After lockdown...the sh*t will hit the fan

[Desperado40]

My biggest fear is not covid or if life will be ever back to normal. I know this will pass and we will be able to socialise, travel etc. at some point.
What’s keeping me awake at night, literally, is the state of affairs when we are out of the immediate covid crisis. There will be high unemployment, lots of businesses will go bust after support tap is off, mental health and general health crisis (think of the huge backlog of surgeries and treatments postponed!). But most of all, I ma fearingthe day when the government starts clawing billions spent back from us. I feel that our quality of life will be much worse (as a nation) than we realise. There is also brexit to add to it all. Has anyone got any positive views on this to share (and make me feel better?). Need some optimism desperately.

[quote SeldomFollowedIt]@TheKeatingFive

Agree but what’s even more depressing is a large section of society who think it’s a perfectly reasonably substitute. I find that more frightening to be honest. “Zoom” comedy nights. Shudders.[/quote]
Yep, it's fucking Black Mirror shit; straight out of a Shirley Jackson story.

I think we will be lulled into a false sense of security - to encourage us to get out and spend. Then after 12 months (or so) of that, the benefit cuts and tax increases will come

Totally agree with this - but unfortunately for the exchequer, it'll give big earners who are able the chance to make sure their assets are beyond reach

So that'll be another pot of tax they won't be getting

@SomewhereUpMyArse

Universal credit is being cut, so that will presumably help. I mean, it won't help me personally or anyone else who's on it but we'll be costing less and getting less money even though we're working the same hours. Oh and my council tax is going up too, so I'll be chipping in that way.

Shame that all means I won't be able to participate in the roaring 20s that are just round the corner but then I guess people like me aren't included in that scenario anyway as we haven't really done any meaningful discretionary spending since twelve years ago which was the last cut+freeze.

It's not exactly being cut, it was a temporary uplift for 12 months which will come to an end unless they decide to extend it.

Yeah true. Just like there haven't been any cuts to NHS provision over the past 12 years, just readjustments to temporary uplifts.

As I said below, I think we will be lulled into a false sense of security - to encourage us to get out and spend. Then after 12 months (or so) of that, the benefit cuts and tax increases will come.

I think this will happen too. At the moment I'm thinking short term though. I just want to have a nice summer - walks, picnics, day trips.

I will also be trying to spend with independent retailers, rather than the tax avoiding multi nationals who have done well out of this. Amazon was pretty much unavoidable for a while.