Tax Credits

wotsthat

Generali wrote: »

Who gets to decide?

For example would alcohol, gambling and tobacco be on the essentials list? For most they aren't essential but for the few that rely on them they absolutely are.

We have a tried and tested policy. We tend to approve of other people's behaviour and consumption being taxed. Our own - less so.

CLAPTON

N1AK wrote: »

Better is subjective, and that is a clear example of something I would consider worse. Cigarettes bring in £12 billion in tax revenue, and I'm not remotely persuaded that vastly dropping the tax on them, and increasing it on other products including things like fruit, vegetables, and medication is an improvement.

The issue is whether, on balance and taking the entire mass of products and services and judgement on each one, any better that a blanket tax rate.

Cigarette taxation may bring in 12 billion and this comes predominately from the young and poor : usually the people you wish to provide with extra unearned income. I guess there is a certain level of unintended justice here.

wotsthat

Mistermeaner wrote: »

I never thought of myself as an anarchist. Smash the system man!

The ideal is to live well within your means and bung a few quid in a pension to reduce your overall tax burden and secure a comfortable retirement.

I'd quite like my age cohort and older to save sufficient that they don't qualify for means tested retirement benefits and blow the rest. That'll mean they'll have taken on some of my share of the tax burden but I won't be giving it back when they retire.

Young people - I'm happy for them to spend the lot on tat and dispense with the saving because I'll be dead by the time they retire and won't need to fund them anyway.

Too big an increase in 'naughty' taxes might just kill off the goose that laid the golden egg.

setmefree2

kinger101 wrote: »

(a) father needs to contribute more to the raising of his children

Ain't that the truth. So many of the tax credit recipients are single moms.

michaels

setmefree2 wrote: »

Ain't that the truth. So many of the tax credit recipients are single moms.

It seems to be a very old fashioned view (up there with homphobia and racism?) that paying to bring up children is a responsibility of the biological parents rather than the state. Having children is a right and it is for society to pay for them.

Sapphire

michaels wrote: »

It seems to be a very old fashioned view (up there with homphobia and racism?) that paying to bring up children is a responsibility of the biological parents rather than the state. Having children is a right and it is for society to pay for them.

Of course it's the responsibility of the parents, and not that of the 'state', AKA taxpayers. Having children is not a right. You only have them if you can afford to support them, the number you have depending your means to support them – but don't expect hand-outs from taxpayers, many of whom have never had such hand-outs.

Or did you post this as a joke? In which case, well done. :T

setmefree2

zagfles wrote: »

and they could easily turn this defeat into a propaganda win. People who don't claim tax credits are generally totally clueless about them. They think it's just a top up of wages of a few quid for the lowest paid. This controversy could help educate them.

That'll be me.

Also, that woman on QT - she actually believes "she works bloody hard for her money" (she had me convinced) when she clearly doesn't.

How did she end up so deluded? Is she typical?

setmefree2

martinsurrey wrote: »

Would Labour and Libdems mind if tomorrow there were 200 new conservative peers?

We all should.

The latest figures show that the operating costs for each peer – which includes their daily allowance and staff wages – increased from £97,725 to £114,721 between 2010 and this year.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2530171/David-Cameron-fire-cost-running-House-Lords-leaps-42m.html

One from The Mirror
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/twenty-nine-peers-claimed-750000-6394432#ICID=sharebar_twitter

It costs nearly a £100 million to run the HoL pa.

setmefree2

MFW_ASAP wrote: »

Holy moley! No wonder we can't afford tax credits!

What on earth was Brown thinking when he introduced them???

Jeeze, it makes you wonder why anyone works anymore

He was buying votes. He even increased TCs in 2010 - after the crisis.

setmefree2

catwoman73 wrote: »

You can claim childcare tax credits and use them to pay a relative for childcare as long as that relative is a registered childminder and the care takes place in the childminder's property not the child's. I know someone who does this to care for her own grandchildren.

In Wales and Northern Ireland, the CM must care for at least one non-relative child as well.

Oh my days this system is corrupt.