Things That Gladden The Heart

[PNWokingham]

The problem here was the length of time between election and budget, allowed commentators to predict rightly or mainly wrongly as it happened, of all the measures that would be introduced.
I remember reading in the Times, probably a fib looking back, of the thousands rushing to withdraw pension pots on the unfounded speculation that these were going to be hit. Wouldn't one need something more than a rumour before making a big decision like that?

I think they very seriously looked at all these options and nothing was off the table - but i personally know several people that took their whole tax free allowance in the past couple of months because of this possibility. I would have if i was old enough and had enough in my pot. What is really disaapointing is that they did not make a statement that these potential pension raids are off the agenda for the term of parliamnet so investors can plan with certainty and not act on what may happen - as it still could in coming years

 

[2blue]

Capital gains tax, inheritance tax, huge pension fund passed on after my death, none of these have any bearing on or to me.
I am not a working person so National Insurance payments do not impact on me.
I have no mortgage payments or rent to pay. I do not have children at private schools.
I do not have, and have no personal connections with, off-shore accounts, properties and businesses.
Mrs V got the winter fuel allowance last year, but will not be getting it this year. We will suffer no hardship as a result and we are happy to make this contribution to the country's recovery.

I have only to consider what is best for the country as a whole. I know and accept that others may have a greater personal impact to deal with.
Front page of The Times today uses the phrase "Tax Burden".
I do not see tax revenue as a burden. I see it as a necessary way for the country, and the general population within it, to pay for the things it needs and deserves.
I see this budget as enabling us to have improved and more of those things.
I like to think of myself as patriotic and altruistic.

I am interested in hearing more about the Covid Corruption Commissioner.

Yep, this me also!! Very much doubt it will apply to our 'Patriotic' flag-wavers!

 

[PJ87]

Yep, this me also!! Very much doubt it will apply to our 'Patriotic' flag-wavers!

I would of happily leveled out the pension tax relief to 30% or dropped the tax free lump sum to 20% to fund public services

Budget didn't affect me at all somehow which is a strange feeling

 

[Fade and Die]

The budget was obviously very political, as can be witnessed here by certain posters heartily endorsing it. It was very good for the public sector but very bad for the private sectors.

I will be careful not to stray into politics.

As a director of a SME I can only see negatives, what salary men cannot understand is that it takes a risk to run a business, you have to borrow, live on overdrafts, stress about bills 24/7, keep turnover up to pay guys who rely on you to put food on the table and a roof over their heads. Very very stressful.

But people did it because if you get it right there is a better reward in it for you than just being a cardsman.

However this is a budget that will punish SMEs with higher costs and a real impact on the bottom line.

Now the employer NI rate is up to 15%, total deductions are now at 48% if you earn below £37700, higher in reality as most of our Electricians earn more than that. That is a massive tax burden.
Add to that an increase in the minimum wage, which has a knock on effect to everyone else’s wages, also the road tax on vans going up plus a load of other increases it’s just doom and gloom everywhere.

It is a budget reliant on growth in the economy, however I think it will have the opposite effect, it will stifle growth and push the cost of living up, SMEs will be letting people go rather than hiring.

 

[PJ87]

The kids being randomly back into duggie

God level kids TV

I don't mind this being on

 

[IanM]

The budget was obviously very political, as can be witnessed here by certain posters heartily endorsing it. It was very good for the public sector but very bad for the private sectors.

Oooh, and how is the Public Sector paid for? (Someone tell them eh?)

 

[RichA]

Discovering a proper decent and friendly local pub with great ale in a back street of the town that you've lived in for 25 years.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Trick or treating with my daughter and her best friend from school - great fun going round the houses and some have gone mad and some brilliant house decorations

 

[RichA]

Trick or treating with my daughter and her best friend from school - great fun going round the houses and some have gone mad and some brilliant house decorations

We don't do Halloween (no kids so would be a bit weird) but loving the giant inflatable ghouls from Homebase that lots of folks have invested in.

 

[PJ87]

Trick or treating with my daughter and her best friend from school - great fun going round the houses and some have gone mad and some brilliant house decorations

Great to see the no pumpkin out no knock at the door respected aswell

Just back with 3 buckets full.. kids did ok aswell

All the strawberry sweets picked out and put outside for other kids as mine can't eat them no use them going to waste

Best bit was one mum going "oh the twins, their in my boys class" we don't know the twins class parents aswell as the eldest ones so was nice to put a face to the name of someone's party I'm at next month

 

[Pathetic Shark]

The two little girls opposite dressed up for Halloween and knocking on my door with their parents. Luckily I was ready for them with chocolate bars and jelly babies. The look of delight on the 3-year old's face was priceless.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

We don't do Halloween (no kids so would be a bit weird) but loving the giant inflatable ghouls from Homebase that lots of folks have invested in.

Every year a bunch of older kids go around wearing big inflatable dinosaurs or ghosts - really good fun

Lots of all the girls school friends were all out as so really nice when they were bumping into each other

 

[PJ87]

The two little girls opposite dressed up for Halloween and knocking on my door with their parents. Luckily I was ready for them with chocolate bars and jelly babies. The look of delight on the 3-year old's face was priceless.

Were they surprised to see a shark at the door?

 

[Tashyboy]

The New York Yankees totally self-destructing in Game 5 of the World Series and losing to the LA Dodgers. Dropped balls, errors, mental mistakes - it was all great. Coming off Game 4 where two of their fans were ejected for ripping a ball out of the glove of the LA right fielder who was making a catch. Classless organisation, classless fans and now losers. Fantastic. And a friend of mine who is retiring from the major leagues this season finished his career by getting a World Championship ring after being traded to the Dodgers at mid-season.

Saw that and thought is disgraceful. Those fans knew exactly what they were doing.

 

[Red devil]

Discovering a proper decent and friendly local pub with great ale in a back street of the town that you've lived in for 25 years.

Like finding the Holy Grail

 

[Pathetic Shark]

Were they surprised to see a shark at the door?

It was a pathetic shark. A baby shark would have been OK too I guess.