Fuck it - the government will look me

[Phonicshaskilledmeoff]

I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the way our country is run. I love my country, but what on earth can I do to fix it? the Rachel reeves pension and stamp duty rumours have tipped me over the edge.

I believe 90% of our lives is the summation of our own choices. Bar (some of) our own (and families) health and tragic life events, there is very little we can’t choose in this country.

I’m not saying that the playing field is fair - I absolutely acknowledge that some groups face structural barriers that make good choices harder. Others are unaware those choices even exist. That’s where government should step in—not to equalise outcomes, but to equalise access to meaningful choice.

I think we all acknowledge that bad governments are ones that take away choices. This government, however is also taking away choice by incentivising bad choices. Policies should nudge people toward self-sufficiency, not make state reliance easier than self-reliance, or rewarding short-term decisions over long-term

Our Government should be working towards equitable availability of choice (not equal - see below) to make sure those choices are as easy and available to everyone. Policies should be in place to make sure people are encouraged to make the right choices.

I increasingly feel like I make the right choices and think what was the bloody point!

I’m going to wish I never paid into my pension soon and went on holiday instead! Should I just spend my money, move into a smaller house and quit my job. At this point I think I’d be better off.

Jargon Buster - EQUALITY - It’s assumed there is a level playing field and everyone gets the same resources. EQUITY - Everyone gets what they need to succeed, which may mean different levels of support.

Why? When it can be used to help their mobility needs in other ways?

If it's too much money, quit your job and claim it.

They came for the ‘rich’, those who could afford private school, private sector workers. Now it is people in fairly average jobs and the disabled. You vote in a party who has the type of divisive rhetoric Labour have, this is what happens.

@Legolava I really don't see labour as any more divisive than the previous tory government who did a fair bit of benefit bashing themselves & freezing the tax bands targeted a fair proportion of those on average salaries.

Yet a quarter of all new cars are leased through taxpayer funding. So it’s not exactly rare, is it.

The costs of each of those options have such wildly different price tags though, surely (given this is taxpayer money) more care needs to be taken in the cash allocation dependent on the reality of the needs of the disabled person?

Yes it’s so engrained. We’ve created a problem, idk why that was wanted but it’ll be incredibly difficult to reset expectations.

I never claimed it was. Just that using it for a car is optional.

To which I would add that very often those higher earners aren't relying on NHS or state education, which makes their higher contribution even more contributory.

@Calliopespa do you really think that? We have a decent income but use state education & whilst we use private healthcare for certain things I still use the NHS & did so for my births. My peers are similar.

Perhaps you are talking about those who earn a lot more but then tbf some of those won't be on paye.

Isn’t the website that helps people know what benefits they can claim actually called Entitled? I swear it’s something like that 🤣

So. Disabled people are getting bashed if they get PIP and use it to lease a car. Disabled people are getting bashed if they get PIP and don't use it to lease a car.

I am off to spend my Carer's Allowance* on some nice wine to help me cope with this madness.

*Which I pay tax on. Am I a only a semi-scrounger?

No. I think the pain would be spread out.
I think retirement age would increase though, and we’d wave bye bye to free bus passes etc and the Triple Lock.
Over the coming years, State Pensions will disappear. It’s inevitable. Thankfully most people now have private pensions. Those who don’t should be fearful.

An expensive and egregiously frivolous option.

OP accidentally left in a long dash!

@Legolava I have said for years on here that child benefit & "free" childcare should be universal. The cliff edges are stupid and one reason I have stayed part time. DH doesn't bother doing much overtime because again not worth it when accounting for tax. It definitely harms productivity.

A few key differences to those economies people want to emulate are: higher taxes on lower and middle earners, time limited welfare and universal incentives

As i said I don't see how we increase taxes at the lower end with the distorted housing market.

Well you wouldn’t but they are. It started off with VAT on school fees. It was ok to whip up hate against the rich. Ironically, we are outliers there. It has just made private schooling more elitist than ever. Then they targeted the pensioners, then the disabled. They backtracked. Then employers, business and the private sector. Now it is anyone in a fairly normal job who has worked their way up and got a degree. Oh, not forgetting anyone who saves for a pension. The kite flying is on purpose so all of those groups turn their anger to welfare claimants and it then gives them the mandate to cut. Clever if it wasn’t going to scorch the Earth economically.

Not true actually. DNiece had a child at 19- father walked away.

She was housed, supported whilst at college part-time & child care provided. She then went to university. She worked & then did a post-grad. She's now a primary teacher, married with another child & a mortgage- paying taxes & giving back to society.

She had a choice & was able to take it. I'm not saying everyone can, but she & others are given that choice.

Sums it all up really. Everyone is entitled to other people’s money. It’s like they feel they have a right to it. You will give me your money or I will call you names.

@Swiftie1878 absolutely the triple lock would go, it should be paused now.

However I simply replied to @WildLimePoet posts saying I didn't think we are near the point of an IMF bailout which would then result in stopping the state pension. She much think you are as stupid as me now!

Do you think we might be less overweight if the fast food chains were not bombarding us with adverts. Or the hospital where my son works in A and E had not just installed a Greggs or we taught kids in school how to cook and not food tec?

Choices are not always clear cut and down to the individual.

Agree.

I said upthread I don’t want to return to the days of shame I felt as a child but when I stayed with foster carers I thought “I want this”.

Yes, how apt.

Considering we’ve just established a large portion of the population are in receipt of benefits to survive why do you think ‘most people’ would have private pensions or enough private work place pension for a comfortable retirement ?

But Rachel from accounts has decided to tax salary sacrifice. Which means people will save far less. And employers will also reduce/remove this because it will cost them NI.

So this thick as mince chancellor and government strikes again. Disincentivize the taxpayers from even saving for their own retirement to take their money so it can go to those who feel they have a right to your money instead.

But does that change my point that plenty of them are?

Well she’s right in that it COULD happen! I’m just a little more optimistic than that, obviously.