To want the Government to do more about the Cost of Living crisis?

[user365241987]

I just cannot see what the Government is doing to support the insane rise in CoL. Our income is higher than it has ever beautiful we just scrape by every month. It's so depressing. Don't qualify for any benefits. So tired of it. I have written to my MP. I can't understand why they don't increase the lowest tax threshold as that would at least help everyone at the lower end. I don't see any improvement ahead.

The personal allowance is still much higher than it used to be, even after adjusting for inflation.

Totally agree .

In a lot of European countries the lowest tax rate is 30% and there’s practically no nil rate band. We cannot heap the entire income tax take on higher earners when the lower earners pay an absolute pittance currently. Do we want public services or not?

I agree. There needs to be a better balance to support working families. I would start with the tripple lock and link pensions to average earnings then I would look at welfare which has ballooned. Then commit to rising tax thresholds with inflation.

Sounds good - how would you find it?

Pensioners are the richest demographic in the UK post housing costs. They have the highest disposable income. We - rightly - should be looking at them to help our more. They have ‘the broadest shoulders’ afterall.

How is social care funded in Ireland?

And where is this magic pot of money coming from???

Throughout history, there have been various points where we have had to tighten our belts and this is just another one of those times.

This is quite unprecedented in recent years

The things that are different this time round is Covid has raised expectations that it is the Government's job to ensure no one should have to lower their standard of living;

But many peoples standard of living has declined because of wage stagnation, nearly 2 decades of it!

the tide is starting to turn over benefits that are too high to incentivise work and social media is encouraging competitive poverty among a generation who already wrongly feel they have been dealt the worst hand ever.

What does this mean? Most of the welfare bill is spent on pensioners & housing costs.

A competent chancellor could solve this.

Certainly if we want to see any uptick in productivity we need to focus on upcoming workers

Labour always support on benefits by taxi g those who work. Look back through their record. Know what you vote for.

We have never had one then? Or perhaps no one will vote in any party that makes the tough decisions?

Absolutely @Dragonscaledaisy
Do you know where we can find one?

What do you want the government to do about it? They haven't got any money either!

Everyone should pay tax when their income reaches the £12,750 threshold, regardless of where the income comes from. Money is money, whether it comes from salary, benefits, maintenence or pensions. Actually, pensioners already pay tax as if they were working (Not NI though - that should change).

And yet taxes rose under the Tories, it’s almost inevitable that taxes are going to keep rising…

An ageing population equals higher welfare costs which equals higher taxes. It isn’t rocket science

I imagine you do pretty well out of the benefits system with your 13 buy to let properties that you rent out though? Or are none of your tenants claiming UC or housing benefit?

Agree, just abolish NI & have one tax.

I also don’t see why some benefits can’t be linked to what you pay in.

Here we go again, bashing pensioners. I own a modest semi, bought with hard work. I live on my state pension (earned through work) and part of my late husband's private pension (earned through work).
I am not entitled to any help apart from a 25% reduction in council tax.
Just how are my shoulders broad enough to ease everyone's cost of living proble.s?

This is the conversation we need to have because the vast majority do not pay anywhere near enough tax for what they take out in state pension & healthcare.

Demographics matter in the above model.

The OP's said that she/he'd like the govt to increase the lowest tax threshold

Well getting rid of the current one would be a good start. How much more damage can one person do to the economy in such a short space of time.

Just stating facts. Sorry if you don’t like them.

Here we go again, bashing pensioners. I own a modest semi, bought with hard work. I live on my state pension (earned through work) and part of my late husband's private pension (earned through work).

But it’s not hard work alone, income vs salary made buying more achievable in the past, plus rents were not so high, more council housing. Housing is considerably harder these days.

Again an average earner on 35k will pay 6.5k tax a year but the state pension is 12.5k a year, ands that before costs for education & healthcare.

The system works when you have lots of workers to pensioners but we don’t have that now.