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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask where has all the money gone/where does it go

246 replies

Blankscreen · 24/05/2026 07:55

DH and I are late forties.

It feels like the country is crumbling around us and there is just no money for anything.

I've just seen something showing the tax thresholds that have been frozen for decades and this got me thinking where does all the tax go.

Why does the country feel so poor these days? Is it a slow.decline due to Brexit or it is world wide events wars etc that are biting.

The ridiculous summer savings scheme is hardly going to help but what can the govt actually do to get the wheels of the economy turning again.

There must some money but where has it all gone?

This isn't political just a genuine puzzlement that we are paying more tax than ever but the country and lots of people in it are skint.

OP posts:
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Badbadbunny · 25/05/2026 12:11

WaryCrow · 25/05/2026 12:04

25% of hospital beds are occupied by people with dementia and an awful lot of those are supposed to have 1:1 care. Whats happening at the moment of course is that all the 1:1s are put in one bay with one person assigned there who is magically supposed to be able to catch all of the 4 at once, and then leaving the rest of the regular staffing - no extra - to run around after the other 8. Because there is no money for the extra staff, not right now.

More staff then go off sick with stress and demotivation and long term impacts on health of increasing stress over 12 hour days with fewer breaks.

Yep one little injection is a hell of a lot cheaper. The only reason I can think of for people suggesting it isn’t is that they’ve neglected to consider the staff required to do everything for that patient, feeding and toileting, following them around as they wander about and being hit by them, because healthcare staff are unvalued and beneath their notice just as much as retail staff ever were.

Edited

It's not the cost of "one injection" though is it? Assisted dying as often described involves a committee of decision makers, including doctors, judiciary, social services, family, etc., to agree to kill someone. It will never be on the "say so" of a single ward doctor, so it's not just the cost of the jab, it's all the staffing, management, administration, etc for the checks and balances to evidence that all relevant parties agree.

WaryCrow · 25/05/2026 12:14

Badbadbunny · 25/05/2026 12:11

It's not the cost of "one injection" though is it? Assisted dying as often described involves a committee of decision makers, including doctors, judiciary, social services, family, etc., to agree to kill someone. It will never be on the "say so" of a single ward doctor, so it's not just the cost of the jab, it's all the staffing, management, administration, etc for the checks and balances to evidence that all relevant parties agree.

Still a damn sight cheaper than a team twice the size of all that being continually involved in care for that one persons for years and years and years. I really don’t understand why you’re labouring this point.

Unless it’s that you actually begrudge even that one little injection for death with dignity and would prefer deaths by infection, starvation and thirst due to lack of staff? It does rather look like that will happen.

BIossomtoes · 25/05/2026 12:14

Badbadbunny · 25/05/2026 12:09

It won't get dealt with until we go cap in hand to the IMF and they insist on spending cuts. Then whichever Govt is in power at that time can claim "it's not our fault, the IMF told us we had to cut spending" as justification in the hope they won't get thrown out of power at the next GE and it gets them off criticism of imposing something not in their manifesto.

We’re nowhere close to going cap in hand to the IMF. Meanwhile this article appeared in The Telegraph today.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/pensions/state-pensions/triple-lock-cannot-last-forever-scrapping-it-now-disaster

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/pensions/state-pensions/triple-lock-cannot-last-forever-scrapping-it-now-disaster

ladyrinths · 25/05/2026 12:16

How much do you think a lethal dose of drugs costs?

Lol, you think that’s what the cost would be?! Think on a bit more…

People with advanced dementia need 24/7 care sometimes for years. My mum died of dementia, before she moved to a care home it took a team of 13 people to meet her needs - I counted them.

Not every old person has dementia though….

ladyrinths · 25/05/2026 12:17

Badbadbunny · 25/05/2026 12:11

It's not the cost of "one injection" though is it? Assisted dying as often described involves a committee of decision makers, including doctors, judiciary, social services, family, etc., to agree to kill someone. It will never be on the "say so" of a single ward doctor, so it's not just the cost of the jab, it's all the staffing, management, administration, etc for the checks and balances to evidence that all relevant parties agree.

Exactly, dying with dignity is expensive!

BIossomtoes · 25/05/2026 12:21

ladyrinths · 25/05/2026 12:16

How much do you think a lethal dose of drugs costs?

Lol, you think that’s what the cost would be?! Think on a bit more…

People with advanced dementia need 24/7 care sometimes for years. My mum died of dementia, before she moved to a care home it took a team of 13 people to meet her needs - I counted them.

Not every old person has dementia though….

I wasn’t recommending a mass cull of older people, just those who wish to die with a modicum of dignity before dementia steals their personality. If you’re so concerned about the expense - which is far less than pointlessly keeping them alive for years - the assessment could always carry a fee.

Badbadbunny · 25/05/2026 12:21

BIossomtoes · 25/05/2026 12:14

We’re nowhere close to going cap in hand to the IMF. Meanwhile this article appeared in The Telegraph today.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/pensions/state-pensions/triple-lock-cannot-last-forever-scrapping-it-now-disaster

I didn't say we were. I never mentioned timescales.

BIossomtoes · 25/05/2026 12:26

Badbadbunny · 25/05/2026 12:21

I didn't say we were. I never mentioned timescales.

You’re constantly asserting it as a certainty.

WaryCrow · 25/05/2026 12:29

BIossomtoes · 25/05/2026 12:14

We’re nowhere close to going cap in hand to the IMF. Meanwhile this article appeared in The Telegraph today.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/pensions/state-pensions/triple-lock-cannot-last-forever-scrapping-it-now-disaster

Oh of course. Couldn’t possibly impact the pensioners now who are the richest cohort ever seen could we now? Naturally we have to wait until the next generation, the one who’s been taking all the impacts of paying for everything over and over again but haven’t actually rebelled yet, because we see what happens every time, the bosses turn out the police and courts and will turn out the army on us if it gets ugly. Mustn’t upset the pensioners, preserve the illusion of social order for them even though it costs the country for everyone else.

ladyrinths · 25/05/2026 12:31

If you’re so concerned about the expense - which is far less than pointlessly keeping them alive for years - the assessment could always carry a fee.

It’s not my concern! It’s not something I have made up!

I think it would be good to have a choice

ladyrinths · 25/05/2026 12:33

The triple lock conundrum, its should be stopped but it’s upcoming pensioners who need it more than the current ones.

BIossomtoes · 25/05/2026 12:34

It’s not just about current pensioners. It applies to older members of Gen X as well.

But, for the coming decade at the very least, millions of people are set to reach retirement heavily dependent on the state pension because of our slow progress in building up a new private pension system. We simply cannot pull the rug from beneath them by watering down the vital support provided by the state pension, uprated by the triple lock.

ladyrinths · 25/05/2026 12:37

Unless it’s that you actually begrudge even that one little injection for death with dignity and would prefer deaths by infection, starvation and thirst due to lack of staff? It does rather look like that will happen

This doesn’t even make sense.

Acknowledging that assisted dying costs money & governments will be reluctant to spend on that doesn’t mean you think it’s a good thing that older people die of neglect. How bizarre!

ladyrinths · 25/05/2026 12:43

@BIossomtoes

This might help you understand why it’s a bit more complicated than someone walking in with a needle.

www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/research/assisted-dying-in-practice-international-experiences-and-implications-for-health-and-social-care

BIossomtoes · 25/05/2026 12:49

ladyrinths · 25/05/2026 12:43

@BIossomtoes

This might help you understand why it’s a bit more complicated than someone walking in with a needle.

www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/research/assisted-dying-in-practice-international-experiences-and-implications-for-health-and-social-care

Thank you for patronising me. I’m well aware of that. A cost benefit analysis will still show that the costs of keeping someone alive for years as they deteriorate exceed those of allowing them a dignified death.

MeetMeOnTheCorner · 25/05/2026 12:54

@ladyrinthsWell look on the elderly parents board and you will find many harrowing cases of abuse of the elderly by the state. For many there does need to be an alternative but palliative care experts, religious folk and others simply won’t see what death is really like for thousands of people. Choice should be available. If people want a harrowing death, fine. If you don’t, the state should respect that.

bafta16 · 25/05/2026 12:58

BIossomtoes · 25/05/2026 12:02

How much do you think a lethal dose of drugs costs? People with advanced dementia need 24/7 care sometimes for years. My mum died of dementia, before she moved to a care home it took a team of 13 people to meet her needs - I counted them.

People can't just be helped along though can they. A very very elderly relative is as we speak receiving extremely costly and risky surgery. He can't say " No Thanks". Neither can his family.
It's appalling.

The " trick " is to plan ahead I think.

WaryCrow · 25/05/2026 13:00

ladyrinths · 25/05/2026 11:58

Assisted suicide is not going to be more expensive that the 1:1 or even 2:1 care required to keep them alive in confused episodes let alone the years of healthcare on top.

Most people don’t have care like that though? Assisted suicide is definitely more expensive than an older person dying of an infection they caught in the hospital or a lack of food and water in a hospital/care home….

@ladyrinths This is the post that caused me to think some would prefer it. Yours I believe? I do consider it a bizarre option. We treat dogs better.

bafta16 · 25/05/2026 13:00

Mustn’t upset the pensioners

Myself and my partner are pensioners, we are working, we have to. The ageism is disgusting.

InWithPeaceOutWithStress · 25/05/2026 13:49

International wealth hoarding. The super rich are able to hide their money offshore in tax havens. All totally legal and all countries face the same issue. The gap between rich and poor widens every year.

BIossomtoes · 25/05/2026 13:51

bafta16 · 25/05/2026 12:58

People can't just be helped along though can they. A very very elderly relative is as we speak receiving extremely costly and risky surgery. He can't say " No Thanks". Neither can his family.
It's appalling.

The " trick " is to plan ahead I think.

Anyone can refuse surgery if they don’t want it. That’s why you have to sign a consent form.

LoveItaly · 25/05/2026 13:57

JimBobsWife · 24/05/2026 08:19

So why is growth in the UK higher than both France and Germany?

Good point. Germany’s economy in particular is in a terrible state, can’t blame that on leaving the EU.

bafta16 · 25/05/2026 15:54

BIossomtoes · 25/05/2026 13:51

Anyone can refuse surgery if they don’t want it. That’s why you have to sign a consent form.

It's terribly sad. They are being manipulated really. How can the poor person choose to die? The urge to survive can be very strong indeed.

Tel12 · 25/05/2026 16:02

My understanding is that the money is seeping into the hands of a small percentage of the population who are growing ever richer at the expense of the rest of the majority. This has been growing in speed over the past few decades. There's a reason that so many billionaires fund political parties. I think that might explain why it doesn't matter who actually governs, the results are the same.

ladyrinths · 25/05/2026 16:31

@WaryCrow Well I suggest you reread what I wrote or work on your comprehension 🤷🏻‍♀️

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