Originally Posted by
The One Who
What about those with ISAs? Filling it each year means you can save quite a tidy sum, all tax-free. I'm not saying there aren't issues within the tax system, particularly with companies, but we all do it, just to a lesser extent.
"We all do it"? I don't. And never have. Nor has anyone in my family as far as I'm aware. I can't speak for everyone else in Britain, only for what I know personally. Personally I have never, nor has anyone I know, used any form of tax avoidance. I'm sure it does happen though, I'm just not very aware of it in my life.
Originally Posted by
The One Who
It's not about 'taking away from benefits', it's that when you combine the benefits together you end up better off, and that should not be the case. Those who don't qualify for Housing Benefit or Local Housing Allowance are paying rent and mortgage out of their low wages, and are then not eligible for their children to get free school meals, or free transport costs, or social tariffs on utilities, or anything else. For far too many people, a life on benefits is much better than a life of work. Yes, we should increase the wages, but where is that money going to come from?
I think my post above demonstrated my views on austerity and the need for more economic spending. I also believe that talaiporia made a very good point her their post above about the positive reasons for increasing the minimum wage.
Originally Posted by
The One Who
For the record, I wholeheartedly support the welfare system, just not in its current form. Right now, it doesn't really support those who it was meant to be, and it has now become a lifestyle choice rather than a support net. I never said those on benefits are wrong or should be punished, although certain claimants certainly should be considering the amount of attempted benefit fraud I see every day! How should we deal with benefit sanctions, as an example, particularly those who continually flout the agreement?
I completely agree with you, as I said in a previous post I support welfare changes. I believe the current state it's in is not helpful, is far too bureaucratic, and has been too twisted and changed over the years that now it is just a nightmare to navigate. I was very interested in the Universal Credit, but I do not support the hideous amounts we have already spent on it's failing IT systems.
As I said above, sanctions don't work for the people who are genuinely using the benefits system for what it is there for. The sanctioning system is altogether unfair, from what I've witnessed of it, and too many people are being sanctioned not by their own fault, but because their local job center have targets to fill.
Of course there are those who take advantage of the system, there are people like that for every system we shall ever have. Does that mean that the vast majority should be tarred with the same brush?