Paying tax

GuitarGuy

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Here's one for you:

I actually paid tax on my earnings in the last few weeks despite being well under the threshold for the year, that doesn't bother me so much, what bothers me is, what did I actually pay for?

Never use the NHS, it's such a pile of trash that we went private years ago, I don't use the roads but even if I did there's a separate tax for that, I don't use public schools and don't have any dependants who do (nor any dependants at all for that matter!), where is my hard earned going and how do I benefit in any way?
 
you don't use roads? so you commute via air and through fields then?
 
Here's one for you:

I actually paid tax on my earnings in the last few weeks despite being well under the threshold for the year, that doesn't bother me so much, what bothers me is, what did I actually pay for?

Never use the NHS, it's such a pile of trash that we went private years ago, I don't use the roads but even if I did there's a separate tax for that, I don't use public schools and don't have any dependants who do (nor any dependants at all for that matter!), where is my hard earned going and how do I benefit in any way?

This post doesn't really merit a reply.

Just think about this - until you are earning over c£18k, even as a single man with no dependants you are benefiting more from the tax pot than you put in. These benefits come in so many ways it's not possible to list them.

Anyway, if I remember correctly, you have only recently got a job. Where do you think your income support money came from?
 
> Never use the NHS, it's such a pile of trash that we went private years ago

Who will turn up when you crash your sports-car into a wall then? :p
 
I pay for the bus who then pays the tax from my fare....? And as said above, current road tax and fuel duty pays for the roads several times over, shame that Coventry has potholes and not roads but that's a whole other issue.
 
Liquid101 said:
This post doesn't really merit a reply.

Just think about this - until you are earning over c£18k, even as a single man with no dependants you are benefiting more from the tax pot than you put in. These benefits come in so many ways it's not possible to list them.

Anyway, if I remember correctly, you have only recently got a job. Where do you think your income support money came from?

Not taking income support as I'm living with parents. And they are my only income support, I'm a student as well meaning no benefits for me!

Krish: this isn't a windup, I'm just a naive 18 year old who doesn't fully understand these things that's all :)

imightbewrong said:
> Never use the NHS, it's such a pile of trash that we went private years ago

Who will turn up when you crash your sports-car into a wall then? :p

Ahh you've got me there, though I dislike the phrasing "then" lol......

Tailwhip: no, never.
 
Here's one for you:

I actually paid tax on my earnings in the last few weeks despite being well under the threshold for the year, that doesn't bother me so much, what bothers me is, what did I actually pay for?

Never use the NHS, it's such a pile of trash that we went private years ago, I don't use the roads but even if I did there's a separate tax for that, I don't use public schools and don't have any dependants who do (nor any dependants at all for that matter!), where is my hard earned going and how do I benefit in any way?

you never solely use private healthcare. they dont offer everything.

i take it you didnt go to state school then for your education...

you are ****** because you actually paid some tax for once?

how do the goods you buy get to their destinations? via roads, which need paying for. VED (road tax) doesnt cover all the spending on roads.

you may well have children in the future, dont you want schools around for them?

do you pay council tax?

you are paying for the government too... (whether they are worth it is another matter)

your hard earned is going the same way as everyone else's. but we pay it every month.

to me this thread is very 'wahhhhhhhhh, not fair' :facepalm:
 
> Never use the NHS, it's such a pile of trash that we went private years ago

Who will turn up when you crash your sports-car into a wall then? :p

it will be an old one if he cant get past the tax free allowance ;)
 
it will be an old one if he cant get past the tax free allowance ;)

You don't know the half of it :eek: Needs a wander to the motoring forum...
 
Ok ....

I have no children but my taxes have gone towards your free prescriptions, dental checkups and eye tests, and your parents' child benefit per child (you and your siblings) ;)
 
Just think about this - until you are earning over c£18k, even as a single man with no dependants you are benefiting more from the tax pot than you put in. These benefits come in so many ways it's not possible to list them.

As a single person you actually have to be earning ~£26k or more before you become a net contributor to the tax system. Anyone who earns below this is a net beneficiary.

esaglik, take a look here for some info on the subject: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13633966
 
liamt said:
you never solely use private healthcare. they dont offer everything.

i take it you didnt go to state school then for your education...

you are ****** because you actually paid some tax for once?

how do the goods you buy get to their destinations? via roads, which need paying for. VED (road tax) doesnt cover all the spending on roads.

you may well have children in the future, dont you want schools around for them?

do you pay council tax?

you are paying for the government too... (whether they are worth it is another matter)

your hard earned is going the same way as everyone else's. but we pay it every month.

to me this thread is very 'wahhhhhhhhh, not fair' :facepalm:

No, seriously I was wondering what it was I paid for but yeah a lot of that stuff makes sense, the cut which goes to the government is the only bit which seems totally wasted to me. As for items you buy, they have tax on the item itself so that doesn't really apply does it?

And make no mistake, I could claim back all the tax I've paid but I'm choosing not to. As I said I'm below the taxable threshold.
 
liamt said:
it will be an old one if he cant get past the tax free allowance ;)

Gift from the parents, met an agreement as I wanted to move out despite living in the same city for Uni now, came to the agreement I could come and go as I pleased and spend the money I would have on accommodation and bills ect for a car as well as the freedom to come and go as if lodging at home.
 
I could claim back all the tax I've paid but I'm choosing not to.
Why? You'll get it back eventually as a rebate cheque if you don't submit a P38(S) now.
your employer(s) should submit a P38(S) signed by you, so you won't be taxed
- one of the tax experts here should be able to confirm current practice on this :)
 
And make no mistake, I could claim back all the tax I've paid but I'm choosing not to. As I said I'm below the taxable threshold.

If you are below the threshold then you shouldn't pay tax and you SHOULD claim it back.

What might have happened is this. Tax is deducted month by month assuming that you will continuing earning that much.

So if you earn £1k per month then, you will pay pax because the annual threshold is about £8k (I've lost track of the eaxct amount, it's going to go upto to around £10k soon).

This is bacuse the tax is calculated monthly (or weekly if you are paid each week). So for a month your threshold is £8k/12 = £666, so if you earn £1k you will get taxed on the £333 above the threshold.

But of course if you only work for 5 months then your total earnings for the tax year is £5k, below the threshold, so you need to claim back the taxes you have paid during those 5 months.

It is a little more complicated than that because the tax threshold and tax due is cumulative.

The other reason you might be paying is that your employer has not received the P45 so does not know your previous employment history or whether you have another job, and so you have been put on an emergancy tax code - if you know your code and it has a 'K' at the end then it is an emergency code.


On the 'why should you pay' issue - yes I often feel like that a lot, but realise it is my duty - do you receive any benefits - tax credits, housing benefits, council house etc. - how do you think they are paid for.

Also how do you think bus and rail fares are subsidised? My taxes are used to pay some of your bus fares but I can't remember the last time I used a bus.

Cheers,

Nigel
 
Last edited:
No, seriously I was wondering what it was I paid for but yeah a lot of that stuff makes sense, the cut which goes to the government is the only bit which seems totally wasted to me. As for items you buy, they have tax on the item itself so that doesn't really apply does it?

And make no mistake, I could claim back all the tax I've paid but I'm choosing not to. As I said I'm below the taxable threshold.


Well, how would you finance a government?
If you've overpaid tax, you really should claim it back. Make no mistake, if you ever underpay, HMRC won't be so generous.

Phil
 
Gift from the parents, met an agreement as I wanted to move out despite living in the same city for Uni now, came to the agreement I could come and go as I pleased and spend the money I would have on accommodation and bills ect for a car as well as the freedom to come and go as if lodging at home.

thought you said your parents are on income support.... which by the way we are supporting via our tax...

nobody likes tax but we have to pay it to live in our society. unless you want us to be more like those taxless societies in the 3rd world countries? :)
 
You all make very valid points, it's a lot less hazy now. In terms of funding the government, personally I think they live well beyond what they need frankly for a job which doesn't warrant luxury. It's a doubly bitter pill when you hate most of the garbage the government in power comes out with.........



liamt said:
thought you said your parents are on income support.... which by the way we are supporting via our tax...

nobody likes tax but we have to pay it to live in our society. unless you want us to be more like those taxless societies in the 3rd world countries? :)

And no, my parents aren't on any kind of benefit, according to what kav said were contributors to the system as far as I'm aware.
 
I'd be surprised to hear the OP was privately educated.
 
You pay tax so you can live in a nice stable society with a well functioning infrastructure so you can conduct your privellaged comfortable western existence without concern that someone may gut you for the price of a loaf of bread.

18 years old? What's your evidence that th NHS is a pile of trash ( I assume by saying you went private years ago you mean your Dad paid for you to go private). If you ever require serious hard core surgery or treatment it will be the NHS that carries it out.

And you think your course fees actually cover the full cost ?
 
bosque said:
I'd be surprised to hear the OP was privately educated.

Prepare for surprise then.
 

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