Resentment at 100k

[Arseholeneighbours]

Theres a lot of vitriol spilt towards people being “high earners” at 100k and over. As net contributors, and most likely having made sacrifices, stresses and difficult life decisions, there’s many judgements about life choices , expectations and living within one’s means. What is the motivation to push forward in a career and to try and be as successful as one can if there’s no personal gain? It’s all well and good saying those with the broadest shoulders should take on the most - but to what end?

I can’t say I had a problem pre kids! But now paying 4K per month on nursery fees having surpassed the arbitrary 100k cut off it’s not quite so easy

I've told my kids what happens if they don't work hard at school. A life on minimum wage. Not something anyone aspires to.

But even so, the after tax income isn't horrendous right? You can make do. Especially if you pick up extra shifts, or do some extra stuff on the side. If you budget hard enough, you can make do.

Personal responsibility

They might be forgiven by you, but at any moment they might get into an accident or develop a serious illness which costs the NHS huge amounts to treat and means they will never work again, at which point they might feel a bit more grateful for the fact that it's free at the point of use for everyone. Or they might use their common sense before that and be grateful that they don't need millions of pounds of NHS treatment. Anyone on PIP payments whilst going through life-prolonging treatment for terminal cancer would be very happy to swap places, not need the use of the NHS and instead "only" keep 2/3 of a £100k.

Small amount more, then small amount more, then small amount more...

I didn’t say I was angry and I did not come across as angry l but I did feel your tone was snarky. I’ve got far better things to be angry about than any comment you may make 😆

@JLou08 'I don't think anyone would consciously chose a life on benefits'

Don't be so bloody naive!

Not everyone gives a shit about their future, let alone their children's. They live for the now. Some people are just lazy, fact.

THEY ALREADY PAY THE MOST

@Arseholeneighbours Annoying but that won't be forever - successful and happy people play the long game. Also I assume you wanted small children and understood they cost money?

They have the most. Why are we yelling? 😂

I’ll reserve the right to value some jobs more than the market does. Markets aren't the b-all and end-all.
Careers, nurses, classroom teachers (not an exclusive list) are massively valuable professionals but their pay doesn’t reflect their hard work and sacrifice.

Did you now.

My friend is on minimum wage. Last year, her husband suddenly and unexpectedly died in his sleep at the age of 38. Two small children, one in Reception, one at nursery. The life insurance didn't pay out on a technicality. She's got a mortgage to pay. There was no way she could carry on in her previous role as the hours don't fit in which childcare, so she's retraining and in the meantime she's working a minimum wage job, whilst dealing with overwhelming grief, both of herself and her children who are now terrified that she might also die unexpectedly. All made more difficult by the fact they are both autistic.

I'm sure she'd really appreciate you coming over to tell her she should have worked harder at school, could pick up some extra shifts and do some extra stuff on the side. After all, she's only working from 8am-8pm every single day and outside those hours being a sole carer for 2 disabled children, she's obviously very lazy and just needs to take personal responsibility.

That said there is a bit of an oddity around £200k - £125k re: marginal tax rates and it does need sorting.

Also, I don’t agree that we do all work as hard as each other. Someone working in a supermarket 40 hours a week is not up until 2 o clock in the morning working and worrying. Nor do they have the extreme stress that often comes with a higher paid role. They aren’t answering emails all evening and weekends. They don’t have to work even when they are on holiday. We do not all work the same, we don’t all make the same sacrifices and it’s silly to suggest otherwise.

BECAUSE THEY EARN THE MOST.

I don't get why that is so hard to comprehend.

I also don't get why/how they are unable to see just how privileged they are compared to people living on much less.

I pay tax. Admittedly, I don't pay anywhere near as much as OP, but I don't bedgrudge what I do pay, because even though I live in a shithole that is literally falling down around me, and even though it costs around £20 a day to heat and keep dry because of issues I am not allowed to fix even though I want to, I still recignise that my life, on £30k p/a is a lot easier than someone on NMW relying on tops and being at the whim of government. Or than someone who is disabled.

I can afford to heat my home. Many people cannot.

Swings and roundabouts.

I work in a senior managerial role. I don’t stand up for 12 hours a day. I may be tired at the end of the day, but there’s no blisters on my feet and it’s not physical exhaustion.

I can WFH, you can’t do that in a supermarket. I’ve literally just been to an event at my child’s school, in the middle of the day - no doing that in the middle of your shift at Tesco.

There are lifestyle benefits to being a higher earner, in some cases, and you wouldn’t get them in most NMW roles.

Yep- I got paid a lot less than I do now as a teacher and I can confirm I was about 20x more stressed and working at least double the hours.

I was a teacher for 5 years, moved into education recruitment and now work as an OPs Director for the same.

I can confirm I absolutely worked more hours as a teacher, none of those extra were paid, and I didn’t get a bonus as a result of them either.

I don’t mind paying the tax that I do and neither does DH because we are no where near the breadline. I think a big issue is overstretching on whatever budget you are on. So people on 100k plus who are spending every penny and more are feeling much more hard done to that those not overstretching. I think most of my friends would be quite shocked at mine and DHs combined income as we aren’t flash with it. We have no mortgage and had no childcare costs as I was a SAHP for 8 years. We live in a modest house for our income but we have no debt, good pensions and savings and don’t worry about money. If you spend everything you have regardless of what that is life is always going to feel precarious and work life balance will suffer. To suggest I’ve somehow worked harder than someone on a lower income is wrong. Genetics have blessed me with an academic brain that means I’ve been able to get the type of job I have that happens to pay well. If that means I pay more tax then I am happy to be in that situation.

I am very very sorry that her husband passed away and that her children no longer have a dad. It's horrible the life insurance didn't pay out.

I do believe welfare should exist for the disabled, those with disabled children and to temporarily support those who have suffered an extreme horrible shock in life. Obviously she needs support. I made a rash, general ill-advised comment. I hope that these sorts of situations are very very rare and are an exception.

My son told me last night that just about ''everyone'' in London earns £100 thousand now and they expect more. He works for a usa company.

im not denying i am in a privaledged position. Just that there is a clear road block for progression. Perhaps when my kids are out of nursery I wont care again, but that doesnt mean i cant highlight a policy issue

This EXACTLY

If you pay into the system for a long time or pay a lot of tax, it is like paying insurance. Do you feel gratitude towards your insurance company? Sure, it is a relief when they pay out and you accept that you might not have to claim when others will need to, but no one pretends it is free or goes around saying how grateful they are to insurance companies.

You may have responded to this already, apologies if so.

Is there a different policy decision you’d support?

I think it’s inevitable that those who earn over a certain amount would lose that benefit, but personally I’d taper it - and start doing so at an earlier salary.

Try being ill in a supermarket job. Try needing to have adjustments made. Try asking if you can finish half an hour early so you can see your kids nativity. Try having to make gp appointments around your working hours so you arent docked pay. Try having a bereavement and knowing a few hours to go to the funeral will be unpaid. Try being spat at. Shouted at. Coughed on. Working in a freezing environment. Having to help with heavy deliveries because "any other reasonable duties within your remit". Dirty old men wiggling cucumbers at you while you laugh like its the first time you've heard that joke.

Try saying no to being asked to do extra hours with a few hours notice to cover for Janet when its in your contract overtime is mandatory.

Never being allowed Christmas off. Holidays being cancelled. Shifts changed to shitty hours.

Like fuck would I ever work in retail again. At least when im up til midnight working extra by choice im in my pj's in a warm house knowing i could turn my laptop off any time and just get up earlier to finish off.

That being said, anyone regularly having to work til 2am is clearly struggling with their role - whether capability or resource wise - so should raise this with their employer.