Budget 2013: what would you like to see from Osborne on Wednesday?

[SarahMumsnet]

This Wednesday, at 12.30pm, chancellor George Osborne will deliver his 2013 budget. With the UK on the brink of a triple-dip recession, and grumblings among backbenchers about the wisdom of his 'austerity first' course, it looks set to be Osborne's most scrutinised budget yet - and it will affect all of us directly, in terms of the tax we pay, the benefits we receive, and how much we'll be spending on our next bottle of . Many of the changes to taxes and benefits that will take effect this year (such as the increase in the personal tax allowance and the 1% cap on working-age benefits) were announced in December's mini-budget, but key areas that look set to be affected on Wednesday include pensions and childcare (the Daily Mail is already reporting that the government is set to unveil childcare tax breaks worth up to £1500.

With 48 hours to go before Osborne takes to the despatch box, what would your recommendations for this year's budget be?

• Ought cutting the deficit to remain the priority - or should we be concentrating on generating growth by investing in infrastructure projects, even if it means increasing our borrowing in the short term?

• Have spending cuts been implemented too quickly or should we be cutting harder to get through the pain faster?

• Is the government doing enough to support families, and if not, what more could be done?

• And how have the changes since last year's budget affected your households incomes - are you better or worse off?

We'll be glued to our screens in MNHQ on Wednesday, and will post the key announcements in the budget thread as they happen - please come and watch with us! And Mark Dampier, who guided us through events last year, will post as soon as possible after Osborne sits down with a roundup of the key points. But until then, let's come up with our own suggestions for what George should be concentrating on. Over to you.

The main thing I would like to see is his resignation.

But as he is an arogant idiot I guess I would have to say fuel duty frozen, tax loopholes closed for all

glen

i just typed then deleted a very similar post!

i'd like him to publicly apologise for targetting the wrong people in his 'austerity' measures

Beat me to it too glen.

I've given up hoping for a realistic budget that's not going to leave more people in the shit. I'll watch it but if I add anything to a wishlist, I'll only be disappointed.

Yes, resignation and genuine apology would be great.

Surely there's nothing left to cut

Investment in local authorities, housing and education.

A new childcare programme

And if he's cutting; major cuts to the defence budget including trident.

Taxes on large homes and second homes,rebanding on council tax, closure of tax loopholes for tax avoidance in large companies and, and, and taxation on wealth for any resident of the uk.

And his weasily resignation.

Just seen this BBC article in which the Gideot is promising new childcare vouchers for "working mothers to help with childcare" and came on to find the budget thread.

• Ought cutting the deficit to remain the priority - or should we be concentrating on generating growth by investing in infrastructure projects, even if it means increasing our borrowing in the short term?

Well, lets face it the current strategy really hasn't worked - the credit rating's been downgraded and the austerity means all industries and people seem to be are wallowing in a pool of despair at the nation's prospects. So I'd say concentrating on how to improve growth would be a much better idea.

• Have spending cuts been implemented too quickly or should we be cutting harder to get through the pain faster?

Cuts have been aimed at the wrong targets - as the fallout from A4E and ATOS checks have shown! The bedroom tax is a SCANDAL, as is the de facto privatisation of the NHS. And don't get me started on Workfare , where having been defeated in the courts the government are about to attempt to change the law .

• Is the government doing enough to support families, and if not, what more could be done?

NO, absolutely not. Where are the 3000 midwives the Tories promised during their election campaign?

Why are maternity units like Queens in Romford and the one in Morcambe recently in the news still so understaffed that women and babies are actually dying?
Why are the coalition determined to press on with the crazy idea that reducing the ratios of adults to children in nurseries/childminders when pretty much everyone has pointed out that (a) it's unlikely to be of benefit to the children and (b) actually likely to be dangerous?
Why are councils not being given sufficient funding for schools places and for support for statemented/SN children?

• And how have the changes since last year's budget affected your households incomes - are you better or worse off?

I would say about the same but because I work hard at finding the best bargains and shopping around for services/utilities. Fuel tax hits those of us living in rural areas where there is crappy public transport particularly hard.

My heart goes out to those who are disabled or looking after disabled/SN children who are being put under enormous stress by the idiotic policies this government has implemented. How some of those ministers sleep at night I do not know. Particularly when they refuse to engage with the people who elected them

If I were chancellor

LOCALISM & BENEFITS
If I were chancellor I would immediately scrap all this localism utter total bollocks

scrap the bedroom tax bollocks.

keep the universal credit - one benefit is a simpler form

However introduce direct payments to landlords which would be taken from the universal credit. If nothing else, a state surety that the vulnerable and poor have a roof should be a given.

The unemployed will work 5 mornings a week for a charity. They will not work for companies of my very rich friends thereby lining my friends pockets through govt policy.

I would make all pensioner benefits means tested - just cos your old and rich and vote doesn't mean that I have to give you a winter fuel allowance and a tv licence matey.

no more child benefit for MC mums. the financial level didn't go far enough IMO - a child benefit premium should be included in universal credit calculations - you either are entitled to benefits or you are not

UK TAXES
I will employ serious resources in chasing those companies who should be paying tax in the uk.

I will get serious advice as to the loopholes that large companies are using to not pay tax in this country and I will close them.

CIGS AND BOOZE
introduce a huge levy on whisky and cigars.

TRANSPORT
re-nationalise the train network
put petrol/ diesel prices up

Give company breaks to companies who get electric company cars.

regular free electric charging stations.

all car parking free in he country to those with electric cars.

HOUSING
build social housing on greenbelt land in TATTON :)

End any public money financing private schools

End any public money financing religious schools

NHS
stop this faux competition bollocks in the nhs. There is no choice really, and to say there is now further choice than there ever was is bullshit.

EUROPE

Hon. Chancellor, why not:

• use "austerity" benefit cuts as a cover for binning the welfare state?

• keep property prices high to benefit your awfully amusing entrepreneur friends from abroad? Hey, it's only the natives who lose homes - surely they could go in camps or something?

• try as hard as one possibly could to make sure your banker friends pay no, rather than minimal, tax?

• try and hold your nose a bit higher to avoid the whiff from Downing St. these days?

There's not a lot else to cut tbh, we heading for more tax on silly things. Maybe a window tax is next, we might as well go jump

EUROPE
I would have to educate myself on what we can and cant do - as I know one thng affects the other - but in theory, I would like to charge non resident eu nationals for nhs use - this maybe at a lower rate than non eu nationals but never the less.

HOMEWORKING
I would give tax breaks to those companies who encourage home working and working at varied hours throughout the day. although a lot of business must be conducted 9-5, I think this is a historical context which can be changed as part of the internet era, I think it is outdated for a lot of industry. would save a lot of traffic on the road and with the right software, productivity can be monitored.

Not a chancellor thing but still
I would bring a bill before parliament to make it illegal for holiday companies to charge double in school holidays.

I would introduce a twat tax specifically for Eric Pickles.

I would make Grant Shapps face the choice of living in the social housing be over saw for so long or moving to Nigeria

I would re-introduce legal aid for the poor who need to fight injustice you tory bunt of utter holes

I would introduce an MP 1 house in the uk rule. you must own one house in your constituency. Should you need to come to London you will use a communal sleeping facility I will organise being built, just for you. think very clinical dorms /bunk beds - shared bathrooms

tax payers will not pay for MP lunches - MPs will either

a) buy their own

B) make a packed lunch like the rest of us

all MPs will have an electric car

Agree with the first post. His letter of resignation and a reversal of the austerity policy.

I am dying to find out what the "reconsidered announcement" will be this year...

Tax on any third child born to pay bankers' bonuses? Luxury sales tax - to raise money for the needy financial sector - issued on bread and water? Then hastily revoked, but only for mummies in Notting Hill artisanal cafes?

Bedroom tax for MPs second homes - taxpayers shouldn't be forking out for all those spare bedrooms when there's a housing shortage don'tcha know!
Tax Credit breaks for people trying to lift themselves out of poverty by setting up their own businesses. Currently it is assumed that a newly self-employed person can immediately earn over minimum wage for all the hours they work. I don't know how Government thinks small business works, but IME start-ups take lots of time and money but earn little at the start. People need support through the early stages, to build businesses that will lift the country out of this interminable slump.

Tax deductable childcare without limits, not going to happen but you never know they may have a simple scheme that anyone can use regardless of them being an employee, self employed, and regardless of income.

Joins mumblechum with placard

On tax avoidance, why not put some resources into hmrc? It was on the news this Morning about how they fail to answer calls and letters. If they can't do most basic stuff, what chance of facing up to the more complex tax planning.

I would also abolish the subsidised bar in Westminster. How they can have the brass neck to be debating binge drinking and minimum alcohol pricing in the same week someone gets arrested for a bar brawl at what is effectively a type of works canteen beats me. How many of rest of us 1.have that kind of subsidy 2. Wouldn't be in serious trouble if abused it (yes I know Joyce was arrested but why is he still an mp after last incident).

I agree Gigonas, how can they preach to us what & how much to drink when they have a subsidised bar paid for by us and the same goes for smoking-too many cigars for them yet us normal people are hounded to quit. They should also be taxed on their second homes and all the bedrooms they don't need. Why should we all pay for them to get drunk, smoke excessively and have 18 bedrooms??

Why should the poor, disabled, soldiers, elderly & families have to pay the price whilst the government sit back on their golden throne with no care in the world of what they are also taking out of the cash pot!!!