Where would you LIKE to see cuts made?

[Rosieeo]

I recognise that people are going to vote for certain parties because if another party gets in they might lose some benefit/possibly jobs etc. Or because they have a deep-seated hatred of one side, for whatever reason.

But (and you can correct me, I know very little about politics) the country is in debt and some cuts have to be made, regardless of who makes them.

So where would you be prepared to see cuts being made?

Greater tax incentives for married couples. Overhaul the amount lone parents get via benefits system. Second income of a married couple just means a huge chunk goes on childcare costs. Meanwhile, lone parents get the government to pay for it - how very nice.

Get absence fathers/mothers to pay for their children. It's not the government's responsiblity to pick up the pieces if an absent parent isn't paying. Free this money up for better education for all kids.

Raise the threshold for inheritance tax.

Get rid of EMA. Use the money to ensure that the OAPs have enough money for food and heating. Young people can go out and get a part-time job whilst studying.

Raise the higher rate tax band from £37,401 to at least £45,000.

See my ex remarried and doesn't bother paying maintenence but the goverment giving him a tax break on leaving me and the kids and taking a second wife and being patted on the back with extra money would be a step to far.. and that is why I don't agree with tax breaks for a ring of gold and a peice of paper

'See my ex remarried and doesn't bother paying maintenence '

I think people who do this should go to prison.

It's a travesty that people in this country can abandon their children to be supported entirely by the state.

No it doesn't include Doctors. Separate rules always apply for them

Under Agenda for Change, when all positions were reassessed, almost all positions banded at level 8b or above are managerial. There are some exceptions of course.
The majority of clinical posts are 7 and below.

Sorry my mistake, yes the house prices are as they were in 2005, but barely got above that in the north. I correct myself. I'd like them down to the level of 2002. Then we can move.

I would like to see them make big whopping cuts to my tax bill.

I'd like to see refreshments at meetings in the public sector being abolished, possibly chairs too. So many people I know say they waste hours of their days in meetings woffling on and having tea-and-biccies. No chairs would speed things up and let them get out and on with their jobs.

I so agree and also stop lunch for half day meetings - load of rubbish that it is needed anyone can bring a flask and a packed lunch for themselfs.

i would like to see public sector jobs capped only from 30k upwards - those underneith are really going to suffer as inflation hits and wages dropped in real terms

Agree about Child Trust Funds - I have no idea where this money even went for dd2 and dd3 - I didn't open an account for it.

Capital gains tax on sale of property (I think this happens in the US).

Shrink the time taken to obtain university degree - if degrees were studied 9 - 5, Monday to Friday, with 4 weeks annual leave, people would be able to finish their studies in 2 years. Less debt as they wouldn't have to pay for accommodation etc for an extra year or two, and they would hopefully be in the workplace sooner.

All benefits should be means tested.

"Shrink the time taken to obtain university degree - if degrees were studied 9 - 5, Monday to Friday, with 4 weeks annual leave, people would be able to finish their studies in 2 years. Less debt as they wouldn't have to pay for accommodation etc for an extra year or two, and they would hopefully be in the workplace sooner."

I think that is an excellent idea. In Scotland a degree takes 4 yrs and TBh a lot of that time was spent on holiday.

Trident.
Make benefits means tested.
Tax the rich!
On a personal front-Grow our own veg and rear chickens!

Do we need to CUT exactly? Couldn't we just freeze? I think we need to postpone a lot of things - like maybe ID cards or the pension age.

Postpone - doesn't mean we never do these things just not yet.

I think we could reform some benefits so they aren't so open ended.

slash the government's marketing and advertising budget. I don't need patronising TV commercials telling me to swap junk for fruit and get more active.

CTF, DS's is gathering dust in a bank account somewhere

Ban external consultants from the civil service.

On a slightly different note, though, I would give financial incentives to companies that ran shift work from 09:30 until 14:30 Monday to Friday during school terms