The autumn budget should cut benefits before increasing tax

[Leett]

There is talk of Labour breaking their election pledge and increasing income tax by 2p. I doubt they'd do that because voters will revolt. However they need to do something with the state pension due to increase by 4.7% next year.
I really hope they cut benefits / pensions before the deciding to increase taxes.

It matters because no doubt you are living outside the parameters of anything to do with a life on benefits

Although I agree you risk more businesses shutting down leading to job loses and higher unemployment

There are threads from people whose adult dc are desperate for a job and I feel for them, Labour hasn’t helped with NI tax. We need more jobs not fewer.

I’m not a high earner by any stretch, and I certainly don’t live in a mansion — just a modest 3-bed. If council tax were suddenly replaced with something three times the amount, we’d probably end up starving.

But making pensioners die in poverty? Honestly, that’s vile. Some people here clearly have an image of pensioners (maybe media-fuelled) as these wealthy boomers living it up. I don’t know those people. The ones I know are on state pensions — and it’s crap. Imagine all your income slashed down to that, mortgage magically gone, rent gone too. Now “enjoy” your golden years. Add in multiple health issues, and the fact you’re paying £100+ a month just on prescriptions.

I just can’t get past the sheer hatred aimed at pensioners. Sure, my NI contributions fund them. But watching them drop dead in misery isn’t going to make me feel better.

If it were me, I’d raise income tax by 2% and make child benefit genuinely means-tested against total family income. That would hit me directly, but at least it’s fair. Going after pensioners? That’s just nasty

I am a Deputy for a disabled relative who requires 24 hour care. I AGREE 100%, it is ridiculous the admin involved in getting his benefits when people with anxiety and other minor issues in comparision are getting benefits. If you want to see a huge scam look up MOTABILITY scheme, it is ridiculously abused!!

Agreed!

WOW, you are a stone cold bitch with no idea what it is actually like to have no other choice but to rely on benfits.

Mum had a major brain injury 15 years ago. Will never be able to work again. Her benefits barley cover the rent and some bills- I buy her food, heating etc.

Child benefit does not qualify you to make sweeping statements on benefits in general.

As you know so much you wouldn't get benefits for "minor issues"

For those who could have worked, this with bells on.

It’s a shame that those who voted for Brexit, cheering from the rooftops when we left the EU were so short sighted not to realise that a lot of the Europeans who came to the UK to work in the coffee shops, restaurants or retail were paying into the system but then wouldn’t take anything out as they got older because they’d have returned home. The loss of them has caused a massive deficit.

This is not true! I am aware of people who abuse the system, mainly under guise of anxiety. They are claiming then get their nails, Botox etc done go out clubbing!!!

Most pensioners aren’t well-off. And as they live longer, that gets worse. I honestly get depressed at how anti-OAP the usual MN-er is - and I am NOT a pensioner. Neither do I receive benefits, but I do think those need to be trimmed in certain areas, although how to do it so you weed out the lazys and don’t oenalise those genuinely in need I have no idea.

Getting corporations to pay tax won't completely solve the problem, but that doesn't mean it's not worth doing. "Oh no, we'll only get £1 to £2 billion out of them". So what? They should be paying it, even if a billion pounds or whatever is considered a pittance.

But nah, let's go after pensioners.

Agree entirely!

It's a vicious circle.

Your son might not be able to find work if companies are cutting jobs because of the badly handled NI insurance rises, the new employment laws and the many missed investment opportunities because investors are worried about what might come in the future.

So you rely on benefits, but to pay for those tax needs to go even higher, because the receipts are falling, and when receipts a falling further cuts in hiring are made.

And here we all are, all of us unhappy, because we pay more and more in tax and Ni contributions and get less and less in services.

Doom spiral in action.

So you think all cleaners, carers, retail workers should become accountants, executives, computer programmers?
Cleaners and carers were invaluable during covid, and still are.

Actually I think people realise that whatever happens with pensions now, young people won’t get them in the future.

I think “protect pensions now so that you get them in the future” is a false argument. There are many good reasons to not cut pensions, but no 20 year old will believe you if you say “protect them now so that they’re still there for you”. They won’t be.

So you'll get some pennies from it then.

Because you are both probably earning reasonably well and can afford to lose the Child Benefit, but would lose quite a bit if they increased taxes! Each to their own I suppose!

We pay more tax in Scotland and the sky hasn’t fallen in. England could use an income tax hike for higher earners and more higher bands for the extremely wealthy in the South East.

Absolutely cut benefits first. Once that has been done then yes they probably should start looking at pensions.

To confirm, your stance is that you want the government to cut child benefit?

I literally can't pay anymore tax.... they need to help out families and young people not pensioners and benefit-lifers.
They also need to tax massive companies and make sure companies pay living wages so we don't have to pay people in work benefits.
We need to scrap the hotel+taxi system for asylum seekers.
We need to scrap private school+taxis for kids who can't / won't use mainstream schools.
We need to stop privatising the NHS but make it work better not harder.
Stop free bus passes for over 60's who are in work and at the top of the pay scale.

You save before you spend.

And emigration has been part of the history of a lot of countries, for decades people camr to the UK. Now it's our turn to be the ones to leave.

Do people even think before they type? I mean absolutely young people should leave but that won't boost the countries economic prospects!

Then why would anybody work?
Unfortunately iving comfortably on benefits with all your time to yourself was the life alot of people opted for until UC conditionality and the 2 child cap were brought in.