'Would you 'pay in cash' to help people avoid tax?' poll

Former_MSE_Lawrence

Poll between 17-24 May 2010:

Would you ‘pay in cash’ to help people avoid tax?

If a builder/masseuse/cleaner/plummer/market stall holder or anyone else offered you a 15% discount because “it's better in my pocket than in the taxmans”

Which of these is closest to what you’d do?

A. Take it – a saving's a saving - 65%
B. Haggle- ask for a bigger discount - 22%
C. Refuse it – you won’t take part in tax evasion -10%
D. Report it – report them for tax fraud - 3%

11,285 total votes.

Voting has now closed, but you can still click 'post reply' to discuss below. Thanks

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Gareth_Lazelle

Shouldn't A. be:

A. Take it - Stealing is saving of a sort

Quiet_Life

I have to earn approx. £144.60 to receive £100 after tax and NI, so if I'm quoted £100 cash in hand for a job, it's really costing me a lot more.

kalaika

What are the odds that the guy saying "it's better in my pocket than in the taxman's" will be the first to complain about public service cutbacks to ease the Government's budget deficit?

jackieglasgow

Quiet_Life wrote: »

I have to earn approx. £144.60 to receive £100 after tax and NI, so if I'm quoted £100 cash in hand for a job, it's really costing me a lot more.

I had to read that a few times for it to make sense, but I totlayy agree. I'll also add that someone offered me a cash only price for some work the other day at my MIl's house, which is about two minutes away from a huge tax office, and most of the employees come from the local area, he had no hesitation and didn't even stop to think if I might. FWIW MIL is retired from there, and would have slapped me hard if I'd accepted!

ThinkingOfLinking

D. Why should they get away with not paying tax? And as another poster said, that money they're asking for already costs you more than that due to your own tax and NI burden...

zygurat789

Do you believe everthing a builder/masseuse/cleaner/plummer/market stall holder or anyone else says to you? All he wants is the money now (don't we all) rather tyhan a cheque which may bounce and cost him in bank charges.

davetrousers

A 15% deduction would be less for the tradesman!

Job costs £100 plus 17.5% VAT = £117.50 (so this is what it should legitimately cost.)

OK now deduct 15% from £117.50 and the sum is £99.88

brightonman123

depends on the service / price offered- do you get good value BEFORE % taken off?

beer_tins

It's worth bearing in mind that all taxpayers need to cover the shortfall caused by tax fraud. The government will get the money they don't get from the tradesman, from you and me.

wildthing01

beer_tins wrote: »

It's worth bearing in mind that all taxpayers need to cover the shortfall caused by tax fraud. The government will get the money they don't get from the tradesman, from you and me.

i'm sorry - i don't get this - are you saying that the government knows how much they are losing from cash in hand deals each year and so adjust the national tax rates upwards to take account of this? in the same way shops raise prices to allow for a certain amount of shoplifting? i really hope they don't!! tax is tax isn't it?

and as for the people saying that that £100 has actually cost them £144, well you could make the same arguement for when you buy anything with your hard-earned cash - down to a tube of toothpaste - and in most cases then the government is then taking two lots of tax, once from your paypacket and then again when you purchase something. so i don't really get that arguement either i'm afraid!