What do you hope for in the budget?

I'd like to know if the one in five not working is due to sickness and what the Government proposes to do about those who can work but don't.

I'd like the withdrawal of the WFA delayed for one year to give those who will be just above the threshold time to prepare for its loss, and the threshold for those who will be eligible raised.

I want to know if it's intended to stop people from taking a one off 25% of their private pension tax free and if so, when this is going to be implemented.

I want to know if there are any plans to withdraw free bus passes and the 25% reduction in council tax for single occupancy.

Most of all, I would like to see a detailed breakdown of the 22 billion black hole the LP claim to have inherited.

Agreed on a lot of that Smileless. So much speculation and so few facts. We need to know what’s what sooner rather than later to stop the doom mongers from reducing us all to quivering wrecks.

Keir and Angela giving up politics, otherwise as Smileless has said. Before that I would like a detailed account of how a person on state pension can eat, keep warm and pay bills including clothes and spectacles because we have to buy ours.

Yes I'd like a detailed account of how anyone on state pension can do all of things too Allsorts.

Since when did a budget suggest that a PM gave up politics🙄

There is so much nastiness and ignorance on here lately that I was hoping to have a thread where politically aware posters could discuss hopes for the future budget, but maybe that was a vain expectation.

I'm surprised at you Doodledog. People are entitled to respond without being accused of nastiness and ignorance and perhaps you should take into account the sheer frustration and disappointment that many are feeling right now.

Of course all of us is entitled to express ourselves but that includes me.

I am asking what people want to see, not denying them the right to express their feelings.

Would prefer not to see a hike in stamp duty seeing as we are moving house. Is a total rip off, imho a house price should have stamp duty added on so you know exactly what the house will cost.

Smileless2012

I'm surprised at you Doodledog. People are entitled to respond without being accused of nastiness and ignorance and perhaps you should take into account the sheer frustration and disappointment that many are feeling right now.

Well, one HUGE problem that needs to be sorted in the Budget is Social Care. I'm sad to hear so often of people having to watch their savings and any assets being drained away by obscenely greedy private 'lack of care' providers in return for slop and stodge laughably described as "food", being hastily dumped on a commode because there's not enough trained staff and not enough time and then parked in front of a telly all day, which seems to be someone's idea of stimulating activity.

Babs03

Would prefer not to see a hike in stamp duty seeing as we are moving house. Is a total rip off, imho a house price should have stamp duty added on so you know exactly what the house will cost.

Agreed. We have no intention of moving house but agree that there is no obvious reason to have to pay tax in order to do so.

Allsorts

Keir and Angela giving up politics, otherwise as Smileless has said. Before that I would like a detailed account of how a person on state pension can eat, keep warm and pay bills including clothes and spectacles because we have to buy ours.

And who would you want to replace them?

I hope they don't take our bus passes.

Smileless2012

I'd like to know if the one in five not working is due to sickness and what the Government proposes to do about those who can work but don't.

I'd like the withdrawal of the WFA delayed for one year to give those who will be just above the threshold time to prepare for its loss, and the threshold for those who will be eligible raised.

I want to know if it's intended to stop people from taking a one off 25% of their private pension tax free and if so, when this is going to be implemented.

I want to know if there are any plans to withdraw free bus passes and the 25% reduction in council tax for single occupancy.

Most of all, I would like to see a detailed breakdown of the 22 billion black hole the LP claim to have inherited.

Me too

Kate1949

I hope they don't take our bus passes.

I would like to see a universal bus pass for everyone who has contributed to a pension. Not just people over pensionable age in some areas. Similarly I would scrap free ‘stamps’ for those who just look after their own children and homes. Why should those who do all of that and also work and pay tax subsidise those who can afford not to bother to make a financial contribution to society? There should be perks for those who have eared them but not for freeloaders who expect others to pay for them.

In a time when there is plenty of full time work available in retail, hospitality and other areas I would like to see a stop to people being allowed to work part time and getting propped up by the tax payer via universal credit. If you can afford to work part time, fine but, not on my taxes.

As someone who had depression/anxiety attacks intermittently all my life but still managed to have 2 successful careers, run a business and breeze through the academic system I am extremely dubious about all these young people with "mental health issues" who cannot work. Another group who need to be encouraged to get up off their asses and work.

Agreed, biglouis

Just to thank you for opening this thread. Particularly because of the rumours of this that and the other we've discussed/speculated on endlessly this summer.

I agree and disagree with different bits of what you've said, but totally agree that we need clarity about what is and what isn't going to happen.

biglouis

In a time when there is plenty of full time work available in retail, hospitality and other areas I would like to see a stop to people being allowed to work part time and getting propped up by the tax payer via universal credit. If you can afford to work part time, fine but, not on my taxes.

As someone who had depression/anxiety attacks intermittently all my life but still managed to have 2 successful careers, run a business and breeze through the academic system I am extremely dubious about all these young people with "mental health issues" who cannot work. Another group who need to be encouraged to get up off their asses and work.

I think you should look at how Universal Credit works these days. It's no longer the case that people with part-time jobs automatically receive top ups.

I'd like clarity on stamp duty and pensions because my partner is due to retire at the end of the year and we're hoping to move next year.

I'd like to see all pension contributions only receiving basic rate tax exemption rather than higher rates for higher earners. I see no justification whatsoever for higher earners to receive higher subsidies from the Treasury.

I'd like to see some commitment to funding the NHS and dentists and, finally, some solution to social care.

I don't think we'll get "the answer" as such to the huge Social Care, in a budget. It needs major policy decisions as part of an NHS/Care plan. It's definitely a policy priority however.

biglouis

In a time when there is plenty of full time work available in retail, hospitality and other areas I would like to see a stop to people being allowed to work part time and getting propped up by the tax payer via universal credit. If you can afford to work part time, fine but, not on my taxes.

As someone who had depression/anxiety attacks intermittently all my life but still managed to have 2 successful careers, run a business and breeze through the academic system I am extremely dubious about all these young people with "mental health issues" who cannot work. Another group who need to be encouraged to get up off their asses and work.

Students leaving Uni are the highest driver behind long term sickness and disability figures rising. (A few days ago in the Times, if anyone wishes to check figures more accurately, else where on the internet also).

With all the attention there is on mental health, I don't see a young person finding much incentive to come off benefits once they have been granted.

Too many EDI Quangos soaking up tax pounds.

But as the gov. have their own agenda it sticks in the craw to be discussing pipe dreams, so I'm off to get some sweet dreams Zzzzz

Smileless2012

Most of all, I would like to see a detailed breakdown of the 22 billion black hole the LP claim to have inherited.

... yes, I'd like to see that, too.

All it means is there’s a gap between projected government income and the entirely artificial target for government borrowing over a set period. No gravitational doom is involved

An interesting opinion from Dominic Alexander, member of 'Counterfire'; historian and activist)

Kate1949

I hope they don't take our bus passes.

I do too but I would approve of them being taken away if the maximum fare of £2 could be retained, that would mean everybody could have subsidised travel not just pensioners.

I hope Rachel Reeves can present the budget, regardless of content, in a neutral way. She has a habit of raising the national blood pressure by at least 20 points.
Please don’t fall for the gdp debt ratio argument - Japan has a staggering ratio of over 220 percent of debt to GDP. Are they freezing the elderly? In fact, from memory isn’t it a country that reveres the aged? That could be a good starting point for Reeves.