Page 12 | To wonder how the UK will look in 3 years time?

Labradorlover987 · 2025-08-11T12:19:53+00:00

I was inspired to write this after reading the UC post that was just reported - the govt’s welfare bill has passed but was watered down so unlikely to make any real savings. I earn 40k, have a school age child and just feel like I am living hand to mouth 😩 I 100% think there should be a welfare systems that supports people on low incomes but I wonder how the current system will be sustained in the long run? Just wondered what other people thought. I actually wouldn’t mind paying more in taxes if we could be guaranteed more in services etc - for example my council tax just went up and the services seem even worse this year than usual.

MrsSkylerWhite · 12/08/2025 11:49

We have a liar for a PM?

🤣🤣🤣

Boris Johnson, anyone?

David Lammy is not the sharpest knife in the drawer?

🤣🤣🤣

Liz Truss/Kwasi Kwarteng, anyone?

Were you in a coma for 14 years, @askmenow ?

BIossomtoes · 12/08/2025 11:51

FairKoala · 12/08/2025 11:23

This government is just spiteful

Raising money through taxes to pay for ever increasing costs isn’t ever going to work

The NHS, housing and pensions are 3 of the biggest expenses so why not think about trying to cut down 2 of these expenses by paying the 3rd more.

Not by being mean and giving less to everything . That just isn’t going to work. You have to give people a better alternative. Encouraging pensioners to live abroad by paying them extra (to cover costs of health insurance and a monthly amount to stay outside the UK.

The cost savings to the NHS because there would be reduced spending on free prescriptions, GP appointments for cough and colds etc, X-rays, ambulance and paramedic bills and hospital visits for broken bones from falls and slips, no more treatment and pain medication for osteoarthritis, treating someone for diabetes, fatal and non fatal heart attacks etc

Living abroad would mean that if they owned their home they could sell or rent it out. If they rented privately it would free up a private rental and if rented through the council another family member who needed a home could take on the tenancy or giving up the tenancy all together.
This would free up more homes than Angela Rayner could ever build on any allotment

You think coughs and colds should be prioritised over osteoarthritis, diabetes and heart disease? The rest of that post is equally bonkers, not to mention ageist.

Bambamhoohoo · 12/08/2025 11:53

Badbadbunny · 12/08/2025 11:35

Nope, I've been an accountant for 40 years and seen loads of these scenarios and the perpetrator gets away Scot Free. I've seen less than a handful where HMRC/Official Receiver take any action. Over the past 20 years since the new money laundering reporting laws came into force, I've made numerous "suspicious activity reports" of tax evasion in this and similar ways, and not a single one has been acted upon. Yes, a small number of cases (in proportion) are brought and prosecuted, but in reality, most people get away with it, especially at the lower end of the evasion scale. You need to be evading huge amounts (millions) to attract the attention of the Official Receiver.

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Me too (accountant for 30 years)

I have been the target of the official reciever in my personal life and I can assure you it was the most traumatic thing I’ve experienced. It was £200k of tax, similar to what the poster suggests her dad is doing.

hmrc petition for a winding up- easy, job done, minimal effort for hmrc. company is declared bankrupt and the official receiver takes over. This happens every day.

The same person in my personal life is currently being aggressively persued (baliffs etc) for £80k unpaid VAT. I agree this wouldn’t have happened 10,5 years ago but it is now.

bankrupt companies whose directors committed tax fraud have always been relentlessly persued by the official receiver. I have also never seen it in my professional life as clients as long gone by the time they’re dealing with them.

nearlylovemyusername · 12/08/2025 11:54

samthepigeon · 12/08/2025 11:15

Do they? Most migrants are working and paying taxes. They pay more taxes than UK citizens. They work in jobs that UK citizens don't want to do. They prop up the healthcare and care services. Many are working in exceedingly highly skilled and highly paid jobs. We have a falling birth rate in the UK, and an aging population. The cost of pensions is one of the biggest drains on government spending, so the falling birth rate is a massive issue. It really is not as simple as clicking one's fingers and 'sending everyone back to where they came from'. Withdrawing all migrants from the UK, embedded as they are in our economy, would have far-reaching and long-term consequences, and really wouldn't sort out all the country's ills overnight.

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I'm in London. NHS - 90% are immigrants, at all levels, from admin to nurse to consultant. Possibly living here for a long time, but not British.
Get rid of them and NHS will collapse.
This is before we even start talking about retail, hospitality etc.

So they go, stop paying taxes, what do you do with all these UC and PIP claimants? force them back to work? how are you going to fund them?

lazyarse123 · 12/08/2025 11:54

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 12/08/2025 09:22

I thought the assisted dying bill was going to be the answer to the ageing population or did I understand that wrong?

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Oh yes I forgot. We've outlived our usefulness so just kill us off.
I wish I hadn't bothered to contribute to society for over 50 years. Including children, financially and supporting other people.
Fuck my life it's depressing.

MyMauveWasp · 12/08/2025 11:54

MrsSkylerWhite · 12/08/2025 11:36

How are you received as an immigrant?

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Absolutely fine ☺️.. I’m a full time resident immigrant (I don’t like being called an ‘expat’ because an immigrant is what I am) Integration is key.

MrsSkylerWhite · 12/08/2025 11:54

nearlylovemyusername · 12/08/2025 11:54

I'm in London. NHS - 90% are immigrants, at all levels, from admin to nurse to consultant. Possibly living here for a long time, but not British.
Get rid of them and NHS will collapse.
This is before we even start talking about retail, hospitality etc.

So they go, stop paying taxes, what do you do with all these UC and PIP claimants? force them back to work? how are you going to fund them?

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This.

Helpingabit · 12/08/2025 11:55

It’s hard to predict, and like most people I can only speculate on the sector I’m involved in….. but I think something drastic will have to happen in education.
We have lost half our teaching assistants over the last three years… it’s been very quietly done , by simply not replacing people who leave / retire. Or if two left at the end of a year , only one would be replaced.
this causes so much extra pressure on teachers, especially with ever increasing demand and duties and amount of children and their increasing needs .
Even very basic things like not having a toilet break as there’s no ta to cover playtime .
Adding in the current trend of parents complaining and questioning bizarre things, and a massive decline in behaviour- it feels like a bit of a ticking time bomb

Bambamhoohoo · 12/08/2025 11:56

Badbadbunny · 12/08/2025 11:38

Developers will install new services only where there are mains nearby. That's why we have all these developments alongside existing towns/villages etc as they "tap into" the existing infrastructure. What they won't do (as there's no money to do so) is create new infrastructure over large distances nor contribute to where existing infrastructure like water treatment works is already at capacity.

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yes agreed but there is little need for this. However it does happen personally I’ve seen this at one company who specialised in buying up farm land and throwing up estates on it. It’s worth extending the infrastructure for the profit you can make on some sites. Housing associations also sometimes do this, as their requirement for profit is generally less

MrsSkylerWhite · 12/08/2025 11:56

MyMauveWasp · 12/08/2025 11:54

Absolutely fine ☺️.. I’m a full time resident immigrant (I don’t like being called an ‘expat’ because an immigrant is what I am) Integration is key.

Edited

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Good. Great pity that your adopted countrymen and women wouldn’t receive an equaly warm welcome in the UK.

LongDistanceTravel · 12/08/2025 11:57

wimonnzy · 12/08/2025 10:28

My wry and somewhat fearful take is, give it ten years and AI will do many things we thought could only be done by humans. So our quality of life and surroundings will become less relevant for commuting and socialising for example.

We will be sitting at home, nothing to do, paid by the State, shopping delivered, admin done by pressing A, B, or C for our needs. No need for investment in anything because we will not need to drive or go anywhere. Travel and holidays will be replaced by AI virtual reality. We could get obese sitting around, but Mounjaro will be mandatory if you exceed a certain BMI. Schooling will be online by an AI tutor. Healthcare will be by robot. And so on.

I was just reading earlier that AI has now reached PhD levels of "knowledge" and ability. Watch this space.

Or we could volunteer, walk, garden, grow veg, read, spend time with family and friends, exercise, travel.
It doesn't have to be doom and gloom.

hattie43 · 12/08/2025 11:59

Milliejacksonhouseforsale · 11/08/2025 21:53

Hopefully Reform free and Farage and his ilk are a distant memory
Halt division and hatred.

I think the opposite . The worse people’s lives are for whatever reason the more they look to Reform .

Bambamhoohoo · 12/08/2025 11:59

askmenow · 12/08/2025 11:45

Never a truer word was said about the dire quality of those that are supposed to lead us.
We have a liar as a PM telling us the Chagos selloff would cost us £3.4bn over its lifetime, when in reality FOI docs say its £35bn! UK taxes are rising and Mauritians are having a no income tax year paid us....

We have Reynolds saying he's a solicitor when he never qualified.

We have thieving Reeves reportedly misrepresented her job title whilst working for the Halifax.

And what can you even say about that dolt Lammy! Not the sharpest knife in the drawer is he.
We are constantly fed inaccurate stats about the level of illegals entering the country and are just expected to swallow these lies and now The Online Safety Act attempts to shut us up.

Well....an uprising is coming now that the safety of women is being sold down the river by this inept, corrupt shower of shite!

And these are the people that Unis turned out...
The next 3 years are going to be painful because our leaders are soooo out of their depth.
People should listen the The Planet Normal podcast with Alison Pearson and Liam Halligan for enlightenment.
The way this country is living now is unsustainable.

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I’ve met and worked with David lammy. He is the most intelligent person I’ve ever met.

MyMauveWasp · 12/08/2025 11:59

MrsSkylerWhite · 12/08/2025 11:56

Good. Great pity that your adopted countrymen and women wouldn’t receive an equaly warm welcome in the UK.

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Agreed! 👍.. as a previous NHS worker and agreeing with another poster, the NHS would crumble without our immigrant recruits.

Dreamingofaswiminthesea · 12/08/2025 11:59

More children will have covid-induced behavioural and cognitive issues, more adults will become unable to work and people will still blame anything but covid for any of it!

ChildFreeAndOhSoHappy · 12/08/2025 12:03

Charlthg · 11/08/2025 22:13

In 3 years time, the country will be close to bankrupt. IMF will be preparing a package. The top rate taxpayers will have almost all left. The benefits gravy train will be off the tracks but still hurtling towards disaster. Illegal immigration will be even higher. There will be strikes every week, with the unions pretty much in charge of the dumpster fire that is this country.

And Reform will be preparing for power.

Enjoy folks.

Edited

Agree, it's not looking good. We are preparing to leave.

MrsSkylerWhite · 12/08/2025 12:04

hattie43 · 12/08/2025 11:59

I think the opposite . The worse people’s lives are for whatever reason the more they look to Reform .

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Sad but true.

MrsSkylerWhite · 12/08/2025 12:05

ChildFreeAndOhSoHappy · 12/08/2025 12:03

Agree, it's not looking good. We are preparing to leave.

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Where are you going? (pure nosiness 😁)

floormats · 12/08/2025 12:11

the problem is you get these asset owning working class bootlickers doing their outrage for them.

yeah, it's bizarre

Alexandra2001 · 12/08/2025 12:13

nearlylovemyusername · 12/08/2025 11:54

I'm in London. NHS - 90% are immigrants, at all levels, from admin to nurse to consultant. Possibly living here for a long time, but not British.
Get rid of them and NHS will collapse.
This is before we even start talking about retail, hospitality etc.

So they go, stop paying taxes, what do you do with all these UC and PIP claimants? force them back to work? how are you going to fund them?

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NHS England say 44% are non white in London.

And who knew a non white couldn't be British?

GC30 · 12/08/2025 12:13

I'm sure some people will call me a fascist, my husband certainly used to though has now started thinking similarly but I think welfare, except in genuine circumstances of mental health, disability, pensioners etc should cover just what people need ie housing, food, heating, clothing. So housing benefit should be paid straight to landlords, food benefit should be redeemable as some sort of food card at all major supermarkets so has to he spent on food, clothing similar. Giving chunks of cash to people who are able to work but would earn less than they get in benefits just doesn't provide the motivation to work, if people get what they need only on benefits then there is a motivation to work, so they can buy a new telly, handbags, cigarettes etc.

Again i am coming from a perspective of a teacher at a school where many parents do not work, children have torn uniform, rotten teeth, no breakfast and yet the parents are dressed in the latest trends, smoking their cigarettes with their smart phones. It is heartbreaking and frustrating.

But also think there needs to be more social support- sure start centres, adequate and meaningful access to mental health, skill ups for youth so have they confidence entering the job market and opportunities for thos with no experience.

MrsSkylerWhite · 12/08/2025 12:15

GC30 · 12/08/2025 12:13

I'm sure some people will call me a fascist, my husband certainly used to though has now started thinking similarly but I think welfare, except in genuine circumstances of mental health, disability, pensioners etc should cover just what people need ie housing, food, heating, clothing. So housing benefit should be paid straight to landlords, food benefit should be redeemable as some sort of food card at all major supermarkets so has to he spent on food, clothing similar. Giving chunks of cash to people who are able to work but would earn less than they get in benefits just doesn't provide the motivation to work, if people get what they need only on benefits then there is a motivation to work, so they can buy a new telly, handbags, cigarettes etc.

Again i am coming from a perspective of a teacher at a school where many parents do not work, children have torn uniform, rotten teeth, no breakfast and yet the parents are dressed in the latest trends, smoking their cigarettes with their smart phones. It is heartbreaking and frustrating.

But also think there needs to be more social support- sure start centres, adequate and meaningful access to mental health, skill ups for youth so have they confidence entering the job market and opportunities for thos with no experience.

There would very quickly be a black market in vouchers.

Charlthg · 12/08/2025 12:17

Bambamhoohoo · 12/08/2025 11:59

I’ve met and worked with David lammy. He is the most intelligent person I’ve ever met.

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Joke of the day.

MrsSkylerWhite · 12/08/2025 12:18

Charlthg · 12/08/2025 12:17

Joke of the day.

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Why. Do you know him, too?

Bambamhoohoo · 12/08/2025 12:18

GC30 · 12/08/2025 12:13

I'm sure some people will call me a fascist, my husband certainly used to though has now started thinking similarly but I think welfare, except in genuine circumstances of mental health, disability, pensioners etc should cover just what people need ie housing, food, heating, clothing. So housing benefit should be paid straight to landlords, food benefit should be redeemable as some sort of food card at all major supermarkets so has to he spent on food, clothing similar. Giving chunks of cash to people who are able to work but would earn less than they get in benefits just doesn't provide the motivation to work, if people get what they need only on benefits then there is a motivation to work, so they can buy a new telly, handbags, cigarettes etc.

Again i am coming from a perspective of a teacher at a school where many parents do not work, children have torn uniform, rotten teeth, no breakfast and yet the parents are dressed in the latest trends, smoking their cigarettes with their smart phones. It is heartbreaking and frustrating.

But also think there needs to be more social support- sure start centres, adequate and meaningful access to mental health, skill ups for youth so have they confidence entering the job market and opportunities for thos with no experience.

Helloooooooo 1997 called!! What benefits could all these healthy parents possibly be claiming to keep them in fags and big tellies eh?

paying housing benefit direct to landlords was abolished by the tories specifically so people would over time (likely generations) learn how to manage their own money.

Imagine being disabled or otherwise marginalised and NEVER learning to manage money- a basic skill- because you never handle any.
You collect your government cheese with you card and never make any independent decisions.

that is what leads to a dependent, lethargic unmotivated minority who bred further generations to do the same. That is the exact problem UC addresses.

you sound like you’ve barely thought about it. Maybe you’re just parroting what the clever husband thinks