro business economy?

Sounds like a Reform campaign wish list.

I know someone who refuses to pursue her ex for child maintenance as she says she has too much pride to beg for it yet is happy to take UC. We need to start making absent fathers pay rather than the state for a start.

And not letting people choose to work part time and get a state top up, if you can't afford to work part time without help you can't afford to work part time.

I didn’t say they shouldn’t, I said it should be treated as the luxury that it is and taxed accordingly.

Brilliant idea! Then all the people on benefits for whom £30 is a week’s food and energy bill would have to choose between medical treatment or starvation. That will save a bob or two. 🙄