Sadly few of us are winners!

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I'm already sitting here freezing - north of Scotland and snowing - because I have run out of oil, and can't afford to buy more this week for my central heating and hot water. I'm also out of electricity - I use a smart pre-payment meter to avoid shock bills - and can't afford to top up until pension day in 4 days time.

Meanwhile thanks to the Tories, the rich are getting richer in obscene amounts. ( More than five million people became millionaires across the world in 2020 despite economic damage from the Covid-19 pandemic. While many poor people became poorer, the number of millionaires increased by 5.2 million to 56.1 million globally, Credit Suisse research found. In 2020, more than 1% of adults worldwide were millionaires for the first time.)

and

(The world's 10 richest men have seen their fortunes more than double during the coronavirus pandemic, making them richer than the world's poorest 3.1 billion people combined, according to Oxfam. The ranks of the super-rich have swelled during the pandemic thanks to ample financial stimulus that pumped up stocks, the anti-poverty organisation said. Oxfam has called for governments to impose a one-time 99% tax on billionaires and use the money to fund production of vaccines for the poor - part of an effort to combat global inequality widened by the coronavirus pandemic.)

And yet in a recent research poll I did, the results showed that 34% of those polled STILL believe the Tories are doing a good job and will vote for them again.

Funds were poured into propping up the country, people demanded financial support during lockdowns. Where did people think it came from? It was bound to have to be paid back in some way and the NHS has been underfunded for years so NI had to be increased to support what the public expects to receive.
And - yes - I too am worried about costs, our income is fixed and our options are few

Yes. The government have suspended the triple lock.

On top of households being forced to take £200 which we have to pay back at £40 a year, even those who never took it in the first place ie students etc. The great energy con.
I am disgusted by this government

Oxfam is right. No one needs to hoard millions.
People like me are supplementing their children's fuel bills. I pity those who can't get help.
How could anyone believe the Tories are doing a good job??!

Prehaps if 8 billion hadn’t been wasted on #PPE during the pandemic maybe the nhs would have been better funded, heating bills wouldn’t be going up etc

It won't be Covid deaths this year, it'll be starvation and hypothermia.

The NHS has been proven to waste money in bucketloads and not on clinical staff either-not enough of those and far too many managers et al being paid enormous salaries. The whole edifice is crumbling and needs a complete overhaul. A 1948 model is not fit for purpose in the present day as comparisons with other models show (and I’m NOT talking USA here). If NI increase there has to be, it should be primarily for the care sector which has been ignored for years. The NHS is not a sacred cow, despite Government encouraging this sentiment, and needs urgent reform. Under present economic circumstances we cannot impoverish the people to keep pouring billions into a black hole which does not appear accountable and is certainly not guaranteed to improve.

The journalist Matthew Syed said a few years ago at the start of the Brexit stuff we would end up a banana republic if the vote went in favour of leaving Europe and I hate to say it I think he was right. I do like his pieces, he talks a lot of sense. I invested my pension when I retired rather than have an annuity situation and it is truly unreal the amount of money that investment has made during the last two years. I am literally making money in my sleep. Okay that situation could change and it may make nothing . I also have my state pension as well which is enough for me to enjoy life comfortably and I am by no means wealthy. I worked for everything.

Surely, if the taxes the banks have to pay are increased, they will, like any other firm, increase their charges on the services they provide for their clients.

Doing so, will obviously make them less attractive than a bank that offers better terms to its customers.

I am worried sick about paying my bills and I now have the added complication of a much loved pet dog needing expensive veterinary care. His skin, which has always been problematical has taken a turn for the worse. The meds, shapmpoos and vet fees etc are crippling me.

I may not be heating OR eating soon.

ps I didn't know that there were baby banks. What a lovely idea. I was a lone parent with two children under two to start with and that would have been a great help.

Caro57

Funds were poured into propping up the country, people demanded financial support during lockdowns. Where did people think it came from? It was bound to have to be paid back in some way and the NHS has been underfunded for years so NI had to be increased to support what the public expects to receive.
And - yes - I too am worried about costs, our income is fixed and our options are few

The 'funds' were created out of thin air because that what governments who control their own currency can do.

It isn't owed to anyone and we don't have to pay it back.

The underfunding of the NHS was down to the tories and was ideological. That means, tories don't believe in the state providing healthcare that doesn't involve someone making a profit out of the provision of health services. They've run it down to 'prove' that it doesn't work so they can sell it all off.

Of course, it helps that 90% of the population are completely ignorant of how our country is funded. And are totally resistant to the truth...

I voted for neither Brexit nor this govt ! I find it utterly obscene that the richer get richer and the rest of us struggle, this latest shower of cuts and increases will hit many of us including our most vulnerable citizens, whilst our fat cats, incl members of our govt have offshore accounts and will not be affected one hit ! I’m 63, a normal public sector worker, should have retired at 60, have worked full time my entire life whilst bringing up children, and only been in the public sector since 2009, so no “gold plated pension” and a pay freeze since 2010 !!

Tesco’s as just announced food will be going up by 7per cent in next few months. As I said to a friend we going back over on ourselves. Back to a wash down with bowl of water as we won’t beable to run shower/bath as would cost us to much and As my gran used to say bread and water during week and jam on a Sunday. I for one live alone. and I’m disabled I won’t be turning my heating on unless my grandkids are visiting I’ve got a electric throw and I swear by it. Keeps you warm and costs pennies to run. All I can say is welcome back to the 70s government can’t let ppl go without.

^ it is truly unreal the amount of money that investment has made during the last two years. I am literally making money in my sleep^

Bizarre, isn't it, coastalgran. The investment market has gone bananas. Mostly, I think, because much of the money that has been injected into national economies during the pandemic has gone to the already wealthy and is pushing up the prices of bonds and equities like crazy. It's got to burst soon, surely?

It’s nothing new. Think feudal systems, mill owners etc.
When any politician comes along who genuinely wants to improve the lot of people in our society, the whole establisment (including the press and television media outlets) gears up to crush him with cries of ‘marxism’ - and the poor fools who think voting Conservative will somehow improve their status, discover they are the people most despised and punished by Conservative policy. Remember the mother on Question time who was fooled into voting Conservative, thinking that the Tories would preserve her Tax Credits? The warnings are there: only the very rich benefit from a Tory Government, so why to poor and middle-class people keep voting for them?

glammanana

Where on this God given earth are people going to find the money to pay these increases its heartbreaking to think of people going without food to heat their homes.

Sadly, likely a rise in crime (shoplifting, robbery). When people are desperate, they will take desperate measures.

I just can't see a solution to this current mess.

This is going to make people really miserable and depressed, not to mention ill too, so what's it going to do to further the already swamped surgeries and hospitals ? Mental health will soar !

The NI needs to go up. Anyone working should be paying NI. regardless of age. We havent been paying enough into this for many many years. Thats part of the reason that the NHS and Social Care is so run down.
The other increases, utities, food etc are always going to be effected by world and country economics. They are the things that need addressing with support, and not by loans. I'm OK for now but if it carries on for long it will effect even the pensioners that gave provided for themselves. Our savings etc. will not last as long! What happens to us then. When everyone else has used up all the Pension Credits.

It’s a mystery to me too Coco51 but most people are not politically engaged and get their information generally from social media if younger, and newspapers if older. Sources not known for unbiased reporting.
We also all have a tendency towards confirmation bias, and once a view is formed tend to seek out information that supports that stance.

I agree. Had to move to ground floor flat , only electricity , no option. Not lived here long enough to have an idea of basic costs to start with. worked out best I could manage and moved to Igloo. they have now gone bust and am tranferred to E.on, but vicious circle . I had warm house discount with igloo. Tried to get it again now but they need an account number from eon. Eon overwhelmed by amount of people I understand that, but had no replies from them at all . a widow with cancer, need the heat, havent had anyone visiting because of shielding. Only limited funds for warm house scheme and if I dont get on the list wont get it at all, tried to get some ideas from northern grid they said sorry you need eon,. so at present have no direct debit, dont have an account, dont know how much I should be paying and am absolutely desperate and anxious and waking in the night trying to think what I can do. At the moment the answer is nothing! Have sent emails and spent hours trying to get through to the right people but so far no luck. Have now sent an email to Paul Lewis on Moneybox , It is a very good programme but it is dreadful that this is the last thing I can think of to do. Well at least I have never voted conservative so dont need to add that blame on to myself. I was up in sweden working over 50 years ago, where we stayed in a wooden bungalow with triple glazed windows, very good insulation and just had a small electric fan heater , which was all you needed. I do try to live in a green and sustainable way and yes it is good to have electric cars etc but the biggest thing they could have done is say to builders ,you will only get planning permission if you build to this level. I tried for years to get builders interested in this but they all said the other builders would build cheaper and so they wouldnt do it. If that was the law, so no building without this level of insulation and the glazing also keeps the sound down if it has a big enough space between the panes, thus cutting down on neighbour rage etc. Well I hope people dont have short term memories and in future remember the lying, cheating, self serving politicians who got us to this spot. We should be working together and not in this confrontal and short term attitude. Well I have survived to be 76 and plan to be here to annoy the politicians for a few more years yet - thats if I dont freeze first!!

I find I'm increasingly despondent about the current situation. For 12 years we have had austerity.,then a pandemic. Now the current revelations about the government.
In a minority of news outlets there are articles about the genuine suffering caused by the above.
Below the articles and on online forums there are endless comments about how angry people are,how they are struggling and afraid of the future. Yet nothing changes . The only slight break was Marcus Rashford's campaign to stop childeren starving during the school holidays.
The gap between those with and those without is breathtaking. The obscene wealth and power of the few.
My background is in social care with a year or so doing research and campaigns for an advice charity. I currently work for the government on a temporary contract which potentially ends in June.
There are so many myths ,among them that those on benefits such as Universal Credit have it easy. The days of unnecessary benefits have gone,which is no bad thing.
Unfortunately those that are left on benefits are either working or genuinely too ill to work. Food banks are the norm as are community kitchens offering free hot meals. I live in a pretty affluent area.
I have no idea what will have to happen to change things,at the moment its relentlessly grim with no end in sight.

MaggsMcG

The NI needs to go up. Anyone working should be paying NI. regardless of age. We havent been paying enough into this for many many years. Thats part of the reason that the NHS and Social Care is so run down.
The other increases, utities, food etc are always going to be effected by world and country economics. They are the things that need addressing with support, and not by loans. I'm OK for now but if it carries on for long it will effect even the pensioners that gave provided for themselves. Our savings etc. will not last as long! What happens to us then. When everyone else has used up all the Pension Credits.

You're not listening, are you? Taxation doesn't fund spending!!

Government could increase funding for the NHS and social care tomorrow if they really wanted to. But they don't want to

Well according to the Sunday express Boris wants to carry on Thatchers work.

MaggsMcG

The NI needs to go up. Anyone working should be paying NI. regardless of age. We havent been paying enough into this for many many years. Thats part of the reason that the NHS and Social Care is so run down.
The other increases, utities, food etc are always going to be effected by world and country economics. They are the things that need addressing with support, and not by loans. I'm OK for now but if it carries on for long it will effect even the pensioners that gave provided for themselves. Our savings etc. will not last as long! What happens to us then. When everyone else has used up all the Pension Credits.

Why should it just be those in employment? There are many people under the retirement age who have substantial incomes from other sources, such as rental properties and/or shareholdings.

Using a salary of £50,000, fractionally under the upper earnings limit, an employee would have NIC deducted at the rate of 12% which amounts to £4851.84. The employer would pay NIC at 13.8% which amounts to £5680. Unless I am very much mistaken this total more than £10,000.

At the same time, someone with rental properties or dividend income, earning profits of £50,000 pays nothing.
Property owners still get (reduced ) tax relief on their mortgage interest. Shareholders can increase their profits by selling sufficient shares so that their profits reach the CGT exemption of £12,300.

I am talking here of people under retirement age who do this to earn their living rather than be employed. I'm not talking about city traders here.

Is this equitable?