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.

I agree.

I have friends over 70 who still work, hairdressing, cutting lawns for people, delivering leaflets etc.

Dh was made redundant in May, we have found ourselves in the unfortunate position of claiming universal credit due to this, he has applied for over 50 jobs and still no luck. The universal credit we get doesn't even cover our bills each month (we have a mortgage to pay and get no help with that), luckily we had a bit in savings which we have to keep dipping in to each month to literally pay bills and eat.
I really do not think that cutting this benefit any more is the real issue here. We've paid in to the system all our lives and it doesn't support us properly (I don't expect us to be able to have luxuries, but literally be able to pay to live).
The real issue is the tax havens for the super rich, why isn't that being addressed? Why is it so easy for the rich to squirrel money away but the every day Joe is getting poorer and poorer.

Niether of those options. Tax WEALTH, not work! E.g. a tax on super rich, and remove tax loopholes for those super rich and big companies that pay little or no tax.
Listen to Gary's Economics (youtube), he talks sense

That number includes all retired people, students and long term sick/disabled. It says it right there at the top.

Presumably also includes stay at home parents.

I think that would be a really good starting point for the debate because virtually everybody is capable of working in some even limited capacity. Working can mean community work or helping charities. It doesn’t have to mean paid employment. Even sitting with someone who is lonely has a social outcome which helps everyone.
Paying people to do nothing is unhealthy in so many ways. Expecting people to be part of society benefits everyone.

The tax base is irrelevant to young people, building a life is what matters.

So, they can move, emigrate, work more. The cost of housing is irrelevant, they can move to cheaper areas, ore even cheaper countries. Granted Brexit has fuck up that for some. And the Renters aRights Bill has fucked up rent prices and made housing unaffordable, but that's another debate.

The point is that the young HAVE options that pensioners don't.

"cut benefits before increasing tax" literally means "make sure the poorest/most vulnerable starve and freeze rather than inconveniencing the comfortable" @Leett . They tried to cut the benefits bill already, in the failed bill a few months ago they had to row back on because the real impact of the proposed changes was spelled out as something no civilised country should do.

Personally, I'd rather they clamped down on the tax loopholes exploited by rich people and businesses before they raise tax. You are absorbing your information about who to blame for our troubles from the media sources owned anf controlled by the rich.

It's not either, or. Tax loop holes need to be closed. Cash in hand stamped down on. the benefits culture destroyed.

But the vast majority of us don’t.

you’re basically saying that to afford to live, we should all leave the UK. Which then screws the country over.

So they need to find work. There are plenty of roles now working from home. I'm a single mum and I've managed it for the last 17 years. Worked through chemo too.

Why am I expected to support someone else to stay at home as well?

Too many people are finding it too easy just not to bother.

Because it’s going to bankrupt the country long before I turn 80.

the pension age is rising faster and faster. At the rate it’s going, I’ll be lucky to get my occupational state pension before I turn 75.

Honestly, no and that's pretty grim.

I think the theory is that, if you are working, you have the option of increasing your earnings. As a pensioner, you don't have this option.
I am not saying I agree, I am just pointing out the theory.

I think you'd have to be an idiot these days to rely on a state pension to fund your retirement.

The papers always quote the revenue of tech giants to contrast with the amount of corporation tax they pay. They are taxed on profits, not revenue. They should pay more, but the amounts they should pay, whilst they sound huge, are peanuts compared to UK government spending. Big tech companies are possibly dodging £2-3 billion compared to government spending of £1.3 trillion. Yes, they should be paying more, but that doesn't solve the problem.

The government is spending about £1.13 for every £1 it raises in tax revenue, leaving a shortfall of over £140 billion a year. That gap has to be plugged somehow. If it isn't, the debt will keep growing and interest payments will form an ever-increasing part of government spending. It already accounts for 8% of government spending - almost as much as we spend on education.

I am not advocating any particular answer to the problem, but there is no magic money tree. We cannot continue forever with the government spending more than its income. Raising taxes on the rich and/or big companies will not bridge the gap. Either spending has to come down or taxes have to go up for all of us.

Which is exactly why I’m not.

But it’s hardly fair, is it? Pensioners get a huge amount of benefits that I will never be entitled to.

My point is that in this case cutting off your septic leg will not save your life, it will simply cause you to die under anesthesia. However, there is a powerful antibiotic that would save your life and your leg. But it's being hoarded to treat someone else's sore throat.

This. I'm sick of slogging my guts out working and juggling a family (we receive no benefits) while people receive benefits when they absolutely could be working or we subsidise people who have never worked.

No it isn't. The NHS as a govt body, has its own clinical negligence indemnity for staff who work for NHS bodies or in GP practices under the Clinical Negligence Scheme.

Privately owned employers have to buy commercial insurance, and it is prohibitively expensive for employees over 70s in many cases.

I suggest you check your facts

Yes, it's interesting. I asked once about an uncle in law who had very little in old age and the answer was that he had never earned enough to set up a private pension. He had little education so perhaps that was a factor too.
The people I know in this situation are in their late 70s +. Lack of financial education maybe? Different opportunities for women? A lifetime of low wages?

If cuts come, one sector's cuts will kill off another sector's income, no extra money, no high street spending, hospitality jobs go, unemployment rises.... the real issue is where what's already in the pot is going, and is it sustainable, is it being managed well? Think local authorities failing due to poor investments, paying for roles with no societal benefits, LA / Government pensions (DWP pays a 27.5% pension contribution plus decent salaries), those billionaire organisations not paying tax here, changing tax loopholes.... we need to stop bullying one another and ask whether the housekeeping paid already is being spent wisely? Having seen, firsthand, the waste in taxpayer's money, given to sub-contractors, if this is repeated UK wide, then there is an issue to solve and our government seems to think bullying one sector and generalisations about that sector is fine, it really isn't! Bullies don't stop unless you.make them, so pensioners today, benefits next, EHCP cuts.... let's stop and look at how we can make the UK better for all, not take chunks off each other due to our own circumstances! Remember tomorrow, you could easily be in another group in society if circumstances change, so the real question is why have financial inequalities got to this stage?

So many of us are. It needs to change. If you can afford to go on holiday whilst claiming benefits, you can afford for benefits to be cut, if you afford a fancy new iphone, you can afford for benefits to be cut. If you can afford to work a 3 day week, you can afford for benefits to be cut. We need to get cutting to save the country.

@ M0ntezuma
“Cutting free prescriptions and bus passes at 60 is a ridiculous idea.”

Why is it? You can pay for an annual prescription charge (£114.50) that will save you money if you need more than 11 prescriptions in a year, and if you are working, that’s not unreasonable. And the free travel pass at 60 only applies to those living in London who can avail themselves of free underground travel as well - for those of us living in the provinces, not only do we have far fewer buses available, but we also we have to wait until we reach pension age for a bus pass.

if you are working, you have the option of increasing your earnings.

Please tell the NHS this nurses have essentially had a pay cut year on year since I started working as it's never kept up with inflation.