Middle earners punished

[Eucalyptus321]

I am feeling so disheartened and frustrated by how middle earners are constantly suffering at the hands of ridiculous government priorities. My husband and I have a greater household income than other families we know but have less cash in hand due to increased taxes coupled with the fact we receive zero benefits like child benefit or tax free childcare etc. ZERO. If they want middle earners to fund the country thought tax then at least support us with childcare costs. It’s a joke that two parents earning £99k each get childcare funding but parents with one £101k salary and one £25k salary receive nothing. I just need to speak to people who understand the burden of raising a family amidst the current financial climate and then the potential of further tax rises!

how do you tell the difference?! And why are some poor people worthy but others aren't? Why should anyone have to discuss their life story to be deemed worthy of welfare support?

You are correct there should be a good level of income. However all industries are built on the backs of min wage workers therefore increased minimum wage increases fixed costs of all goods and services which make everything more expensive again and it's a vicious cycle.

Oh dear yes, the joys of globalisation.

Absolutely. For me, Labour came out of a proud working-class heritage of fighting for workers’ rights including pay and conditions and for greater social equality. The welfare state was a safety net not a lifestyle choice.

I think the issue is that taxes on higher earners keep increasing… but those paying for it aren’t seeing improvements in what the state provides, and are actually excluded from much of it.

Not being able to access childcare help has radicalised a lot of people IMO - in most other countries being taxed at this level, you’d have equal access to state funded childcare. In the UK you’re paying the high taxes but have to fund yourself privately too.

It’s not a very good deal!

Anyone earning £100k is by no means a middle earner. Even 2 people together on the median salary would be less than £80k. If you think £100k is middle earning then you are completely out of touch with reality. Do I relish paying more tax? Of course not, but we can afford it where others on median or less absolutely cannot and that's us being over the median but neither of us earn over £100k.

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This post perfectly sums up the root of the problem. Many many people are working as hard as they can in order to keep a roof over their head, some food on the table and make sure the children are safe. However, unfortunately the benefit system can be a more attractive option. This should not be the case
We need our middle learners to spend money in the economy so it can grow. if they are just taxed more then they don’t have that money to spend and the economy becomes even more of a mess. I’m finding it incredibly hard at the moment to watch this government demonstrate it simply doesn’t understand business economics because at the end of the day running a country is no different for running a large global corporate organisation.
i’m afraid that I think the time has come to have a frank discussion about the welfare estate and the NHS.

This is it in a nutshell. What Labour have now done is open the doors to Reform

So you don’t have marginal tax rates of 62% and over 100% when the withdrawal of child care is factored in? How would you feel if you did?

Quite frankly we were much better off with the Tories. Pointing out the absolute ineptitude of Labour is important, maybe if they managed the economy better than your average 5 year old would, the comments wouldn’t seem so “childish”. It was all so so predictable- it was clear they had zero policies that would be effective. Whoever voted for Labour has screwed over the country and paved the way for Reform to get in next. By that time the country will be so screwed people will be falling over themselves to vote for more and more extreme policies and a country so divided that I can see certain parts of the country being no go zones. I anticipate mass deportation along the lines of the US. Withdrawal from internationally treaties.I expect race riots to become common place.violent crime to explode..All this will lead to a massive curtailment of human rights. If I was a person in an ethnic minority I would be scared and probably leave the country. The Lefts agenda is pushing people to think in terms of us and them because it’s punishing the majority from every angle. It’s forcing people in the centre more to the right..

And?

You do realise that people on low incomes also work hard, long hours and have those same childcare costs right?

It’s this sort of thing. https://familyholidaycharity.org.uk/holidays/apply-funded-holiday
personally I wouldn’t begrudge someone this every three years. @hazelnutvanillalatte would you swap your life with your friends?

What's the fund called? Just the 'holiday fund'?

Didn't the government put up inflation to stop people spending? I thought we were all supposed to be spending less, for the economy to thrive? Could be wrong though, I found all that quite confusing at the time.

Exactly. But it's easy to believe the Tik-Tok hype, the frothing that a disabled person dares to drive a car, the he does on 5 foreign holidays a year and never works' hype than actually think...all whilst reducing their own contributions to the welfare state so they can put their own hands out. Poor people should, apparently, be ashamed of their poverty, no matter what their background, their education or circumstances that have put them where they are. Rich people - because that is what we are talking about - should never have to feel ashamed about reducing their tax liabilities to....gain a handout for themselves. And still they make excuses and pretend their behaviour is OK when the 40 hour a week on minimum wage single mum is expected to shut up and put up. It's beyond ridiculous.

And they only have themselves to blame.

But those who work 16 hours and no more (even when it isn't offered to them) and live off UC emphatically don't work harder .

In either case, this looks to be a charity and not a benefit, so shouldn't be where OPs taxes are going.

Oh, so a charity.

The government aren't paying for holidays then?

I didn't think so.

If your living beyond your means you will struggle because your on good earnings !
It's that simple !
Too many people seem to want the biggest house they can buy so both parents then have to work full time then the children have to go into a nursery !
If people bought a more normal sized home the mortgage would be smaller mum or dad could go part time even children might not need to go nursery .
I don't understand why everyone wants it all but is then complaining it's such a struggle live beyond your means if your earning good wages u don't need to struggle !
People on super low earnings their the ones who are really struggling so for u to say they don't understand is beyond me !

I do agree the cap should be based on household rather than individual earnings although I guess that's more complicated with blended families.

Having just been applying for jobs I can tell you that it is an employers market - they are advertising for position which need a degree, various levels of experience and knowledge and then "a competitive salary of £26K".

I think her point will be that the “poorer people” aren’t necessarily poorer at all