The budget

gillybob I'm not sure how you think Corbyn is payrolled by the public sector. He really isn't.

The WASPIs are fighting the wrong battles. They won't win. They should concentrate on the benefits WASPIs have lost,such as bus passes, the changes to working tax credit and the unfairness of the new state pension itself.

Of course they should, gillybob. The concentration on 'free selective schools' is sick.

David Gauke is having a difficult job explaining it at the moment.

kittysjones.wordpress.com/2017/03/08/a-brief-view-of-the-budget/

For the self-employed, of which I am thankfully no longer a member.

My DH, self employed as a joiner, had never claimed sickness benefit, just carried on working through illnesses,until he knelt on a nail. The rusty nail went behind his knee cap, but typically he pulled it out with pliers and finished the job. The next day his knee had swollen, would not bend, he could neither walk nor drive. Off to the Doctor's, got antibiotics, etc. but sadly it was nearly a month until he could work/earn again. He claimed sickness benefit for the first (and last) time ever but was refused as he was deemed to be still working - sending out invoices for work done previously, completing his VAT return, contacting his customers to cancel jobs etc. Meanwhile, his workshop rent and rates, telephone, etc had to be paid, HP, tax & MOT for his van AND his NI and Tax was still due.

We know many in the building trade whose businesses collapsed following an illness or accident, with the loss of their life's work/savings. We were lucky that we only lost a month's income which meant no summer holiday for us that year. We understood that this was one of the reasons that the self employed paid less NI than employees - the other being that they would get a reduced State pension.

Gilly, we can no longer take on apprentices , difficult because for years we have taken on so many local lads , no more though .

Yes we need a new government but we will lose so many seats at the next election I don't know how labour can climb back , if ever.

Don't even get me started on the "free school" budget announcements. My poor GC can't get into a school within 4 miles of where they live !! The government should be taking measures to increase the capacity by providing more teachers and /or more space in EXISTING schools !

The schools budget is not going to help this grammar school, either.

www.theguardian.com/education/2017/mar/08/grammar-school-deficit-st-michaels-barnet

Just read that Osborne is going to be paid £650,000 for one day a week. Maybe you and other WASPIs should tweet him, daphne.

We absolutely do need a new a new government anniebach but despite being a loyal Labour voter for Many years I could not bring myself to vote for that man who is on the payroll (basically the puppet) of the big unions and the public sector . What about small manufacturing businesses? Where do we fit in? No wonder so many manufacturers move their businesses abroad.

I know you meant nothing good, but this will affect many WASPIs. Women between 55 and 65 find it more difficult than any other group to find permanent full-time work. Many are single and haven't built up a decent pension entitlement (even I won't get the full state pension, despite 48 years' contributions). There are many women who have set themselves up as self-employed just to survive. I've asked HMRC for their impact assessment data. I wonder if they'll reply .

PS. WASPIs often don't earn enough to benefit from raising the tax threshold, abolition of tampon tax or increased maternity rights for the self-employed (well,not usually!)

I am very disappointed with the budget. Once again (and as usual) nothing at all to help small businesses. I was hoping for small employer NIC employment tax reductions (which cripple us) . And genuine help for those of us who invest in apprentices over that magical age of 18. I can honestly say we will sadly NEVER take another apprentice ! Thank you for nothing Mr Hammond.

We need a new government but we are not going to get a new government for at least seven years

Sorry, daphne, I meant nothing good for Waspis.
We need a new government. I hope something comes of the lies told about Surrey, or the Tory expenses scandal.

Oh well! I'll shut up.

I've only been using Twitter for a week and my Tweet to various journalists and politicians pointing out that it's not only the better paid self-employed who will be worse off (which is what HMRC is claiming) has been retweeted over 200 times in a couple of hours. A increase of approx £550pa national insurance is a big jump with an income of £6/700pa. and no entitlement to benefits.

Sigh.

The O/P was not about the budget it was a critcism of the chancellors speech not relating to the budget. Should I have said Hsmmond bashing not criticising

Grannypiper, big difference between a sub contractor of over thirty years and a sub contractor of just a couple of years, a subbie of over thirty years should have made his name in his trade, a new subbie is still working for this and the building trade is so different to over thirty years ago

Yes, there is something in the budget for WASPIs dj - an increase in NICs for those of us working instead of receiving state pension.

My NIC contributions will increase from £2.80pw to over £14pw, so not happy.

People earning between £5,965 and £8.060pa only have to pay Class 2 contributions, which are being abolished. My only option now is to pay voluntary Class 3 contributions, if I don't want my pension reduced any more than it already has been.

The effect is cumulative. I have to do self-employed work to compensate for the delay in paying state pension. Not only that but benefit entitlement for over 60s has changed Before the budget), so I'm trapped.

Not happy at all.

How many threads have you started, Rigby, other than the one about how awful GN was that you were leaving...? I'll find it it you want - it caused quite a stir at the time.

Ana - when did you a) last start a thread and/or b)contribute anything other than nit picking to those threads that others start? The title is The Budget, the OP was about the budget so say something worth reading or butt out

No answer then, Ana. Just criticising others, but no ideas of your own?
What's new?

86% of the net gains to the treasury came from changes to tax and benefits that affected women.

Hammond said that the tampon tax would go to women's issues. Big deal.
Isn't it better not to tax something that is essential to women? VAT is supposed to be for luxuries.

pbs.twimg.com/media/C6TdxwCWgAEmd4e.jpg

Didn't get any of these, did we?