Income tax- Burnam

[Niftywigglesheep899]

Does anyone know if Andy Burnam is planning to raise income tax , so we have less money coming in each month?

Im quite concerned - stretched as it is and can’t cope with anymore.

Private landlords are quitting now too. Documentary last night said 700 a month are quitting.

That’s no bad thing. Amateur private landlords are a menace.

About 44% is paid to private landlords. Most goes to social housing tenants, the majority of whom receive some kind of housing benefit (because few have a full time earner within the household).

Social housing is a good thing but it doesn’t remove the need for a hefty housing benefit bill.

I hear you.
But all you will get on here is “your diamond slippers are too tight” or other bollox.

Theyve already gone!

So that would be pensioners as isn’t housing element for working age now part of Universal credit?

How did they sort out visas? None of those places want you unless you’re a millionaire.

Numbers above refer to housing benefit and housing element of UC combined. So all adults.

That’s not accurate at all. You don’t have to be a millionaire. You have to have a professional qualification (but not always) employers sort out visas.

I agree. The world is literally your oyster if you have knowledge and skills that are in high demand. It's very easy to move and a lot of high earners will have had that 'plan B' in place for some time.

Right, so you have to either be a millionaire (and that’s absolutely true) or your employer has to pay for a professional visa (which isn’t guaranteed) and it’s not permanent and your spouse isn’t allowed to work. But it’s easy and straightforward.

I certainly cannot speak for others but can speak from my experience and the ones my friends have had. I moved 2 years ago. I’m not a millionaire. When we moved my husband had a job - the visa was organised by his firm it was easy and straightforward as we only had to give our documents and everything was sorted. No visa is guaranteed sure but if you have a job to go to my experience (and the couples I know) is that it’s very rarely denied. I went without a job but the visa my husband had included our children and myself with the ability to work. We recently renewed it for a further 5 years. So yes very straightforward.

Of the people I know who’ve done this, their partners (invariably, wives) do not work and their children (if they have them, many don’t) remain at boarding school in the UK.

Mostly though it’s younger people who have neither long term partners nor children who are chasing a dream in UAE or Singapore or the US.

My experience is completely different than yours. All the couples I know have kids and their kids are all with them. Mine included. I have 3 kids would never dream sending them to boarding school. Not bashing boarding schools but it’s not for me.

The thing is though when people emigrate they don't normally take their jobs with them. So if someone in financial services leaves someone else takes the job and pays taxes instead.

Partly true, but it’s the least true at the highest levels (ie that pay the most tax).There it’s often a decision about whether a whole team or niche stays in London or moves somewhere else.

London’s still got a lot going for it, but there is a limit. At some point we are going to find that the people with the “broadest shoulders” aren’t lining up any more to bear the cost any more, and we haven’t been investing in creating any new ones.

Haven’t a lot returned from Dubai due to the war?

Of the 300,000 UK nationals, 100,000 have returned
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/mar/17/uk-nationals-flown-back-from-iran-since-start-of-conflict

Admittedly I'm not a higher rate taxpayer so wouldn't be much missed but I work for an international company and I could do my job anywhere. If I emigrated I would take my job with me and so would higher earners in my company.

@january1244 ’They’ve gone to various places - US, Europe, Asia, Australia.’

They are not escaping tax in those places though, and they will most likely have to pay for private schooling and survive on one salary.
Yes, you can get a work permit for your spouse, getting a job is not so easy, especially if there are language issues.

OK re minimum wage comparator, yes I said closer to, but my main reason for using that is that pensioners as a group should have a level of pension that reflects a decent society. I don’t quite get the water analogy as I don’t think that this inter generational fighting helps anyone.

I think it depends if he can get the backbenchers under control. Unfortunately they seem typical tax and spend Labour types. People who hanker after the 1970s when we had to be bailed out by the IMF. So I would expect tax rises, yes.

I used this to try to convey that a decent society doesnt attack its older members in the way that happens so much in the UK. Each generation has its different difficulties or challenges. Different being the key word.

Im not going through all your “pensioner freebies” in turn, but pensioners do have housing costs how do you think they pay for utilities etc. Being at home all day (if a pensioner is that age group or ability) uses a lot of energy for heating for example. If we’re going to compare groups getting free dental care too - pregnant women are entitled to this too, as well as free prescriptions. Now I don’t disagree with that, but do you ever hear anyone questioning if they actually need it? Pensioners are forever told they don’t need x y or z. Just like any age group or groups in society, what someone needs is a differing opinion. Doesn’t mean I don’t sympathise with challenges of the younger generations either.

Everyone I know in UAE has since returned. Most people I know there are of Pakistani or Indian origin, with a handful of Europeans.

It makes no sense to means test PIP. It is paid to those with a qualifying disability. It is not a universal benefit. It is a payment that enables independence the non disabled community take for granted and incur no additional expense to access. We all have to pay for housing and bills etc but this policy would introduce an extra cost for those with the misfortune to be disabled and would be a barrier to independent living.

Both partners in the couples have jobs. And they don’t need to pay for schooling, in any event is preschool children mostly. And no, it’s not escaping tax, but the tax is much lower for high earners.