Labour might appear to have calmed the storm over the scrapping of the 10 percent income tax rate for now. But new research shows the extent to which Britons are peeved about the level of income tax.
When asked what would be their key requests of Chancellor Alistair Darling, the largest proportion of more than 3,000 people polled for Unbiased.co.uk — 31 percent — said they’d like to see a cut in income tax. And, it seems, many Britons feel an obligation to help the less well-heeled: while 12 percent would like to see it reduced for everyone, 19 percent want a cut for less affluent sections of society.
The issue was, perhaps unsurprisingly, found to be the most pressing for younger generations — those with long working lives and greater earning potential ahead of them. Around 44 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds surveyed want a cut, compared to 19 percent of 55 to 64-year-olds and 13 percent of those aged 65 to 74.
But the requests do not stop there: almost a quarter would ask the Chancellor to provide a better level of state pension, 6 percent want increased pay for public sector workers, 5 percent increased support for carers, the same percentage an increase in the inheritance tax threshold to 750,000 pounds (from a current 312,000 pounds), and 2 percent want the stamp duty thresholds to be reviewed.
Others would implore the Chancellor to reconsider public spending: 5 percent want funding for the third generation of nuclear deterrent to be scrapped, 4 percent call for a four billion pound cap on the Olympic budget; and the same proportion want more spending on environmental issues.
It’s easy to see why: soaring house prices have pushed more people into the inheritance tax net and sent stamp duty bills soaring, “fiscal drag” — whereby thresholds fail to rise in line with inflation — is pulling people into new and higher tax brackets, and interest in “green” issues is on an upward trend.
But don’t forget that there are simple things we can all do to keep the taxman’s hands off our cash. The nation is wasting a whopping 9.3 billion pounds in unnecessary tax payments — from the likes of people not making use of their individual savings account allowance (a total 7,200 pounds this year, of which 3,600 pounds can be stashed in cash), wasting tax credits and not taking steps to reduce their taxable estate for inheritance tax purposes.
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7 comments so far
Dear Chancellor,
I prefered Brown.
Sorry.
Love Tom
- Posted by Tom MorganDear Chancellor,
- Posted by Alan SouthamptonYou personally cannot follow Brown - you cannot win - why did you take the job?!
You need to unstitch the complicated nonsense you have inherited.
Suggest some vote winner:
1 - raise basic tax threshold to take millions out of tax altogether and encourage workers not claimants
2 - abolish road tax and increase tax on fuel proportionatley - this will ensure that those who use it (pollute) actually pay!
Regards - Alan
The labour party has taken the tax from three years of self-employed, taken our pensions and when they took over had virtually a clear balance of payments. Blair & Brown went to the first Keyota agreement meeting and told OPEC countries to reduce output because people would use less fuel and help the green issues, Look what it has done to world fuel prices and food. We were told that Bio Fuels were the way forward, we cannot grow enough to feed the world let alone run our cars on this new fuel. Prices of our food have rocketed because most of the deliveries are by road. Our Electricity and Gas prices have gone through the roof. The labour party have held wage rises down on a ficticious 2-2.5% which is probably nearer 12%. The sooner Darling, Brown and co move out the better for the UK electorate.
- Posted by DesDear Alistair
Scrap all the vote winning, political state benefits that few people understand and, as a consequence, don’t claim.
Sack the overpaid administrators of these complicated benefits and apply the savings from their salaries and inflation proofed pensions costs to the basic state pension.
Increase the rate of personal allowance to £10,000 for all. 20% tax on the next £50,000 and 40% on the rest.
- Posted by Melvyn PyeDear Alistair,
Wipe the muck from your eyes and take a look around you.
Look at the energy companies making huge profits while thousands live in fuel poverty.
Look at the banks making exorbitant gains while passing on little in the way of breaks to their customers.
Look at your own cabinet, a shifty rabble with little more that a single brain cell between them.
Now DO SOMETHING!!!
Please.
Regards,
Dan Drage
- Posted by Dan DrageDear Chancellor,
We like life to be simple and for the government to focus on doing good and making it easier for us.
We don’t like confusion or being lied to and having 13 bands for car tax is ridiculous!
Thanks for listening.
- Posted by IainDear Chancellor
You are the chancellor in name only, as long as Mr Brown is Prime Minister.
No matter what Labour MP’s say your party will lose the next General Election if Brown is still your leader.
The voters will never forgive a man who has kicked the Pensioners and low wage earners in the teeth, no matter what he does to appease them from now on.
So why don’t your gutless labour MP’s get rid of the unelected Brown as leader before it is too late.
We still haven’t forgiven New Labour MP’s for allowing Blair to take us to war with Iraq.
- Posted by John GregorySo something has got to be done soon before the other sleasy lot takes over.