to be fed up of hearing 'I've worked hard for my money'

[newbluesofa]

Lots of chat on MN recently about taxes on high earners. So heard lots of 'we have this money because we work bloody hard for it' and honestly I'm sick of it and think the people who say it are selfish.

Nurses work incredibly hard, long shifts, difficult job. Carers provide absolutely essential service, again shift work, difficult hours, difficult job. Teachers provide essential work, I know multiple teachers and they all devote evenings, weekends, school holidays to the detriment of their own families. All of these jobs also have huge emotional tolls. So 'I've worked hard for my money' means nothing to me, because a lot of people work a lot harder for a lot less.

Not true, my best friend is a consultant psychiatrist and is often attacked and has been chased with a knife more than once around the ward. Yes she earns more than 100K and has been frightened for her life after being attacked by some patients. So being a high earner also comes with high stress. Earning those salaries does take a toll on physical and mental health. My own father was in a very senior high stress job, he died of a massive heart attack at 54. I did inherit well but I would rather have had my parent live longer. He worked hard, got paid very well but it took him to an early grave. So yes I have money he left me but that is bitter sweet. So I have missed out on my father being present for my wedding, the birth of my children and other important events in my life. So no I am not lucky but I am grateful for the sacrifices my dad made.

Well I didn't want to type an essay as I'm watching stranger things with friends, but essentially yes. The world is not a level playing field and at some point you need to pay your advantage forward.

I’m a police officer, so is my husband, we have both missed birthdays, Christmases, anniversaries, new years, had days off cancelled with no notice, we both work shifts, long hours, often off late, have to give the first 30mins of any Overtime worked (from a normal shift) to the king (which means if we work 7-4 but finish at 5pm we only get paid 30 mins OT). the job has had an emotional toll on both my husband and I, dealing with death, rape, knife crime, gun crime, gang crime, trying to make a difference and to help people. I have worked in the public sector paying 13.4% of my salary (I do not have a say in this) into my salary sacrifice pension, that pension by the way is no longer final salary, we now also have to work 35 years to receive the full pension not the original 30years we signed up for. Just this year I’ve been spat at in my face, been punched, pushed over (resulting in a broken wrist), which only one has gone to court and I was awarded £50 compensation.

We are both apparently “high earners”. We do not get any child benefit and neither of us earn over £100K! In fact we are actually still paid around 28% under inflation due to the previous pay freezes!

I quite frankly risk my life every time I go to work, I risk being assaulted on duty. So yes I work bloody hard for my money and I will let people know about it I’m asked! I’m not selfish in anyway, the job I do doesn’t allow me to be selfish.

Couldn't agree more.

We ALL work hard. Almost everyone.

Yes, there's a small minority of shirkers but to be honest the amount of effort they put into avoiding work seems like they may as well work. I do know a couple of people who really do take the piss with benefits and don't have any intention of working, but I think they are a really small percentage of the people who are getting help.

Someone earning £100k has obviously worked hard, but so has someone earning £40k and a lot of people earning £20k.

Sorry! Did I venture into a thread exclusively zoned for downtrodden black people?

Thank you! The rhetoric on MN really seems to be that most wealthy people have pulled themselves up from their bootstraps, as if there isn't an entire class of people whose families have been rich buddies for generations
We all have one thing in common...we want the best for our children. The difference is what we believe we need to give them most to prepare them for the future.

What many call 'privileged' is families who have once chosen, or are now chosing money as a high priority. This almost inevitably comes at the cost of giving them the wealth of their time.

It is wrong to think that parents who choose to prioritise the wealth of time over money should be entitled to also give their kids the same privileges as those who have prioritise financial wealth.

As a single mum, I prioritised money and with that, giving my kids some privileges. For that I had to work FT, commute for 3 hours a day, and accept a constant life of mental stress that came with each promotions I took. I don't regret it because they are both on very good paths and are very happy. We also have a great bond, but I lost out of precious time with them.

I would say that mums who get to spend more time with their kids as they grow up are extremely privileged too, just in a different way.

Social workers, nurses have been mentioned as hard working professions yet not highly paid. They can be though. Many of the high paid NHS managers started as nurses. They however opted for roles that required more responsibilities. If/when something goes wrong, unless it is through criminal negligence, the person who will be blamed and take the shit is the manager. That's why they are paid more.

I hear you op
I just don’t know why everyone can’t just be respected for what they do
we can’t all be ceos
the country wouldn’t be able to work that way

we need people that produce food pack food, work in supermarkets, deliver things nurses teachers
bin people sewer people
road makers

why have we learnt nothing from lockdown about how we are ALL important and needed

Wtf?!

Sorry, forgive my ignorance on that one. I had no idea a psychiatrist could earn that much.

Have to say, I do have regrets about starting this thread as other posters are right, this is exactly what the wealthy elite want, everyone fighting amongst themselves.

In the content of the super rich, earning 100/200k is nothing. It's the super wealthy elite we should be uniting against (though some people disagree and think we should just be grateful they're here to exploit us)

I'm just so sick of the attitude where everyone's just out for themselves. We've lost all sense of community in this country. It's so sad to see and to raise my children in it. But starting a divisive thread like this is no solution. I'm just tired.

What on earth

For heavens sake, the top levels of every profession even nursing earn roughly £80K with seniority, responsibilities and experience. Teachers too, just not at the entry level.

I think these assumptions are why people like my husband (high earners by taking risks, hard graft and resilience) get frustrated and pissed off...

We moved in our twenties - my husband prior to meeting him (due to working two jobs I feel I need to add here) had managed to buy a cheap property so we did have a house to rent out and gave us some security to return to if everything went wrong. Make no mistake - both quitting your decent professional jobs and sacking off everything you know is a HUGE risk to take. The rent paid covered the mortgage and landlord insurance...We still had to find the money for any and all repairs.

We were provided with a property, rent paid for 6 weeks, on our arrival in our new country. That gave us 6 weeks to get our bearings and find somewhere to rent out of our own money (my husband's wage)! We sourced all our furniture second hand, I drove an old banger with 200,000 miles on the clock that kept breaking down. It was fun because I was in my twenties but make no mistake it was also brutal and it took a lot of resilience to see it all out and settle there long enough for it to be a worthwhile risk. COVID and home working gave us the opportunity to return to the uk. The narrative that high earners have this easy path is damaging and quite frankly wrong!

I have two people who report to me. Same role, same pay, both lower level management. They both deal with their job very differently.

When one is faced with something an issue, they will consider the problem, do some research, try to find a solution. They will come to me only if after these steps, they need confirmation of what they think is the correct step forward. Most of the time, they get it right. Subsequently, they are learning quickly and growing in confidence.

The other one....as soon as an issue comes their way, they forward it to me and ask me what they should do. I've tried over and over to ask them how they would deal with it, what they suggest, if they've looked into it. It's made no difference at all. They can't be bothered and take the easiest route.

Who works harder? Who is more likely to be promoted? Who is more likely to earn more in 10 years time?

Of course doctors can earn that much!

Of course it’s the old divide and conquer

makes me laugh about everyone using a paper straw and thinking they are saving the environment

it’s the super rich and elites that could make the change to environment
and only them

• yes they are laughing all the way to the bank on their private jets

laughable

Are you kidding? You think nurses and teachers are not exposed to risk? What about the risk of being assaulted at work. Or the risks that come from making life or death decisions. Nurses face these risks.

So, if your salary stops increasing, it's because you are NOT progressing. You may not want to do the hours or take the responsibility, but it's not the system. It's about YOU!

I agree!

And i welcome the thread even if it's only just changed a bit of the narrative on Mumsnet over the last few days.

I would not have posted on another thread as you just get crowded out and belittled. So thankyou for posting your view.

.

My experience of consultant psychiatrist have been them sitting behind the comfort of a desk with at least 5 other MH staff around them.

I edit my statement to say that most people on £100k are not at threat of violence in their jobs.

Not everyone has the opportunity for this economic mobility

there is massive social inequality of opportunity

you can’t work your way out of it

I think that's a great comparison. Everyone 'doing their bit' for the environment when it's a drop in the ocean compared to the super wealthy. Same as thinking little tax adjustments to working people (even high earning working people!) will do anything compared to what a wealth tax on assets would do (assets that sit there stagnating the economy as the money used to purchase them is now out of circulation)

Well God helps those who help themselves! There is such a huge sense of entitlement here with regards to other people’s wealth and such poor work ethic. I have lived in the Middle East, Singapore, India and never seen this attitude there. There everyone wants to be better and works towards that by improving themselves, studying more, getting further qualifications etc. Here everyone is so jealous if they hear someone’s parents or family helped them. I find this very strange culturally as in Asia people help family, education is stressed upon and work ethic is phenomenal! Here the expectation is the government should provide so people can relax and not work, and grumble that other people are rich and generations do this!

I'm just so sick of the attitude where everyone's just out for themselves
Thays sadly true, but if you think the richer should share even more of what they've acquired, what do you give back?

If you're a SAHM, would you offer your time to look after their child for free during the holidays whilst you have the time to look after your home?

I bet that wouldn't cross any SAHM claiming UC to do so....

So before moaning about how selfish the rich are not wanting to share their wealth, maybe start considering how you could share yours (ie. time) towards your community.

I hear you @DIL2025 these are all
sacrifices for having to put the work first, some unfair, unreasonable, cruel even. But they are not limited to high earners. It’s that question that I am struggling for an answer to, when people get defensive and use that phrase ‘I sacrificed so much to get this’ I’m not understanding what they are that’s different for people on median incomes.