To be confused by 'high earners' complaining about taxes?

[tutuland]

So high earners pay lots of tax. The top 20% pay for 70% or whatever the numbers are.

But (beyond printing more money) isn't the money there high income people make just coming from the paying public? No matter who you work for, your company's profit is just an accumulation of normal people paying for things.

So ultimately, isn't it all our money anyway? Just beacuse the game is rigged and you get paid 400K for management whatever, it doesn't mean you're more deserving of that money than anyone.

We're all suffering because of government failure. It's across the board. Complaining about paying too much tax when youre in the top few % is also morally dubious.

Sorry I’m not sure I understand your point here. If you were a single higher earner who ended up on SSP overnight then you’d be entitled to UC (depending on savings) just like anybody else?

If the reason you aren’t eligible is because of household income being above the threshold then that’s because you aren’t in “need” in the way the system is set up to protect. Can you imagine how much tax we’d all be paying if the system had to fund EVERY household?

No-one loves paying tax, but I don't mind paying a higher rate than someone on much less than me. It's only fair!
I absolutely don't think everyone should get the same though because everyone doesn't do as much work or work as hard.
The real shame is that effort and value to society doesn't always bring even a decent wage let alone fair reward.

Seriously @Jellybunny56you don't see how a households income dropping by 50% overnight would cause issues?
Our bills and outgoings don't drop by 50%

Scandinavian countries are often held up as examples of progressive tax/benefit policies - but middle and low earners pay more there compared to in the UK. The trouble with relying on high taxes on high earners is that there aren't very many high earners as a proportion of the general population. A little more from the large majority would give the government more revenue than a lot more from the few.

As for benefit recipients hoarding money, I find it bizarre that you can have up to £16K in savings and still get universal credit! That should be cut right back.

Are you privately educated? I've never heard of economics being studied in state schools in the UK.

Economics was a GCSE option in my state school.

Why are confused though people complain about all sorts

No I absolutely do, but that’s what income protection & critical illness cover is for.

My son went grammar and did GCSE and A-level economics and read it at the LSE.

Oh @Jellybunny56i suspect we just can't agree, so I'll try and explain why I am not happy with how higher taxes are taken but support withheld for those same people.

Yes, as I said - I have income protection and critical illness and life insurance AND redundancy insurance. I pay approx £350 a month in those insurances
In other European countries with a flat 50% tax for all, these things are simply there - no additional personal payments needed

Because we earn over £35k our kids get the minimum student loan as we're expected to pay their accomodation - with two kids at uni that's approximately £11k a year.

That's just 2 personal examples of how, we have to pay more.
Others have given examples of losing any support towards childcare when they earn over a threshold.

The issue isn't the high tax, it's the high tax PLUS all these hidden extras. That's why people are so bitter about high taxes. A huge amount of their salary is taken in taxes, AND they must pay additional insurances to protect themselves AND their costs are higher at times for things like childcare, uni fees etc
THATS why people complain, it's why I complain about the high taxes. 50% even 60% would be tolerated IF there weren't all these extra IF the support network was for all and not open to abuse

Caveat because I'm nowhere near the 400k income mentioned by the op, and employ less than 200 people.
When I first became a higher rate taxpayer my accountant was flummoxed when I told him I wasn't looking for ways to reduce my tax bill - apparently I was his first client to say that. I wanted to pay my dues.
However, 17 years down the line and
when you pay 75k in tax and ...your mum waits 22 hours for an ambulance while laying on the floor with a fractured pelvis, then yes I think that is something you complain about (MIL in my case)and with the other priorities this government seems to have which are counterintuitive to this country being a good place for my DC to reside in.
I now feel much less keen to pay.
I pay for private health and private education already, and see that as a privilege, but expect the basic infrastructure of the UK to be upheld. That is not happening.

Do you think people below the poverty line are just not competent when it comes to managing money?

My husband earns just under £200k and with his upcoming promotion is negotiating a bump to £250k. He works very hard and has sacrificed a lot for us. He deserves every single penny.

She’s not saying people on benefits need 48k but when there is a sudden loss of income (at any income) due to ill health you can’t just suddenly cut all your bills, it takes a year at least to move house and sort bills out.

I have no issue with paying my taxes so I'm not the aim of your post.

But no, that isn't how it works. Businesses are mostly not cooperative. Customers pay money in exchange for goods and services. That doesn't entitle them to a share of profits.

Salary isn't really an indicator of how hard someone works either. But generally speaking high earners are paid for their knowledge, experience and skill. And they've normally taken some risks, sacrificed chunks of their lives to prioritise work and progress to be in the earning position they're in now.

I'm not really sure why that would be equal to someone who for whatever reason hasn't done those things.

I've written to HMRC and specifically asked that they don't give my tax dollars to you or your family.
After all....I earnt that money so I should decide where it goes.

🙄

What an odd post, you think you pay for things as a donation to someone? Thay you’re not paying for a good or service that someone worked to create and deliver.

let me know your sacrifices please and what you really do in terms of doing an important job...why is it more important than a nurse's job

Why are you being so emotive? Nurses get paid fine here. Starting pay at £31k pay is great and there's scope to move upwards.

I was educated in the United States.

How do you deserve it more? More than a freshly graduate doctor?

In the United States nurses get paid far more. Almost as if in private industry, with competition you get paid for and valued for your skills.

Ultimately, the shop owner's profit came from the pockets of customers.. It capitalism isnt it?

What about doctors? £38k as a first job. That's not bad. And the earning increases they get in the future.

If we had a more private competitive system and not a state monopoly they'd be paid vastly more.