How do Government justifiy Stamp Duty?

Jowo_2

Justin_Nelson wrote: »

Stamp Duty Land Tax (as it now is) is simply another tax, like income tax, inheritance tax, VAT, capital gains tax .... That's all there is to it, really

currently the state pays out more in benefits than it gets through income tax receipts - the country needs all the taxes it can get to sustain those who are not contributing to the public purse, or who cannot.

try not to get angry about stamp duty - see it as a means of the fortunate contributing towards the housing benefit of the less fortunate - currently the annual bill is £16 billion with it anticipated reaching around £21 billion next year.

"4.5million people are receiving Housing Benefit, of which around three million are of working age....The bill will mean the average household pays £800 a year in taxes to subsidise accommodation for the jobless and low-paid, the official forecast showed last night.
The figures confirm that the cost of housing benefit has nearly doubled from £11.1billion since Labour came to power."

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/149567/-20-8bn-cost-of-housing-benefit

googler

The Dutch used to be taxed by the width of their houses, didn't they?

So lots of the houses in Holland are tall and thin..... or was it Belgium?

JA1000

Doozergirl wrote: »

I'd rather pay SDLT at 1,3,4 or even 5% rather than 17.5% VAT like other purchases...

Put VAT up to 20% I say, it will raise another £10bn per year and get us quickly out of the mess we are in.

sunshinetours

JA1000 wrote: »

Put VAT up to 20% I say, it will raise another £10bn per year and get us quickly out of the mess we are in.

Hmm Current Uk national debt at over £900 billion - not sure an additional £10bn a year is going to make too much difference especially as we are still running a huge defecit for next few years whoever gets in!

I have nothing else to suggest better however - we are not in a nice position!