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!

my DS in his late 20s earns £42k in a job where he works 10 hour days. You obviously mix in some very wealthy circles.

Hmmm. I think there’s a line at which it then feels like it is.

How long ago was this? Has that £100k been inflated away since yours were little? I assume so.

What happened to one off tax hikes after the last budget?

The ‘wipe the slate clean’ and that was it.

Course he was. Course they did.

it sure feels like it when Labour are busy pissing it up against a wall and have zero ability to do anything but destroy the country

I don't mind paying tax.
I do mind working in a highly responsible/stressful public sector job but having a lower net income than someone who has made it a lifestyle choice to never work more than 16 hours a week

No it can’t. The vast immigration seen over the past 5 years has had all sorts of negative consequences including record poll ratings for a right wing populist party, increased racial tension and significant increases in welfare claimants.

And don’t say some mythical points system will sort it as that led to the Boriswave

Punitive is what it is.

christ, talk about entitlement....people on benefits deemed entitled but tax payers (many of who are also on benefits of some kind) should have their hands shaken wherever they go? hilarious.

They are talking about multimillionaires and billionaires though. Not about people who have just enough put by to cover retirement.

I get some of what you mean OP and actually Martin Lewis has shown the same thing the drop off between 100k and 120k does mean people have more expenses because its not tapered.

I'm in Scotland where tax is higher I do pay considerably more per year then my English colleagues.
I'm not at the 100k mark (quite a bit below) and we don't have under 3s nursery funding (unless on benefits then it's 2s funding). Everyone in Scotland gets 3s 30 hours though I think partially because they don't want the paperwork!

I do however get annoyed at the continuous rhetoric that I should always pay more, shoulder more burden. I live in a 2 bedroom house and drive a 10 year old car!
People always view the salary as wooaaahhhhh that's loads not taking tax into account so although it's good it's never double that take home pay of someone on 48k.

I'm watching the budget for salary sacrifice element as I do AVCs as although I have a generous pension it's linked to state pension age which for me will probably be way into I'm 70!

One set of people paying the tax is punitive and short sighted. If everyone wants better services, everyone should pay. That’s how Scandi countries manage it, by charging low earners more for the services they use, after all, they are more likely to need them.

There’s still a few who want to pay more on here, they can, go for it.

Yes and a lot of them will be receiving UC towards their childcare and housing and/or living in low cost social housing. If you pay for everything yourself, you need a significant income. Some of my colleagues are paying up to £3k in childcare for ONE child.

Why is it positive for women to throw away their careers and their financial security because their husband doesn’t believe he is equally financially responsible for the cost of their children’s care?

Exactly
That's the crux of it.

You need an enormous income to have the same lifestyle as someone getting subsidised everything

Life happened. Trump waded in with his stupid tariffs unbalancing the global economy, he also made it clear that Russia is Europe's problem now. We have to increase our defence spending.

I'm not loyal to any party but can see the issues. Labour are trying to appeal to everyone and pleasing no one which is problematic.

This has always been my response to men who say it’s not ‘worth’ their wife working as ‘her’ salary is less that childcare costs. Such a sexist and ridiculous way of looking at childcare.

Labour aren’t trying to appeal to me.

How do you think we should find the money to psy for essential public services then? I’m sorry but I just think these posts about being punished for paying g tax when you are earning amazing amounts of money are just not operating in the real world. I’m sure you all have food in the table, nice houses, nice cars, can afford good quality clothes. But apologies about the £150 theatre tickets. Must be devastating. People cut their cloth accordingly usually and I’m pretty sure you are not shopping in aldi at that wage bracket. Once they are out of nursery things will get better, it’s a tough time for all parents. This too shall pass.

Only one person in seven earns £50k or more. So that's still not the middle. And £100k is top 4%.

My friend that is not wealthy in London and it’s suburbs!

Tariffs didn’t do as much as initially thought. Even Reeves has dropped using it as a justification and they would if they could.

Labour happened. They hit growth at the last budget and now need more.

It has always been like this in this country. Those who make an effort are penalised. Not only that but the sneering and envy if you make some money through your own efforts and enterprise. Anyone who has made any money must have it taken off them right away.