Have Public Sector cuts now gone to far?

Faust

It has not had cuts to the budget.

There are savings being made in some services so that more can be spent in others within the NHS. This is not the same as a cut.

NHS spending is going up, but other health spending isn’t

IronGiant

I notice the self-employed are up in arms about their N.I. contributions having been raised in the budget.

Now if ever a group of the UK workforce merited special scrutiny it’s the self-employed.  The reason for raising their N.I. is because so many are avoiding tax.  As said yesterday the tax base has now shrunk to 48%.

With the exception of maternity/paternity pay (which is currently being looked at) the self-employed are now entitled to the same benefits as PAYE employees.  However, for the average self-employed one man operation the N.I. contributions only amounts to around £120.00 per year – ridiculous amount compared to PAYE.

Then there is the situation regarding income tax.  My brother-in-law deals with self-employed people when they have to make claims for loss of business e.g. utility company disrupting an area for new sewers etc.  The self-employed can make a claim for the loss from the utility company.  However, when they are sent their cheques the phones are ringing off the hook by businesses claiming they are losing four and five times the amount they have been given.

My brother-in-law points out they have been paid according to their tax returns and if they think the payment isn’t right then they need to inform HMRC for a reassessment.  He says firstly they go quiet then they start hurling abuse at him.  It’s quite obvious they are not declaring their true income and so we all end up poorer.

Perhaps rather than keep blaming public sector workers for all that’s wrong with society we need to refocus that blame?

Enki

We have a thread on the subject here:  Budget 2017 hitting the self employed.

Faust

Adult social care budget is a sign posting service and is separate from Adult social care in Mental health or Adult social care in learning disabilities no mention of thses or any other social care budgets from Child to older Adults.

Faust

Excellent news.

Sonic67

Quite right, this is no more than a sticking plaster.  Yet another review has been commissioned, how many more do we have to have before something is done. All the previous reviews have been shoved into the long grass as no one wants to grasp the nettle.

There's now talk of a new form of taxation which will be ring fenced and used to fund the NHS, pensions, and all forms of social care.  It is thought that if people could see what they were contributing to and it was used solely for this purpose then it would be more acceptable to the electorate.

Faust

Or the electorate might be shocked by how much it costs and want better value.

Sonic67

Well given we already have some of the worst pensions in Europe, poorer healthcare and deteriorating social care just how much lower do you want to go?

Enki

So sack those in charge.

EarthRod

Hopefully in May 2020.


There is no counting for stupidity, the older baby boomers are now having rough time in their latter years if requiring support, and not sure the many feel they  ‘never had it so good’. I suppose there is some sort of perverse justice if you look at demography of who votes for whom but blame is lowest denominator.   Maybe we will have to wait for significant numbers of baby boomers who require and engage in social care support for it to change.