Surely we must pay more taxes!?

We have some friends who are extremely wealthy by anyone’s standards. They are very,very tight with money to the extent it is just laughable. They certainly would and do avoid any tax they can. I guess that is why they are so rich! They pay professionals to tell them how to get round tax laws - and,sadly, it seems to work. I don’t b know if that happens in the UK but I suspect it might.

David49, MaizieD, You really do have very cliched ideas about what better off people may or may not do, whether the silly stuff about them all being opposed to paying more tax or how they spend their time. You need to get out more and not just believe what you read in the papers.

I would point out that the state pension is not a benefit. It is a contributory pension. As pensioners we cannot be held responsible for the decisions of all governments to pay these pensions out of current income rather than invest our contributions, anymore than we can be held responsible for the investment policies of the pension funds that provide our occupational or personal pensions if we have them. We can only contribute and hope for the best.

Many better off people are de facto paying for their medical care, whether going to private dentists rather than NHS care to enable free care to be available for those who need it, or paying for private medical care. More and more people using private care are not part of health plans but pay directly.

I wouldn’t mind paying a bit more in tax if I could be 100% sure that none of it would be wasted.

There used to be a publication entitled ‘The Bumper Book of Government Waste’ - I never did get a copy but if it’s still going I might just look into that again.

It really is nit-picking to claim that the state pension is not a benefit. Most people claiming Universal Credit have paid National Insurance at some stage and all have paid tax in some form or other. Presumably, using your logic, Universal Credit isn't a benefit either. The fact is that recipients pay for it.

MOnica I really do think you should look around you to understand how poor many people in the UK are - and that paying for healthcare and dentistry etc is a pipedream for many. Incidentally, private dentistry does not release more appointments for those who can't pay. It just means that more dentists don't work for the NHS, so NHS appointments are even more difficult to book.

nanna8

We have some friends who are extremely wealthy by anyone’s standards. They are very,very tight with money to the extent it is just laughable. They certainly would and do avoid any tax they can. I guess that is why they are so rich! They pay professionals to tell them how to get round tax laws - and,sadly, it seems to work. I don’t b know if that happens in the UK but I suspect it might.

Of course it does!

David49, MaizieD, You really do have very cliched ideas about what better off people may or may not do, whether the silly stuff about them all being opposed to paying more tax

Perhaps you'd like to explain, then, MOnica why do the wealthy start squealing the minute a government suggests that they could carry a larger tax burden? VAT on private education, IHT, taxing non-doms? Why do they try to make a case for themselves being taxed at a lower rate than ordinary mortals? Capital gains tax, dividend tax?

Many seem to be suffering from a variety of Stockholm syndrome on this forum. Let's defend the super wealthy even if their contribution to the wellbeing of the country and their fellow citizens is as tiny as they can possibly make it but be perfectly complacent about 1 in 5 of our population living in poverty? Why?

It's bizarre. Water bills are about to rise because the government refuses to nationalise failing water companies; energy bills are set to rise, it looks as though interest rates aren't going to be cut in the foreseeable future (whoopee, say the wealthy, we're making lots of interest on our money) and people are offering themselves as sacrifices ("I don't mind paying more tax", they say "if it helps to improve things") while defending the reluctance to do the same of those who are more than able to absorb extra costs without a moment's thought...

I do read a wee bit more economics and sociology than the rubbish that is printed in the media,on social media and in blogs...

The state pension is a contributory benefit. This has been explained many times.

Many occupational pensions come from defined benefit schemes.

We need to move away from this notion that receiving a benefit is something only certain people do.

pascal30

Perhaps this ineffectual finance minister could take the radical and obvious step of taxing the wealthy!!!

I have a mixed but cautiously optimistic view of the economy, with notable improvements in several key metrics compared to last year. Good start but a long way to go.

The news is that hiring is up, and above the increase this time last year. That although the economy is still very weak, it's better on every measure I can think of than this time last year gives me hope. Interest rates are lower, inflation is lower, energy bills are lower, pay is higher.

No wonder the Tories are so desperate to get rid of Rachel Reeves.

Energy bills are lower?
Mine aren’t.
Neither are water bills, food bills, bus fares.

Mollygo

Energy bills are lower?
Mine aren’t.
Neither are water bills, food bills, bus fares.

If they're not lower than they were last year, you must be using more fuel. The unit costs have reduced.

Sorry but Martin Lewis disagrees growstuff

He has been on the news this morning and with todays ofgem increase he estimates that the average energy bill increase will be £111 per annum.

Well, I disagree with Martin Lewis and I can send him the evidence in black and white.

I currently pay 24.35p per KWh for electricity and 5.96p per KWh. In the same month last year I paid 27.82p per KWh for electricity and 6.96p per KWh for gas.

PS. ML is talking about the future. PolitisNerd was comparing current prices with the past.

My energy bills are higher and my consumption has not increased.

Inflation is on the increase PoliticsNerd, interest rates are therefore unlikely to be cut again for some time, the increased NI contributions, cuts in business rates relief and increased minimum wage will shortly find their way into increased costs of food, other items and services, and are causing job losses. More money has to be found for defence. We may face high tariffs on exports to the US. I really don’t know what causes you to be ‘cautiously optimistic’ about the economy PoliticsNerd.

Barleyfields

My energy bills are higher and my consumption has not increased.

Inflation is on the increase PoliticsNerd, interest rates are therefore unlikely to be cut again for some time, the increased NI contributions, cuts in business rates relief and increased minimum wage will shortly find their way into increased costs of food, other items and services, and are causing job losses. More money has to be found for defence. We may face high tariffs on exports to the US. I really don’t know what causes you to be ‘cautiously optimistic’ about the economy PoliticsNerd.

I'd change provider if I were you Barleyfields. I'm with OVO and unit prices have definitely gone down. Even with the increase in standing charges, I still pay less per unit for my fuel. You must have a rogue operator!

How do exports to the US lead to higher tariffs for UK consumers? Baffled!

growstuff

Well, I disagree with Martin Lewis and I can send him the evidence in black and white.

I currently pay 24.35p per KWh for electricity and 5.96p per KWh. In the same month last year I paid 27.82p per KWh for electricity and 6.96p per KWh for gas.

I was definitely comparing energy under Tories to where we are under Labour. That seemed to be what pascal30 was talking about.

I do see bumps in the path ahead but that's not uncommon. It helps to be realistic about what, and how quickly government can manoeuvre the economy out of stormy waters into calm ones and allow for occasional unexpected storms - such as those created by Trump and other extremists.

If exporters are faced with high tariffs from the US, has it not occurred to you growstuff that those extra expenses will feed through to the cost of products they sell here?

growstuff

Barleyfields

My energy bills are higher and my consumption has not increased.

Inflation is on the increase PoliticsNerd, interest rates are therefore unlikely to be cut again for some time, the increased NI contributions, cuts in business rates relief and increased minimum wage will shortly find their way into increased costs of food, other items and services, and are causing job losses. More money has to be found for defence. We may face high tariffs on exports to the US. I really don’t know what causes you to be ‘cautiously optimistic’ about the economy PoliticsNerd.

I'd change provider if I were you Barleyfields. I'm with OVO and unit prices have definitely gone down. Even with the increase in standing charges, I still pay less per unit for my fuel. You must have a rogue operator!

I've just been advised to reduce mind by over 20%.

I'm with Octopus, if that helps.

However Reeves manages it she will need more tax, more savings and probably more borrowing to see us through.

GrannyGravy13

Sorry but Martin Lewis disagrees growstuff

He has been on the news this morning and with todays ofgem increase he estimates that the average energy bill increase will be £111 per annum.

That’s because the energy price cap has risen by £111 from £1,735 to £1,849. But the cap is only a guide based on what is deemed average use for a 2-3 bedroom home. I don’t spend anywhere near that.

Average users who have taken Martin Lewis’s advice, got off the price cap and fixed their prices won’t be paying this.

The cap last July was £1,568 so average users who fixed last summer/autumn will be be paying £281 less than the new cap.

Barleyfields

If exporters are faced with high tariffs from the US, has it not occurred to you growstuff that those extra expenses will feed through to the cost of products they sell here?

You seem to be a tad confused. You wrote of tariffs for exports to the US. Now you're writing about tariffs for imports from the US. Which do you mean?

Growstuff
My combined energy bills are higher than this time last year and we have used around the same amount. Bear in mind the effort we have put into keeping warm by other ways because of the long stretches of bitterly cold weather, meaning we could keep our heating at 18° as we did last year.

In terms of gas, we are using less because we use an air fryer to cook, which does mean that we have used more electricity, but not enough to account for the overall increase in fuel bills.

Silverbrooks

GrannyGravy13

Sorry but Martin Lewis disagrees growstuff

He has been on the news this morning and with todays ofgem increase he estimates that the average energy bill increase will be £111 per annum.

That’s because the energy price cap has risen by £111 from £1,735 to £1,849. But the cap is only a guide based on what is deemed average use for a 2-3 bedroom home. I don’t spend anywhere near that.

Average users who have taken Martin Lewis’s advice, got off the price cap and fixed their prices won’t be paying this.

The cap last July was £1,568 so average users who fixed last summer/autumn will be be paying £281 less than the new cap.

I haven't fixed my prices (because I'm moving soon). I'm paying less not because I fixed my prices, but because the unit price has reduced since the same month last year - and it's there in black and white on my bills.