Governments First Budget

Lack of diversity?

Not sure what you mean fancythat? Could you elaborate?

The adult minimum wage is to rise by 6.7% - a much higher rise than expected.

The 16-20 year old workers will get a massive 16% hourly rise.

Thank you for this WWM2. As this is Gransnet, it will be particularly interesting to identify the measures that should improve the lives of our grandchildren, now and in the future.

Improving the life of my DGD will not immediately become apparent when her bus fare becomes £30pw. Easier if you live in an IGO area, but she doesn’t.

Mollygo

Improving the life of my DGD will not immediately become apparent when her bus fare becomes £30pw. Easier if you live in an IGO area, but she doesn’t.

I quite see your annoyance, and I get that, but at the same time the working young are going to get a massive 16% pay rise which must help a great deal.

It is intended that their hourly rate will eventually catch up with everyone else and the young will no longer be exploited, which is excellent news.

Thanks Whitewavemark2 will definitely be tuning in and reading this thread.
I feel trepidation for our own financial situation which isn’t great, and our grown family and GCs.
And public services need more than just a tickle around the edges.

fancythat

Lack of diversity?

Biological diversity

Babs03

Thanks Whitewavemark2 will definitely be tuning in and reading this thread.
I feel trepidation for our own financial situation which isn’t great, and our grown family and GCs.
And public services need more than just a tickle around the edges.

Same here.

Mollygo

Improving the life of my DGD will not immediately become apparent when her bus fare becomes £30pw. Easier if you live in an IGO area, but she doesn’t.

I now have a bus pass, so I rarely pay for bus fares now. However, when I did, the fare from my village into town was £3.10, so even with the increase it's cheaper than it was three years ago.

Growstuff, how nice for you, but her bus fares along with those for all passengers, were reduced by the Conservatives and will, if the carefully leaked rumours turn out to be true, increase by 50%.
Another example if caring for all?

I don’t think anyone thinks you can have Scandinavian type public services without Scandinavian levels of taxation. Many though wld rather pay for their own services as they need
them without the taxation. And the trick will be to make the service improvements visible as the tax increases bite.

Why do you leave out social care Whitewave2. This is the elephant in the room. In a worse state than the NHS and imposs for the NHS to function without it after so much was shunted off into the care service in an attempt to shore up the hospital side. Labour can’t go on much longer holding a telescope to this blind side.

And I’d have liked to see education, education, education given parallel funding to the NHS.

Water pollution is up to regulation of the water companies and shouldn’t affect ‘working people’.

The 50% bus fare increase will be a heavy hit to the just about managing who aren’t all aged 16-20, welcome though that and other increases are.

Direction of travel OK, means of getting there so far uninspiring and disappointing.

winterwhite I did include social care but perhaps not very clearly?.

Don’t forget that the OP is my shopping list - others of course will be different.

Mollygo

Growstuff, how nice for you, but her bus fares along with those for all passengers, were reduced by the Conservatives and will, if the carefully leaked rumours turn out to be true, increase by 50%.
Another example if caring for all?

Will your granddaughter benefit from the pay rise for the low paid?

Hopefully that will go towards some mitigation.

Whitewavemark2

fancythat

Lack of diversity?

Biological diversity

Ah.

winterwhite re- paying for services.

That is the nub isn’t it?

That is the choice.

1. A society where tax is at a minimum but you are expected to support yourself in every area of your life except, perhaps, primary education, defence and security etc.

Or

2. A society where tax is paid at a level that gives security to every citizen regardless of ability. So health, care, education, public services, safety nets etc, are there. Investment in wider society like local amenities, good access to parks etc,

I prefer the latter - personal choice.

Winterwhite, my DD’s total bus fares for her and DGD, if the £3 is true, will be £60pw. £40 was difficult, but a 50% increase shows exactly how much KS understands about how people who can’t claim travel expenses manage.

The bus fare cap was due to end in December. People I know who use the buses regularly are pleased that it’s been renewed.

2. A society where tax is paid at a level that gives security to every citizen regardless of ability. So health, care, education, public services, safety nets etc, are there. Investment in wider society like local amenities, good access to parks etc,

We can but hope, Whitewave.

Just because bus companies can now increase bus fares does that necessarily mean that they will?

I hope people realise that the cheap bus fares have been enabled by government subsidies to the privatised bus companies.

I think that the amount of subsidy 'saved' by allowing the cap to rise to £3 will be minimal, and I really dislike the idea that public money is being used to support dividend payments to the private companies' shareholders.

Mollygo

Improving the life of my DGD will not immediately become apparent when her bus fare becomes £30pw. Easier if you live in an IGO area, but she doesn’t.

I was surprised that bus fares have to be paid for to attend FE College here; when I asked if DGD should get a pass, DS said no, they had enquired, even though the local schools have no sixth form.
Another expense for parents.

The subsidies to transport services are paid in order to retain vital bus services.

Whether that is the best way to achieve integrated transport is a moot point.

Personally, I would prefer a nationalised transport system.

Whitewavemark2

The subsidies to transport services are paid in order to retain vital bus services.

Whether that is the best way to achieve integrated transport is a moot point.

Personally, I would prefer a nationalised transport system.

Are they paid by the Government or Local Authorities?