Thank goodness tax rise scrapped

[Jems557]

So we’re a blended large family, so after maintenance and all the outgoings for our large combined family we don’t have very much left at all, as obviously we need a big house so our mortgage and council tax is a lot, we need a bigger than average (although several year old) car etc. However we don’t claim any benefits, my DH works hard to provide for his and our children but so much is taken in tax anmd maintenance already, there is no tax allowance for raising children. This would of hit us hard

It not a question of if you'll get hit - its just where will you get hit.

They still need to find huge amounts form somewhere. Scrapping the two child cap is going to cost billions more. They are raising basic Uc above inflation for millions form April ( although are cutting the health element), thousands more claiming PIP every single day and won't address the welfare bill.

No tax rise and strapping the 2 child limit on UC. Where is the money going to come from then? What will actually be in this budget? Wish they'd just tell us, instead of changing their mind constantly.

What spending would you like to see cut?

i thought this, what the hell are they going to do

From a personal viewpoint: I work in the NHS, my job is helping people with issues that are non medical. I work bloody hard and apparently our services have resulted in an over 45% reduction in GP visits.
I also have significant CPTSD which is something I've 'managed' since I was very small. Recently I was encouraged to ask for help from the NHS as things are getting really bad for me.
Reluctantly did so, poured my heart out at an assessment and genuinely believed I may get some support.
I have been offered 6 CBT sessions with a 9 month waiting list, because 'funding', even though my trust does have resources to offer trauma therapies and I did a new and thrilling PTSD questionnaire they are very proud of, scoring very very highly ( not a good thing!)
I completely broke down and asked if they actually wanted me to kill myself - the emotional pain was horrific. Imagine reliving everything that has broken you for 50 years in the belief that you may get some support to carryon doing your job which is to help others and support the NHS?
A tax rise may be unpalatable but what are the other options to keep us all safe and well?

I don't believe in scrapping the 2 kid cap nor universal free school meals. Free school meals should be for those that need them only. So much money wasted. I don't mind income tax going up if they have control of spending, but they just don't!

I don’t think they have a clue but whatever it is they’ll need more of it as today’s press release has made borrowing costs hike up even more.

Yes that would have been sensible. She'll have to tax gambling and keep the freeze on thresholds. Maybe a tax on banks and - crap - utilities.
Borrowing more is a no no. Unless interest rates come down.

I'm on one of those nostalgia London in the 60s and 70s FB pages. It's nice to see the old photos. A lot of the comments are along the lines of ' ah the good old days , where did it go wrong ' etc. Well , I started work in the late 60s. The income tax basic rate was 33%. It wasn't an earthly paradise by any means. But the rivers weren't full of poo , there was plenty of public housing and you didnt need a letter from the Pope to see a GP.

This

Nobody is allowed to live in a big house any more, save for a rainy day, for their pension or choose how to spend their hard earned money. It has to be given to the lazy, wasteful and willfully unproductive by grabby hypocrites.

Have you considered the cost of administering means tested school meals?

Most of it, I am so done with the lot of them.

It's all a load of media froth. make up a story about a possible tax rise, then a bit later run a story that the tax rise (which was never confirmed) isn't going to happen. Maybe the Daily Heil, The Excess and the Torygraph could go out looking for some news, rather scraping social media and inventing stories.

I thought that free school meals were means tested once they go up to junior school and secondary school? They were in my day , so why is it different now ?

Labour’s kite flying has failed and backfired. The cost of debt shows that.

Maybe they could start by scrapping MPs expenses? And ask MPs to make their wages work based on their circumstances like the whole of the working population in the country?
They could also have a basic tax for UK citizens that work abroad - similar to the US system? I am not entirely clued up on this but could it be an option? Eventually the majority of these individuals return?
Lots of countries also have “tourism” taxes whereby if you’re a tourist your admissions to galleries / museums is slightly more. I mean these places still require funding? But this would be tricky to implement given the nation doesn’t want ID cards as a sweeping statement.
But going after PAYE really is the most straightforward way of doing it unfortunately. It would be fine if people saw results but they aren’t so it’s demotivating to do more.

Free school meals are now available to ALL children in Reception, Yr1 and Yr2, irrespective of means.

This has been in place since circa 2012.

On what? They’ve u-turned on any spending cuts they announced.

It'll be death by a thousand seemingly little but nastily cumulative cuts. Some will be avoidable, some won't. E.g.:

Extra tax on petrol/diesel.
EV owners having to pay increased road tax and a sum per mile or perhaps having to pay more for the electricity used to charge the EV.
Higher council tax bands for more expensive houses.
Either a VAT increase or an increase in the number of things that are VATable.
Tax on gambling winnings perhaps.
Maybe a change in the percentage amount councils can raise council tax by.
Reducing tax free ISA limits.
Changes in capital gains tax - perhaps lowering the threshold at which it falls due
Increase in the tax on booze.
increase in the tax on cigarettes and maybe in addition to the VAT on vapes due next October, an immediate introduction of something like the tobacco duty on them.
Raising the age where prescriptions become free (currently 60) to align with the retirement age (I don't know why they haven't already done that)

That's just a few off the top of my head...

But it’s already means tested for children above yr 2. Is that more expensive than just giving it to everyone?

Exactly. Reeves never said she was going to raise income tax. It was all, and is, speculation from the media.

Yes, the system is already in place as that's what used to happen and already happens beyond infants into secondary etc.

They should remove the ceiling on NI contributions though? It's a bit of an anomaly. Means testing childrens benefits is a no brainer. Or just count it with other income and tax accordingly? That wouldn't affect poorer people.

Some tax has to be raised or it's back to Osborne style Austerity.

Of course it wasn’t. You’re being played. It’s kite flying to gauge reaction.

Its ridiculous. The money has to come from somewhere. This simply isn't sustainable. Income tax ought to have risen. NI ought to have risen too.