50 word Moneyfesto - Small changes for a big difference 2013

Democide

There is a secret harassment/revenge program running in this country that goes by the name of organized stalking. The only way it can be stopped is through public awareness and for our politicians to introduce new laws banning it.

A good place to start if you want to learn more, web search the quote below, it should lead you to an article written by Eleanor White.

"Organized Stalking Information for those for whom this crime is a new issue"

There is a lot of good and bad information on the internet about this subject so you need to be careful.
I was personally targeted by this roughly 4 years ago. It is absolutely horrible and no one should be made to go through it.

S_Duff

5p charge for every carrier bag & refundable deposits for all glass drinking bottles - simple ways to cut waste using nudge economics!

S_Duff

Hospitals - cut IVF funding (we can and should adopt, not insist on "right" to be a natural parent). Reduce expensive medicines - only benefit big pharma and limited effects for small number of patients. Consider compulsory health insurance - what you do (i.e. in terms of lifestyle, diet, adventure sports, travel, etc.) - should impact what you pay into system and/or level of care received. This encourages personal responsibility - we'll struggle to run a service if we provide a blank cheque for irresponsibility.

S_Duff

More stringent limits on benefits (i.e. free bus travel) for over-60s. We need to return to the principle of "from (almost) all according to means and to each according to needs".

S_Duff

More coordinated utilisation of schools across England, so there is less duplication and more sharing of resources. A multiplication in providers will probably mean a reduction in efficiency, so govt. needs to make sure there's not too many schools in some areas and not enough in others. Moreover, fee-paying and independent (which also receive benefits, like charitable status, from govt.) should give as much as possible (in terms of lesson plans and sharing sports facilities) to state sector.

S_Duff

CDK wrote: »

The government should introduce a benefit card/voucher or similar which is topped up with whatever benefits that person is receiving either weekly, fortnightly or monthly (I would opt for monthly to teach people to budget). This benefit card/vouchers should only be able to be used for 'essentials' such as food, drinks and toiletries and children's educational toys if the person has young children.

NOT alcohol, cigarettes, Xbox, play station games, TVs, stereos etc.

This would prevent people moaning that they don't get paid enough in benefits as they wouldn't be able to spend it all on luxuries. The government would then be able to see exactly how much benefits people actually NEED not how much they want or say they need.

Brilliant idea - if we're given money directly by the government, then this should be in the form of vouchers which can only be used for certain, essential purchases. Avoid discrimination by utilizing this for all govt. benefits - state pension and child support payments!
Hard times = tough, but fair, measures that reduce opportunities for corruption and waste.

Rufus20

I work 2 jobs, I have a different tax code for each. This caused me to greatly overpay on national insurance and underpay on income tax. I now have to pay the inland revenue despite the fact that they owe me more back in national insurance. I have to pay now but it will take them months to give me back the money they owe me.
Why can't it all be simplified into one tax?

SVMc51

Urgently need a rent act or similar to ensure affordable rents for everyone. Change corporation tax loophole that allows companies to buy property as an investment, never live in it and never pay the relevant taxes. In addition all property owners pay full council taxes whether property lived in or empty. :j

Sandro7

The current stamp duty tiers penalise ordinary families living in expensive areas. Regionalise the tiers so that people in cheap areas actually pay stamp duty, and get the housing market moving again in expensive areas by cutting the rate. No family should have to pay above 1% duty on a basic 3 bedroom house.

Epicllama

Huge areas of Britain are blighted by alcohol abuse, it costs us taxpayers millions a year in NHS, police and clean up costs. No one starves or suffers if they can't afford to drink a litre of vodka a day or get thrashed on Saturday night. Quick win.