What's the fuss about this new benefit caps?

wotsthat

lisyloo wrote: »

Like the queen - I don't carry cash !

OK I'll have a guard dog on the door. If you fart and I can't hear it but the dog can you're in.

chris_m

wotsthat wrote: »

The queen has to shield her eyes when you take a £5 note out of your pocket.

Queen Victoria?

Mistermeaner

I'm shocked at Michaels attitude. Seems a bit Jimmy carr to me - not illegal but immoral and if everyone behaved like michaels we would all be tucked and what sort of world would that be?

Can you sleep at night?

michaels

ggb1979 wrote: »

I'm shocked at Michaels attitude. Seems a bit Jimmy carr to me - not illegal but immoral and if everyone behaved like michaels we would all be tucked and what sort of world would that be?

Can you sleep at night?

Very well.

As many have said the govt that was elected decided that pension contributions could be disregarded when assessing benefit eligibility, it would have been easy for them not to do this but they chose to. For some reason you think I should ignore the will of the people based on your morals.

Are you also against gay marriage on moral grounds even though it has been legislated for?

Mistermeaner

No not against gay marriage.

I voted conservative as agree with pro business / free market economics.

Also want then to overhaul the benefits system so hopefully in time they'll close this loophole.

It's not personal and I genuinely respect what you've done and why you're doing it it's just not something I myself would be comfortable with.

While I have conservative leanings and believe in minimum welfare state I do generally believe in the 'good' of the people and in doing the right thing.

I find you're approach doubly distasteful as not only is it getting others to pay your way it is an incredibly selfish approach in taking things you really don't need.

I guess in summary if everyone was like me I think society would be a slightly less forgiving but still functional place to be. If everyone was like you society would have ceased to function.

If you are comfortable being a leach on society and justify the morality of it on the basis that 'we all voted for it' then that's good for you, sleep well tonight.

However I don't think anyone specifically voted in support of your loophole and I hope it's closed pretty quick.

wotsthat

ggb1979 wrote: »

However I don't think anyone specifically voted in support of your loophole and I hope it's closed pretty quick.

I did. I thought there was a real risk that Labour would significantly reduce the tax and benefit treatment of pension contributions. Although a revelation to you as of today this isn't new and there have been plenty of MSE type advice explaining how pension contributions can increase access to various benefits.

If you're really bothered don't just have a dig but take the time to write to your MP to request the rules be changed.

michaels

ggb1979 wrote: »

However I don't think anyone specifically voted in support of your loophole and I hope it's closed pretty quick.

I think where we may differ is on whether it is an unintended loophole or a deliberate policy decision. I would have said it is so obvious and that the rules are deliberately spelt out to allow it means that it was an intended outcome. It was intended that pension contributions should not be considered as income when assessing tax credit eligibility.

Don't forget upper and higher rate tax payers benefit much more from pension contributions tax treatment than standard rate earners - is that an unfair loop hole that should not be exploited or is it perhaps that the benefits treatment is an attempt to address this discrepancy?

Therefore I think what you want is a change in a deliberate policy that you consider unfair rather than the closing off of an unitended loop hole.

To me the use of the small company tax system by contractors who are effectively employees is an example of a loo hole. The granting of tax releif on ISAs which benefits only the wealthy is not a loop hole but something I consider unfair in the tax system.

Mistermeaner

I am so shocked by the lunacy of this that's exactly what I've been thinking about doing.

I guess to summarise this feels like the worst of both left and right to me:

It's left in: 'give me free money I've not earned that others work for' and right in the 'fu k everybody else I'm alright and !!!!!! the consequences on society as a whole'

Totally ammoral in approach I guess.

Mistermeaner

Just for extra lols I should point out that my mp is none other than big George himself.

remorseless

is there any mean testing before benefits are determined? Like can you still get benefits if you declare your earnings etc following the 'allowable' method and have a fat bank account balance?