Will Messrs Reeves and Raynor Still Be Around This Time Next Year?

Casdon

I’m not denigrating those who stay at home though, I’m saying that it may become less of an option if the NI is not paid for them, which is in the gift of any government to change?
I do think it’s a bit patronising to suggest that those who work are envious of those who don’t though - I can only speak for myself but I’d have been crawling the walls at home, I loved the challenge of work and was a much better parent for it. We are all different.

It depends how long you were a SAHM. One child? Four or five years?
More children and it could be longer.

I wasn't crawling the walls at home because there is so much opportunity out there, so many needing your skills as a volunteer and there is no need to be housebound.
I don't understand why anyone thinks that a SAHM just sits at home or does housework all day long.
🤔

I do get tired of hearing their moans when their benefits are cut

Who are the people who are choosing not to go out to work and are moaning because their benefits are being cut?

Doodledog the last Conservative government set up changes to increase free childcare for working parents and the taxpayer is footing the bill.

GrannyGravy13

Casdon

From those of us who could have afforded to stay at home but wouldn’t have wanted to do you mean GrannyGravy13, or are you assuming we were living hand to mouth and were jealous of those who didn’t work? If you think that you’re a mile out I’m afraid.

It is personal choice, but to denigrate those who choose to stay home and rear their children as not contributing to society is an insult to stay at home parents.

It has been 'personal choice' because others have been obliged to pay for it up to now.

It will be interesting to see whether that changes if the 'personal choice' has to be paid for by those who choose it though.

I agree with your post, Casdon.

GrannyGravy13

I am sensing some resentment for people who are able to stay at home, look after their children and when the children are school age take them to and pick them up.

Envy maybe?

No.

You may see things through the lens of envy, but that is not reason enough to assume that others do likewise.

I am not envious of those who expect others to pay for their lifestyles, but I do get tired of hearing their moans when their benefits are cut.

I’m not denigrating those who stay at home though, I’m saying that it may become less of an option if the NI is not paid for them, which is in the gift of any government to change?
I do think it’s a bit patronising to suggest that those who work are envious of those who don’t though - I can only speak for myself but I’d have been crawling the walls at home, I loved the challenge of work and was a much better parent for it. We are all different.

Casdon

From those of us who could have afforded to stay at home but wouldn’t have wanted to do you mean GrannyGravy13, or are you assuming we were living hand to mouth and were jealous of those who didn’t work? If you think that you’re a mile out I’m afraid.

It is personal choice, but to denigrate those who choose to stay home and rear their children as not contributing to society is an insult to stay at home parents.

GrannyGravy13

I am sensing some resentment for people who are able to stay at home, look after their children and when the children are school age take them to and pick them up.

Envy maybe?

No no no GG13. You must be wrong.

From those of us who could have afforded to stay at home but wouldn’t have wanted to do you mean GrannyGravy13, or are you assuming we were living hand to mouth and were jealous of those who didn’t work? If you think that you’re a mile out I’m afraid.

I am sensing some resentment for people who are able to stay at home, look after their children and when the children are school age take them to and pick them up.

Envy maybe?

Allira

madalene

Well you are of course entitled to your opinion Doodledog, but I doubt that any government any time soon, or ever, is going to force people who are not living on benefits out to work, nor is any government going to charge people a citizen’s charge.
So I think things will remain as they are.

At the moment there are not enough vacancies for all the people who are seeking jobs.

841,00 vacancies compared to 1.8 million people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance.

Those seeking work may not, of course, have the qualifications or skills to fill the vacancies.
There may be more people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in the future as employers are, reluctantly, forced to let staff go as costs escalate.

Yes, but net migration was 685,000 in 2023.

There were 1.80 million JSA claimants in September 2024, which was 27,900 more than the month before and 253,200 more than in September 2023. The Department for Work and Pensions made changes to the criteria for claiming Universal Credit in May 2024, and the ONS have reported that this is likely to increase the claimant count over a six month period.

Looking after your own children is caring for other people's children

🤔

Well, I managed to do both but I don't think everyone does.

madalene

Well you are of course entitled to your opinion Doodledog, but I doubt that any government any time soon, or ever, is going to force people who are not living on benefits out to work, nor is any government going to charge people a citizen’s charge.
So I think things will remain as they are.

At the moment there are not enough vacancies for all the people who are seeking jobs.

841,00 vacancies compared to 1.8 million people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance.

Those seeking work may not, of course, have the qualifications or skills to fill the vacancies.
There may be more people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in the future as employers are, reluctantly, forced to let staff go as costs escalate.

I don’t know about that madelene. I can see there being incentive to return to work if the age of the last child is lowered for NI eligibility. If immigration is to reduce significantly, and EU workers have no incentive to work in the UK, we will need to employ dormant workforce.

Well you are of course entitled to your opinion Doodledog, but I doubt that any government any time soon, or ever, is going to force people who are not living on benefits out to work, nor is any government going to charge people a citizen’s charge.
So I think things will remain as they are.

Allira

Doodledog

ronib

I really don’t like the hype against a stay at home parent or unpaid carers looking after family. It’s shameful imo.

Shameful? Hype? No. It is shining a light on privilege.

Carers are an entirely different matter, and IMO it is shameful to put them in the same category.

People who look after babies and small children are not carers, then?
Presumably they are only carers if looking after other people's children.

🤔

No.

Looking after your own children is caring for other people's children. Looking after your own is not, however the same as caring for others' children when they are at school and no longer need caring for between 9-5 or whatever you have arranged as the hours you are out of the house. That is just 'looking after your own house' whigs working parents also do.

Mollygo

Doodledog

Swift diversion there, Molly.

Anything to say about tax and opting out of contributions, or is it easier to try to move things to the divisive topic of Johnson?

🤣🤣🤣
I didn’t introduce the topic of commenting on people’s appearance.

Sniggering smileys don't make a sensible point, and nor do sneering ones..

so to move on,

Sitting at home and cleaning one's own house should not, IMO, be counted as contributing to society, particularly when children are at school as opposed to being babies/toddlers.

What has that ro do with anyone's appearance?

madalene you are correct 👏👏👏

There were a few more things I didn’t mention such as alcohol duty, cigarette duty, flight ticket duty, and I’m sure you can all think of more.
None of the duty paid on the above is optional.

I do object to paying in being optional

It’s not! People who work pay income tax and NI. It’s not optional.
People buy things and use services and pay tax on those goods and services. It’s not optional.
People buy a different house and pay tax - Stamp Duty. It’s not optional.
People who use a vehicle pay road tax and fuel tax. It’s not optional.
People pay Council Tax. It’s not optional.
People pay tax on any savings they are lucky enough to have. It’s not optional.
If people are lucky enough to own a second house, they pay extra Stamp Duty and they pay CGT when they sell. It’s not optional.
If people own stocks and shares, they will pay any taxes due (I don’t know much about stocks and shares) but any taxes due are not optional.
If people are lucky enough to inherit, they may pay IHT if applicable. It’s not optional.

I’m unsure which taxes are optional. I don’t think any are optional.
It’s optional to choose not to have a paid job. If a person is able to afford to not have a paid job, then that is optional. But they still pay all their taxes except Income Tax.

Presumably they are only carers if looking after other people's children.
It sounds like it doesn’t it.

Farzanah

Why don’t we consider tax as an honourable contribution to the well being of our society, not as something to be avoided if at all possible?
IMO those who have more should pay more, not as often is the case, using (legal) tax loopholes.

What about my ISA?
Should I cash it in for the sake of the country?

Doodledog

ronib

I really don’t like the hype against a stay at home parent or unpaid carers looking after family. It’s shameful imo.

Shameful? Hype? No. It is shining a light on privilege.

Carers are an entirely different matter, and IMO it is shameful to put them in the same category.

People who look after babies and small children are not carers, then?
Presumably they are only carers if looking after other people's children.

🤔

Doodledog

Swift diversion there, Molly.

Anything to say about tax and opting out of contributions, or is it easier to try to move things to the divisive topic of Johnson?

🤣🤣🤣
I didn’t introduce the topic of commenting on people’s appearance.

Doodledog

What point are you making there?

Aer you saying that we should all contribute to society or not? Sorry, but that is not clear to me.

I am pointing out that you do not have to be in work to pay tax or as you put it contribute to society

Apart from basic food and children’s clothing every time we purchase goods we pay tax.