'Should married couples get a tax break?' poll discussion

Molotovjack

Why not give single people a tax break? Obviously it's harder to get a mortgage and run a car as well as a host of other things while single. A married/ co-habiting couple have two wages coming in so it's a lot easier so why do they need a tax break? I ask you.

zygurat789

WelshGandalf wrote: »

Absolutely! This is what the Conservatives are proposing actually. It also works if one parent stays at home and the other stays at home to look after the kids. It's not a huge benefit but it does make a difference. The beauty of this method is that if both parents are working - then there is no tax benefit - and why should there be, they've probably got quite a bit of money coming in. But, if they fall on hard times, the extra cash could ease the strain on the relationship, and it also makes it easier for a parent to stay at home to look after the kid(s) which is absolutely a good thing for society. Children who don't grow up well can become a massive drain on society, via drugs, drink, living on benefits... etc.
.

£1,295 compared to the usual budget giveaway of £100 and it could amount to £26bn. This is national bankruptcy proportions and you think it's not huge. Are you a senior merchant banker or a drugs dealer?

Paul_Herring

Molotovjack wrote: »

Why not give single people a tax break?

Why not give everyone a tax break? The way things are going at the moment given the last PBR, we're heading to the far right of the Laffer Curve of income tax+NI.

For starters, people on the minimum wage pay tax and NI. Push both the tax-free-allowance and the NI LEL up to:

40hrs x minimum wage (22yr+) x 52 weeks = £12,064

TFA is currently £6,475 for under 65's
NI LEL is currently £4,940

Then do away with all the tax-credit and other make-work, rent-seeking institutions and governmental red tape b*****ks that attempt to pay back income tax to those who don't earn enough. Those on minimum wage would still get NI credits, even though they wouldn't actually /pay/ any NI.

Then start taxing those who earn above the minimum wage more on the amount over those limits.

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Then start talking about transferable tax free allowances....

roddydogs

Could i point out that when the marriage allowance was last in force, single parents with dependent children living with them, got the Married persons tax allowance.
To answer another question, you only get the Marriage allowance if you living together, NOT if you are separated. Again, that's under the "Old" Rules

jrawle

WelshGandalf wrote: »

I'm amused at all the people saying there's no difference between being married and being in a "relationship" - have you not looked at the figures recently? You can bang on about the divorce rate if you want, but more people break up who are unmarried than who are married you know. :rolleyes:

As with figures for the performance of children of married parents vs unmarried parents, there is nothing to prove a causal link between marriage and better relationships. The sort of people who are more likely to get married include better off people from middle-class backgrounds, people from religious backgrounds (who are going to stay married even if bitterly unhappy), and it's also the case that many people live together for a few years to see if they are happy, then take the commitment of marriage once they know it's going to last. There's no proof that marriage causes relationships to last longer, just that the sort of people who are likely to marry also happen to be more likely to form successful relationships.

Besides, what figures are you using for unmarried couples as such relationships are not registered?

SimbaSimon

Anything to keep single parents from being single parents and claiming far too much benefit! I think its a great idea. There are so many broken homes especially around poorer areas these days, it would increase the likelyhood of people trying to stay together.

To be honest I'm sick of the sight of single mums getting far too much benefits around my area. I'm not saying you shouldn't be a single mum, but certain areas have very high numbers of single parents, not working, and just sitting on the dole having more babies. Its a crazy world we live in.

coco1980

the problem with our society these days is that people are so narrow minded and are too quick to label everyone that doesnt lead the life they think they should and want to force them into their way of life, one example being the idea of this tax reduction.

cillataz

i would marry my partner is it reduced our tax!.
benefits should only be emergency money for the needy until they are back on their feet. (not talking about disability benefit)

qetu1357

http://www.civitas.org.uk/hwu/cohabitation.php

Adding this to the debate.

For example,

Domestic violence

Women in cohabiting relationships are more likely than wives to be abused. In one study, marital status was the strongest predictor of abuse-ahead of race, age, education or housing conditions

boliston

StarF15h wrote: »

I think the tax and benefit systems are unfair and unbalanced. For example, I'm taxed as an individual, so all my income is assessed and taxed on what I earn. I pay my own National Insurance and I pay my own income tax.

However, should I fall on hard times and need some state benefit, then it is immediately tested in the context of what my partner earns. This to me seems unfair.

This does seem unfair as I would never expect a partner to support me if I lost my job. Also I would never expect a partner to tell me what their salary is as frankly it's absolutely none of my business!