Southerners and Northerners are paying higher taxes, but only the Southerners are benefiting.

Paying for care doesn't just affect your inheritance. In a case highlighted on our local tv news, a woman developed dementia at the age of 61. Her husband cared for her as long as possible, then she went into a care home. Her pension and savings were taken towards the cost, but not her half of the house, because he still lived there. Unfortunately the husband, now with only his pension, couldn't afford to pay the bills, and was forced to sell the house. Of course the care home promptly pounced on the wife's half of the proceeds. The husband was forced to live in a caravan - all he could afford for his old age. All of his wife's money has now been swallowed up for her care costs.
If the wife had had an illness which left her needing lifelong care it would have been provided free by the NHS. Fair? I don't think so. It's all a lottery!

Quite, growstuff. The country doesn't begin and end in London, which anyway has a cheap transport system and access to plenty of free entertainment (museums, galleries etc) that much of the country doesn't.

I'm not talking about eating out. The cost of living is about day to day expenses, which can be a lot higher elsewhere, as can council tax and fresh food, depending on area.

I have just bought my son a (Christmas present) voucher for a Michelin starred restaurant in Leeds - the price was eye-watering. If you equate high-end dining with the 'cost of living', you can find expensive restaurants everywhere.

Germanshepherdsmum

Have you been to London lately Doodledog? Buying a few drinks, a pretty ordinary meal - horrendous prices.

London prices aren't representative of the whole southern region. I recently had a meal out in Newcastle which wasn't exactly cheap.

Have you been to London lately Doodledog? Buying a few drinks, a pretty ordinary meal - horrendous prices.

nannypiano

Perhaps it would be better to start at a lower percentage and move upwards with the value of the property and wealth. That would be more like the levelling up Boris Johnson promised.

Because that wouldn't have persuaded people from constituencies with lower than average incomes that the Conservatives are on their side.

Lilyflower

The cost of living is very much higher in the south and that goes for care homes too.

Apart from housing, what costs more in the South than the North?

The cost of living is very much higher in the south and that goes for care homes too.

But Lindy, if you go into care who is going to pay for it to enable your children to inherit your home? There are so many whose wealth consists of their home.

Perhaps it would be better to start at a lower percentage and move upwards with the value of the property and wealth. That would be more like the levelling up Boris Johnson promised.

And, of course, many others, totalling 32, South-West being one.

growstuff

I agree with you railman.

Dominic Cummings apparently advised Johnson to play up geographic divisions as a way of distracting from the real divisions in society, ie between rich and poor.

He wanted people in the "north" to resent those in the "south" because it furthered his agenda of portraying politicians as out of touch southerners, based round Westminster.

That doesn't surprise me one jot.

grammargran
There are four points to a compass, not just two, north and south

Perhaps none of those at Westminster have 'O' level geography (or the equivalent).

So very true kittylester. We have our own home but not much money. Why shouldn't we be able to leave our property to family, we've worked hard and made a dilapidated cottage to a comfortable home

There are four points to a compass, not just two, north and south. The West Country falls firmly in the southern half of the UK, but with no very large cities apart from Bristol rural poverty is widespread, the transport system is not the best and second homes are the norm, pushing out the locals. Not everyone in the Cotswolds is well heeled and driving a Range Rover; Cornwall is heavily dependent on the tourist industry, so weather is critical. The whole of the “south” isn’t a land flowing with milk and honey ........

He wanted people in the "north" to resent those in the "south" because it furthered his agenda of portraying politicians as out of touch southerners, based round Westminster.

Completely agree. Divisions are manufactured to deflect attention. I can't remember the exact words but it has been said that what has been achieved is the £100 per hour politician convincing the £20 per hour salaried that it is all the fault of the £8 per hour exploited worker. People punch down when they should punch up.

This is conservatives trying to ‘conserve’ what they already own.

But obviously if you are a relatively rich civil servant or a well paid MP, you have zero concept of living just above the breadline having struggled manfully to afford a little house under the right to buy and now on a very meagre pension but desperate to try to pass on your tiny savings to your children or your grandchildren to give them a bit of a leg up.

I don’t think helga was saying she would literally do that Meryl. I share her views but that’s not a method that anyone in their right mind would resort to.

Gillycats

What nonsense. This north/south divide is a bit outdated to be honest. There are equally poor and wealthy wherever you go in England. What should be happening is that if people can afford to pay for services then they should so more is available to the poorest members of society. I live in the South but spend lots of time in the north. So even if the average house prices are higher in the south, the cost of living is higher too. It’s all relative!

Sorry, what do you think is nonsense?

I agree with you railman.

Dominic Cummings apparently advised Johnson to play up geographic divisions as a way of distracting from the real divisions in society, ie between rich and poor.

He wanted people in the "north" to resent those in the "south" because it furthered his agenda of portraying politicians as out of touch southerners, based round Westminster.

helgawills

I will do my best to avoid going into the care system and become a burden to anyone, even if it means throwing myself under a train or something.

You obviously have no thought for the train driver or the emergency services who have to clean.

Well said!

What nonsense. This north/south divide is a bit outdated to be honest. There are equally poor and wealthy wherever you go in England. What should be happening is that if people can afford to pay for services then they should so more is available to the poorest members of society. I live in the South but spend lots of time in the north. So even if the average house prices are higher in the south, the cost of living is higher too. It’s all relative!

Doodledog has already made the same point.

I disagree Pippa. You haven't factored in lower wages and unemployment in many parts of the country (apart from those working in public services). By the way, council tax is often higher in parts of the north than it is in the south.

The divisions build in inter-generational unfairness. This isn't about geographical divides as wealth divides anyway. It's also more about how much children (and others) inherit.

I want to put a different slant on this discussion. Living in the south of England it was a real struggle saving for a house deposit and to pay the mortgage as a young couple years ago. Now youngsters I know are having to save to buy a property, studio flats start at £150,000, 1 bedroom flat from £230,000 and a terraced house start at around £400,000. On top of that council tax is high and cost of living high. Oh to live “ Up North and be able to buy a property for under £100,000 . What a dream to be young in the North and wanting to buy property, really easy ! O.K. so at the other end of your life you need to contribute a higher percentage of your home to care costs but isn’t it better to do that but have it easier to buy when young and starting out ? I think so and I know a lot of young folk who would agree as they struggle to save.

I will do my best to avoid going into the care system and become a burden to anyone, even if it means throwing myself under a train or something.