What I would like to say

Isn't it something like 30-40bn a year that the UK misses out on in unpaid tax and tax breaks? That's from the juggernaut firms all the way down to the 'one man bands'.

It's absolutely sickening. Just think what that money every 365 days could do for the nation. New hospitals, schools, affordable housing, transport hubs, entertainment venues....list is endless.

The world has just accepted that this is the way it has to be. It doesn't.

comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 13 minutes ago
mx4, Saka

Meanwhile the pay gap between highest and lowest salaries has rocketed, and taxation rate on highest pay is much lower than in the pre-Thatcher years (and which somehow didn't prevent much higher growth in the post-war period than the post-Thatcher period). The value in suppressing this realisation is largely why the billionaire class is investing in control of our information systems and in post-democratic politics.
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It's a very mafia like system, tax on low paid workers is something of government mafia protection payment.

Tax for someone earning millions out of assets is mererly a backhander to the government mafia to allow the rich to keep on profiting from others work.

We have more than enough workers, but we do not have an economic model that allocates them to doing the things that society actually needs them to do to sustain it. Instead we have an economic model that creates more and more wealthy people who channel that money into creating more and more luxury toys to play with.

comment by mx4 (U23184)
posted 38 minutes ago
comment by kinsang (U3346)
We are indeed a very wealthy nation, that relies heavily on immigration to maintain it's workforce. That is a mixture of both 'high-level' jobs, as well as more manual task type jobs.

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Not only have we benefitted from immmigration, we've also benefitted from automation. Massive amount of foreign and automated workers have been added to underpin the economic foundations of the Country.

Yet, we can't afford a winter fuel payment for pensioners apparently.

Have you actually done the sums on this yourself or are you just blindly repeating a popular opinion?


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The problem with the winter fuel payment is that it was universal rather than means tested. You have elderly people out there who are very well off getting given that money - which makes no sense

comment by Striketeam7 - staying humble
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The problem with the winter fuel payment is that it was universal rather than means tested. You have elderly people out there who are very well off getting given that money - which makes no sense
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The problem is we're even talking about the winter fuel payment.

It's a tiny tiny drop in the ocean compared to what the well of are taking out of the system.

Cutting a £300 payment per year is not going after the well off is it.

Thin end of the wedge.

Opens the door to all pension payments being means tested which is unfair to people with 50+ years NI contributions.

Estimated savings made by scrapping universal winter fuel allowance: £0.9bn to £1.3bn.

Estimated potential revenue from a measly 2% wealth tax on private personal assets over £10m: £24bn.

comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 45 minutes ago
Thin end of the wedge.

Opens the door to all pension payments being means tested which is unfair to people with 50+ years NI contributions.
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Not sure how it opens the door to that - one is a benefit and the other has been earned - I’m fine with a billionaire getting full SP if they have sufficient class 3/4 payments

They could simply deny the winter fuel allowance to any pensioner paying higher rate tax - they clearly don’t need it.

It’s ridiculous to think that Alan Sugar could potentially claim it

comment by mx4 (U23184)
posted 1 hour, 29 minutes ago
comment by Striketeam7 - staying humble
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The problem with the winter fuel payment is that it was universal rather than means tested. You have elderly people out there who are very well off getting given that money - which makes no sense
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The problem is we're even talking about the winter fuel payment.

It's a tiny tiny drop in the ocean compared to what the well of are taking out of the system.

Cutting a £300 payment per year is not going after the well off is it.
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It’s not and my point was in isolation rather than bigger picture stuff, I just find it ridiculous they got rid completely rather than just deny HR tax payers

For every Alan Sugar, there's probably going to be 100,000 pensioners having to scrimp on heating.

comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 4 hours, 2 minutes ago
For every Alan Sugar, there's probably going to be 100,000 pensioners having to scrimp on heating.
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Yes Boris - they are the ones who should still receive the allowance.

You’re struggling again today mate - what I am saying is that Higher rate tax payers - I.e. those not scrimping, should not receive the benefit.

Keep up dear