Hood Robin

[SocketRocket]

Agreed, if you must have a dose of weans then bloody well pay for them yourself!

Not sure about the budget, I haven't had a proper look at it yet, but it's refreshing to see a living wage (higher than that promised by other parties btw) going up. I'd like to see it higher, but it's a start.

As for the welfare...... I don't like the fact under 25s will suffer (no living wage etc) while pensioners who are, let's face it, more of a financial burden on the welfare state still get their free telly licence, free buses, inflation linked pensions, heating allowance etc whether they actually need it or not. No problem with those that do need it though.
Perhaps the young uns need to make their voice heard to avoid constantly getting shafted?

Remember that most of those pensioners and their Employers have paid their NI contributions for around 50 years and never saw a tax credit. Gordon Brown spoilt people by introducing a raft of benefits like tax credits and he did it to buy votes. The bill for them has ballooned out of control and has to be reigned in. It's tough but the benefit merry-go-round needs slowing down and bringing to a stop.

As a pensioner myself I agree that pensioners paying 40% tax should not receive benefits like free TV licenses and heating allowances though.

 

[Fish]

Thought the budget was excellent. At last starting to undo some of Gordon Brown's terrible damage.

Work hard and you can keep more of your money.

 

[Craigg]

Whilst at the same time punishing those least able to look after themselves...

And which particular group of people fall into this category then?

 

[Doon frae Troon]

I live in an area where most of my neighbours are well off pensioners.
New Mercedes drivers getting subsidised transport, TV and heating whilst young hard working families really struggle to keep ahead of the bailiffs makes no sense whatsoever.

How to fix it is the problem, perhaps this can be done through the tax codes. I would much rather have seen a government address these problems that hit the most vulnerable easy targets.

 

[Foxholer]

I live in an area where most of my neighbours are well off pensioners.
New Mercedes drivers getting subsidised transport, TV and heating whilst young hard working families really struggle to keep ahead of the bailiffs makes no sense whatsoever.

How to fix it is the problem, perhaps this can be done through the tax codes. I would much rather have seen a government address these problems that hit the most vulnerable easy targets.

What's actually to fix? Those 'well off pensioners' probably worked very hard to get the comfortable retirement they now enjoying! Would you now wring an extra amount of them - and discourage those in their 40s from doing the same? That would simply be multiplying the problem imo.

Certainly, there is a need to support the truly hard up! But there is (or should be) really quite a bit of support actually available for most of those cases!

I do agree that the Tax Credit changes have disadvantaged many, but these are folk who are in work, so not an absolute disaster - and the 'living wage' change goes some way (by no means all) to alleviating that.

 

[SocketRocket]

I live in an area where most of my neighbours are well off pensioners.
New Mercedes drivers getting subsidised transport, TV and heating whilst young hard working families really struggle to keep ahead of the bailiffs makes no sense whatsoever.

How to fix it is the problem, perhaps this can be done through the tax codes. I would much rather have seen a government address these problems that hit the most vulnerable easy targets.

These Pensioners were once young hard working people with families that struggled to make ends meet. I know I was. What's wrong with old people living a more comfortable life in old age if they have earned it? There seems to be a wide fronted mindset these days that wants to persecute and victimise Pensioners. As I have stated previously I can understand a policy where Pensioners paying 40% or higher tax could go without heating allowance, free bus passes and TV licenses but please give them a break!

 

[alexbrownmp]

I live in an area where most of my neighbours are well off pensioners.
New Mercedes drivers getting subsidised transport, TV and heating whilst young hard working families really struggle to keep ahead of the bailiffs makes no sense whatsoever.

How to fix it is the problem, perhaps this can be done through the tax codes. I would much rather have seen a government address these problems that hit the most vulnerable easy targets.

Is this the current SNP thinking?

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Is this the current SNP thinking?

I have no idea........ strange question.

I know that they seek to do away with child poverty.
In one of the richest countries in the world, one in five children are born into poverty.
I for one am very unhappy with that figure.
However as a society, the UK seems to moving to a more selfish nation.

 

[CheltenhamHacker]

I have no idea........ strange question.

I know that they seek to do away with child poverty.
In one of the richest countries in the world, one in five children are born into poverty.
I for one am very unhappy with that figure.
However as a society, the UK seems to moving to a more selfish nation.

One in five?

I think that is massively stretching what is considered "poverty". Go to a significantly poorer country and try to compare the poverty suffered by this 20%, i have a feeling they would be vastly different.

 

[SocketRocket]

I have no idea........ strange question.

I know that they seek to do away with child poverty.
In one of the richest countries in the world, one in five children are born into poverty.
I for one am very unhappy with that figure.
However as a society, ENGLAND seems to moving to a more selfish nation.

I corrected that to what you really mean.

 

[chippa1909]

I would be far more comfortable if, as well as rightly going after the benefits scroungers, as much enthusiasm was shown for going after the bankers and tax dodgers.
That's not going to happen under a Tory Government though.

 

[SocketRocket]

I would be far more comfortable if, as well as rightly going after the benefits scroungers, as much enthusiasm was shown for going after the bankers and tax dodgers.
That's not going to happen under a Tory Government though.

I think you will find thats exactly what they are doing! Did you listen to the budget?

http://realbusiness.co.uk/article/3...osborne-says-tax-dodgers-have-nowhere-to-hide

 

[chippa1909]

I'll believe it when I see front page headlines in the Daily Mail about it.
Or indeed a TV programme called Tax Dodgers Street (or would it be Avenue?).

 

[CheltenhamHacker]

I'll believe it when I see front page headlines in the Daily Mail about it.
Or indeed a TV programme called Tax Dodgers Street (or would it be Avenue?).

So unless a newspaper prints it, you don't believe it?!

Your logic has no sense. If the newspaper says it's raining, but you seen the sun outside, what do you believe?

 

[chippa1909]

I get my "tap aff".
However, a lot of people in the country will say it is raining if told enough times by the papers and TV. It is more convenient for them to believe this than to look at the weather map and work it out for themselves.
Blame the wee black cloud which is overhead rather than the storm clouds which are all around.

 

[SocketRocket]

I get my "tap aff".
However, a lot of people in the country will say it is raining if told enough times by the papers and TV. It is more convenient for them to believe this than to look at the weather map and work it out for themselves.
Blame the wee black cloud which is overhead rather than the storm clouds which are all around.

It would be easier to admit you were wrong!

 

[chippa1909]

I'm not wrong. I'll only be happy when the same demonisation of tax dodgers is made like what they do to the benefit cheats.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

I corrected that to what you really mean.

And I think it is probably what you already really know.

 

[Foxholer]

I'll believe it when I see front page headlines in the Daily Mail about it.
...

Well, given that the owner is a 'non-Dom', I wouldn't expect a particularly unbiased opinion!

 

[Fyldewhite]

Iv'e always thought inheritance tax disgraceful. People have already been taxed on their earnings and just about anything else they do, inheritance tax is IMO robbing the dead.

So Granny and Grandad who bought their large suburban semi for £20,000 in 1962 and pass it on in their will at a current value of £700,000 today have paid tax on the extra £680,000 have they? This policy will reward mostly those now in their mid 50's with well off parents....mostly in the south east of England. Still, nothing more than I expected tbh. Giveaway for the rich while the poorer end get hammered. Still, it's fair because we all have same chance of climbing the social ladder don't we?