To think that there is no hope here?

[Taxed]

52.6% of UK individuals are reliant on the State (that is 35 million people). Only 47.4% are net contributors. How did we get here?

AIBU to think that the UK is now a declining economy that will never recover if this continues to be the case?

I am 49 and a high earner (just shy of the top 1%). My husband is also a high earner and we are thinking of leaving. We don't know where but we know we have to as the situation in the UK is getting worse not better. The only thing that is keeping us here is our son, who is still in secondary school. I am actively encouraging him to consider a future outside of the UK.

I genuinely feel that being ambitious and successful is not worth it in the UK. People hate you for it and want to see you penalised. They think that whatever you do to earn the money it must be easy and a breeze. That you are greedy and need to be made to pay for doing well. Just last week, I heard that the government might be thinking of implementing a charge, payable by high earners, to access the NHS. Everything is about taxing the already heavily taxed even more and few want to face up to the fact that this is unsustainable when you have most of your people relying on the State to live.

People complain about the immigrants but they make up a tiny proportion of 35 million.

I feel disliked for doing well and just can't see a future here and it is making me angry and sad. I believe in having a welfare state, in helping those who are in need but 52.6%? The country is on its knees when most of its people are in need. That is like a developing country not a developed and thriving economy.

Sorry for the long rant. I'm just tired, sad and have just about lost hope of enjoying life in the UK.

Maybe you just double down… oh hang on, you did.

I don’t think I’m the one who doesn’t know what they’re talking about. 😂 Google is your friend here, you shouldn’t need me to help you define terms.

I’m wondering if there is a bot farm targeting MN this week as there have been some proper unhinged threads about the U.K. and NHS.

The majority of people earn around 30,000 and the cost of living is high. The 1%, (many of whom are offshored) have been happy to under pay Brit workers for a decade while themselves and the Tories raked in more and more.

If somebody, like the op, is a top 1% earner and wants to leave the U.K. it’s not because they personally are especially effected by the cost of living and decline of services due to underfunding of local authorities. It is because they don’t want to contribute more taxes to give others a fair break.

Go ahead and leave. There are plenty of ambitious people with a moral compass who will finally get an opportunity once you are gone.

Bot farm?

What makes you say that?

They do expect financial support because they are going for the tax benefits. They expect the majority of workers in the country they move to to fund their higher quality of living.

Again I refer to the level of unhinged. Just saying ridiculous, over the top nonsense is a classic tactic of MAGA and the Russian bot farms.

Well it does rather. If there's no money there's no money to spend on anyone.

Then the government should call a halt to the social contract. Taking money from people in the form of NI with the promise of providing benefit in return, when they need it, is just a ponzi scheme if you can’t fulfil that promise.

I've made my original statement very happily.

You then said I don't understand socialism but didn't say what it was in my statement that you disagreed with.(presumably because you can't argue with the truth).

And then you carry on being mysterious. I still have no idea what part of my statement you disagree with. It's hard arguing with someone who won't provide their own argument. I will happily answer whatever arguement you put forward when you decide to, but I'm not a mind reader. 🤷‍♀️ So I will have to continue agreeing with myself!

Wise words Quirkswork. As usual.

Ok. But what about my original statement do you disagree with?

So have an insurance based health system instead?

That would only work for those who aren’t currently sick or disabled. No insurer is going to take on anyone with a pre existing condition - even if they did, the cost would be prohibitive.

Are you only reading mn? There’s plenty from BoE and IFS on the state of finances currently.

You said that “socialists believe that all the money you earn belongs to the state” which is more akin to an authoritarian communist government.

A more accurate and intellectually honest analysis would acknowledge that democratic socialism aims not to seize all private income but to balance individual opportunity with social responsibility, using the state as a vehicle to mitigate inequality and promote the common good.

If you are genuinely interested there are lots of online materials to understand modern democratic socialism and why it works.

God no thanks. Had enough of that at uni! Thanks though.

You’re welcome 😇

If that’s what you’ve taken away from my ‘word salad’ then l can only assume that either my explanation of the actual facts regarding the scheme and those who are eligible for it is beyond your comprehension, or you’re just being goady. Either way way you’re wrong. No. Not ‘free cars’.

The OP is right in her assessment of the net contributor problem but wrong in her blame of the ‘takers’. It’s not their fault many are pensioners. It’s not their fault that many are in jobs - often vital ones - that pay fuck all. The real question is why do we - once the sixth richest country in the world - have so many people earning such piss poor wages that they need to be topped up by the state? These are by no means all public sector workers. These are often university educated people who work in professional jobs for private companies or organisations earning a pittance.

It pains me to say this but at the root of this is Gordon Brown’s tax credit policy. This made the government look generous and made recipients feel good that they were getting something from the state. It would have been far cheaper and far better for economic growth and business confidence and far cheaper for Brown to have slashed taxes rather than giving people back a proportion of the money they and others have paid in.

And no government has had the courage to tear up this subsidy for crap employers.

I think you will need to name names, if you truly believe what you have posted.

Bye, don't forget to shut the door on the way out.

Then we start restricting what people on benefits are allowed to buy because people on benefits should only be allowed - only deserve! - the absolute basics... No thank you.

Alternatively, we could try to have functioning mental health services that give timely support to those who need it...

Another greedy entitled "millionare" boomer here who retired age 67 (began work at age 16)and lives in a two up two down terraced house in the sort of inner city area that would give some MNs an attack of the vapours. My house is worth about £160k, so there is no way I can downsize and free up my "millions" unless I go and live in a tent in the local park.

Yes great idea!!!!

100%

Get rid of cash.

Funny you should say that. The WEF want this to happen for everyone.