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.

@Rrfdssf pause the triple lock for one.

I've just suddenly realised after seeing it three times this morning on different threads that I want PPs who make a statement then add "No?" at the end of it to fuck off.

Im being flippant, however- My mortgage would be much smaller/gone, I wouldn’t be worried about this weird stamp duty charge and the government wouldn’t take it for care charges/ inheritance when we’re gone.

Im not talking about living on benefits.

When I read about macroeconomics I hear a lot about "Keynesian stimulus"

I wouldn’t be worried about this weird stamp duty charge and the government wouldn’t take it for care charges/ inheritance when we’re gone.

Why do people think they should have to pay for their care though?

should not

You know what’s going to happen now though, no??

Oh dear OP, I don't think you're quite understanding this poster's issues.

I actually don’t disagree with the idea. I’m just saying I’m incentivised downsize and spend.

No I don’t think I do

Why ARE you worried about that?

You sell your house, give up work, go on benefits, move to a smaller house.

You still don't have an inheritance.

You don't get to live in the big house.

You HAVE the big house and well paid job so it's a definite option for you. Give it a wee try.

Do you think there are people surviving on benefits living in council houses who can think to themselves 'dyou know, maybe I'll stop being on benefits, work in marketing on 100k and buy a 4 bed house in surrey' and have a realistic option to do that? If they could dyou think they'd then go 'nah, better not, stamp duty is looking a bit tricky' ffs

@Rrfdssf I don't think that theory works with years of low growth & wage stagnation & now high inflation

😂

Fuck off.

I’m not sure I hundred per cent follow but I think I agree to some extent. I am a single parent having left a very toxic relationship (didn’t see a single red flag until we had a baby, just for anyone rolling out the very constructive “shouldn’t have had kids with a bastard” advice 🙄).

The government are happy to give me UC to top up my minimum wage job indefinitely it seems but they won’t pay me UC if I go to university to study an extremely vocational, in-demand degree for a couple of years (I was actually hoping to do part time masters, part time working, studying in the evenings so I would still be bringing in some cash but I was told a hard no, if I’m studying I’ll get nothing). Student loans wouldn’t cover it so I’m back to the drawing board.

What choices do you want? Your posts are very vague. Please provide some hard examples that can be analysed.

The issue is that there seem to be more people who want to break and take from the system than there are people who want to build and contribute

Isn't this issue? More people, including pensioners, taking from the UK purse, it's been a steady shift in this direction over the last 20 years. This isn't supposed to make those in need defensive as solutions have to be found.

So far the only solutions are aimed at taxing those who are already struggling, which might be appropriate for the immediate black hole however the Gov also needs to encourage a culture of greater resilience so that the reliance on Gov is reversed.

Ultimately people will need to be more self reliant because the UK is falling down the economic tables so therefore can't sustain current situation.

I think you raise a very important issue. They shouldn’t be able to make choices that involve not supporting their children.
I cannot believe how easy it is for them to not pay or pay the bare minimum- particularly when self employed. It’s unbelievable- I have no idea what the solution would be though. It’s just so wrong. You should be able to claw back any money that enters his account.

More people, including pensioners, taking from the UK purse, it's been a steady shift in this direction over the last 20 years. This isn't supposed to make those in need defensive as solutions have to be found.

@Phonicshaskilledmeoff that is the issue

what I see right now is disabled people remaining in poverty with very little opportunity to get out of that position. Few choices

have a think about what it might mean to be disabled. For some, a simple adjustment like a ramp to the door or a hearing loop installed might be enough to keep someone in work. However, for others, life is complex, ruled by pain, medical appointments, medication regimes, associated therapies, flair ups, frequent night waking etc etc. For these people, being an employee is difficult - both for the employer and employee. You want to be reliable but can’t get out of bed today? You want to be reliable but your hospital consultant wants to see you weekly for the foreseeable? How does this impact on business need? Lots of employers are sympathetic but can’t risk an employee they need to pay full time but who might go through months of only being able to realistically work half the time.

You cannot work consistently well when in pain or on 2 hours sleep. Having a disability limits your choices. There is legislation to try to combat this but it is a tough thing to negotiate, wherever you are standing. More flexibility is required in the workplace, absolutely, but that must be balanced with buisness need as well. No easy answers.

I need you to really focus on what I say here.

You clearly have children, so you have experienced how having children makes things harder. Therefore you're willing to accept they make things harder. Despite children and when you have them being a choice (fwiw my background and unwillingness to raise kids in poverty meant we waited until our 30s to have kids, which almost meant we couldn't have them and for others will mean they can't have them, your privilege sings from you)

You don't realise how much of a safety net you've been afforded from birth by having middle class parents.

You don't realise how much worrying about poverty puts you in a stressed headspace as a child and effects your whole life even when the poverty is overcome

You don't realise the disadvantages others face because eyouev not faced them.

Now take your knowledge that being a parent makes things harder, narrows choices and just extrapolate that thought process to how childhood poverty, abuse, disability. Lack of educational support, leaning difficulties etc etc etc make things harder.

You will then see most people's lives are no 90% choice. For the privileged few like yourself they are.

@Poppingby you mentioned a lot about choices being dictated by society, which frankly I find really worrying

I'm wondering if that's a common view

i'm a single child free woman for a start so perhaps I'm not designed to be affected too much by societal pressure

The nanny state that I worried about (under Tony Blair) may have come home to roost... along with a bunch of other problems that track back to there.

But I hear academics say austerity from the Tories was bad, they should have done stimulus

They have made such a mess of it that I genuinely believe the only way out is universal income (yes universal!) and a tax rate of 50% on all wages.

I’m in two minds really. Overall, if you are a middle income worker who is able to pay into a work pension you will more than likely have a better life overall than someone on benefits.

Of course there are degrees of this - a 3 hour commute in all weather versus not working and just getting up when you like. Paying ££££s in child care versus looking after your own DC and getting “free” nursery hours etc etc. Bug if anyone wants to live solely on benefits, they presumably can stop working and do so???

What does annoy me though is the homogeneous “pensioners” that must be looked after at all costs. Some pensioners are poor, some are rich. But you can be a work shy man/woman your whole life and people resent you for being a benefits scrounger then you hit 65 and suddenly your a vulnerable soul that must be looked after! Does my head in.

Wish I knew that the answer is but one thing is for certain -we must look to cut welfare/benefits costs in some way. That is completely unsustainable.

I think because there’s so many things they should be doing but aren’t. The lady above this post provides a good example.

(Example not specific to the above lady, I have no idea what she earns)
The man is incentivised to walk out and not look back, leaving the family in financial difficulty. That family then ends up with so few choices to claw back to feeling financially comfortable. That woman is disincentivised from doing better at work because she will loose childcare payments and benefits. Maybe she even goes part time because it’s bloody hard being a single mum with no help.
There should be better policies that claw money back from him. There should be policies that are based on household income not individuals that don’t make her lose her child benefit. There should be opportunities to enable her to train into a new position without her children starving.