Just to add in the comment on the shadow economy was not about taxes, it was more about those who may be worse off or forgotten as much of their income is by way of Tips or similar. It was a point of saying they may be others worse off for a number of reasons we don’t appreciate.
Thus it showed we can all get judgemental very easily and think our own position is more deserving. Today as a freelancer who needed to drive to my empty office to shut things down etc., I passed a homeless man on the street, yes I gave him a couple of quid change, when other times I may have judged he could get a job.
I am not convinced anyone has accused all self employed of not paying their taxes, many were forced into this position by loosing jobs after the financial crisis thus the real expansion of the Gig/Freelance/very small trades that are more widespread. My change to freelance work goes back to a redundancy in 2010.
My wife was unfortunately made redundant as the firm she worked for when into administration in February just gone, with 15 minutes notice, in just a matter of 2 months as a family things can be turned upside down. Her job was manager of a ladies fashion store and she has 20 years as a specialist in this area. Zero chance of interviews in her chosen work in the current environment. My Son who is 18 six months into an apprenticeship on minimum apprenticeship earning with potentially this at risk.
If I put my old judgemental hat it would have be easy to say she should have rushed for a temp job in stacking shelves Tesco or similar as people were starting to get into panic buying? However who would have looked after my younger daughter who is sent home from school.
Thus although my wife is unemployed, as my son is technically employed no discount on even council tax. She will not get the 80% saftey net. It will take another month of spending her minimal statutory redundancy and any savings we have before fall off in my work starts to kick in. Lucky I have the last few bills for work done still due assuming my invoices are not bumped to back of queue.
Thus the point on treatment of one type of worker vs another whilst things seems obvious this can lead to you to asks another valid question “ Is all the UK or for that think globally in it together?” Or do we pick and choose, so all share the pain or downside to freedoms etc. However the upside is only for benefit of those that are lucky in where they are positioned at a certain time?
Sounds very socialist or idealist which is not the intention of the question. It is about in a national emergency / international emergency do we value one persons life/lifestyle more important than another without taking time to reflect. Take that to an extreme then is someone more fortunate able to claim they payed more tax more entitled to treatment first or should their elderly relative be able to get priority over someone else’s who payed less?
Empathy for others and a pause can I suppose lead to gratefulness for whatever we have.
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