What do you think about the mini-budget?

calcotti

racyguy said:

And end up in more debt with another letter written by the Labour Chancellor saying that the cupboard is bare.

Rather similar to the note left by Reginald Maudling when the Tories left office in 1964 which is said to have read “ Good luck, old ****.... Sorry to leave it in such a mess”. This followed a ‘dash for growth’ which destabilised the economy and is the policy now being pursued by the truss government.

racyguy

calcotti said:

racyguy said:

And end up in more debt with another letter written by the Labour Chancellor saying that the cupboard is bare.

Rather similar to the note left by Reginald Maudling when the Tories left office in 1964 which is said to have read “ Good luck, old ****.... Sorry to leave it in such a mess”. This followed a ‘dash for growth’ which destabilised the economy and is the policy now being pursued by the truss government.

Absolutely. I have a sneaky feeling that the budget was meant to destabilise the country. Whilst I agree with what Truss is doing there may well be some method in her 'madness' to call an early election with the strong probability of getting a coalition government. Doing that will keep Starmer out of power for the foreseeable future.

calcotti

racyguy said: ..Whilst I agree with what Truss is doing….

Complete madness in my view, failed policy when pursued by Maudling and no reason to think it will produce a different result this time. 

calcotti

Given their record it’s a mystery how the Tory party have managed to have a reputation for managing the economy well. The reality is that both Labour and Tory party have made mistakes when in office - I am more concerned by what motivates them.

Girl_No1

calcotti said:

Given their record it’s a mystery how the Tory party have managed to have a reputation for managing the economy well. The reality is that both Labour and Tory party have made mistakes when in office - I am more concerned by what motivates them.

For me, motivation is key. 

I believe Labour would bankrupt the country to feed, house and heat people. 

I have recently watched Tories do their damnedest to bankrupt the country for the sake of their, their families' and their flunkies' off-shore accounts.

Steve_in_The_City

@Tori_Scope You certainly know how to start a good discussion!

What ticks me off most about the Tory government and their supporters is the way they blame Labour for the absolute mess the Tories have got us in to. The last Labour government ended in 2010. There was a global recession at that time, and it wouldn't matter a hoot who was in government, there would have been chaos. However, at that time I could get a NHS appointment at the dentist. The Tory government put paid to that. Due to Tory policy I am totally unable to see a dentist. So would you Tories please shut up about the last Labour government as this Tory government has been in power for 12 years and look at the state we are in.

@racyguy said his Council Tax was £2,200 and he paid it. He also said that if he collected his benefits he would not have to pay anything. It is the wee small hours and I am not going back through the posts to get the quotes. However, in my understanding of things, and I may well be wrong, but everyone has to pay at least some Council Tax. I live in a 1 bed council flat in Central London, I am in Band D (whatever that means) and my Council Tax bill is £1,710 for the year. I claim benefits and this reduces my bill to somewhere under £200. I wish I were wealthy enough not to claim benefits and to live somewhere so expensive that I could pay £2,200 Council Tax.

The City of London is my natural stamping ground. It is where I shop and socialise. If people in other parts of the country could see how the bankers live there would be riots in the street. In my local Barbican branch of Waitrose you see them putting bottles of vintage champagne in their trolleys. At St. Paul's there is a champagne bar where huge amounts of money go over the counter. My friend, who is a manager at a City pub,  told me rounds of drinks in excess of £100 were common. During lockdown many City hospitality businesses closed, and it was pitiful to see. Not only hospitality venues, but small businesses serving the City. The City is a powerful financial institution.  It was awful. But once again the bars are full, the restaurants are full. These people really have no idea of how the poor manage. To give them a tax cut while ordinary people struggle is just not on.

@racyguy Go and have a look at your local food bank. You will see first hand how ordinary working people are struggling under this Tory government. Not just people on benefits, but ordinary working people who are full-time employed. Like nurses and teachers.

The rich look after their own. 

calcotti

Steve_in_The_City said:

However, in my understanding of things, and I may well be wrong, but everyone has to pay at least some Council Tax.

On that point you are incorrect, there is a National scheme (England) which standardises rules for pensioners but for working age people the rules are set by each Council (because the Tories removed the standard rules). CTR will cover 100% of CT for pensioners and for working age claimants a small number of councils still provide CTR for 100% of CT for working age claimants too.

CharlieRose256

calcotti said:

Steve_in_The_City said:

However, in my understanding of things, and I may well be wrong, but everyone has to pay at least some Council Tax.

On that point you are incorrect, there is a National scheme (England) which standardises rules for pensioners but for working age people the rules are set by each Council (because the Tories removed the standard rules). CTR will cover 100% of CT for pensioners and for working age claimants a small number of councils still provide CTR for 100% of CT for working age claimants too.

Going to just quickly second this, there are different rules per council. (For context - I’m 27, no where near pension age. I receive PIP and LCWRA. I have a 100% discount on council tax, so I don’t pay any council tax)

Steve_in_The_City

@calcotti @CharlieRose256 I stand corrected. I wasn't sure about Council Tax. At my previous flat for a few years I did not pay any CT. I was on EESA and disability benefits and received PIP for 3 years and still receive it. I moved in to the flat I live in now in late April of this year. I received a demand for approx £1,710. I claimed single persons discount etc and it was reduced to less than £200. Due to the slowness of the system my first payment is due in late October. I became a pensioner 8 days ago, but I expect because the Council Tax is due early April I will have to pay it. At my previous flat I knew a pensioner and he told me he had to pay some Council Tax. I also know a very wealthy couple who live in the Green Belt, are both knocking 80, and they told me they had to pay it. A council official also told me that everyone has to pay something (this was a good few years ago). But I guess the rules have changed and when next year's Council Tax is due I will find out if pensioners have to pay it. As I said, I was unsure and I do stand corrected. Also, just to confound and confuse matters even further, Islington Benefits Council Tax officials told me that they owe me £194.54 related to my previous address! I have no idea why or how but they are paying this amount in to my bank a/c this week sometime. I don't understand it and I am giving up on it until next year.

Cartini

Steve_in_The_City said:

 So would you Tories please shut up about the last Labour government as this Tory government has been in power for 12 years and look at the state we are in.

Absolutely no chance of that happening.  I`m entitled to my opion and I will voice it. 

calcotti

Steve_in_The_City said:

I became a pensioner 8 days ago, but I expect because the Council Tax is due early April I will have to pay it. At my previous flat I knew a pensioner and he told me he had to pay some Council Tax. I also know a very wealthy couple who live in the Green Belt, are both knocking 80, and they told me they had to pay it. A council official also told me that everyone has to pay something (this was a good few years ago).

The Council official will obviously have told you about the rules in that council and will have likely advised you of the working age rules as you were working age at that time.
Now that you are Pension age your CTR entitlement should be recalculated under pension age rules. You may now get full CTR and have to pay no CT but it will depend on your financial circumstances. It may be worth reminding them that you have reached pension age. 

Steve_in_The_City

@calcotti & @CharlieRose256 Thank you both for your input. I was sent a bill for a tad over £1,700, I applied for the Single Persons discount and it was reduced to £143, then out of the blue they sent me another bill for £101. I phoned them on Wednesday and they said I am entitled to a further discount of £100 once I sent them proof of my age. So I expect all is as it should be. So thanks for saving me some money! Good advice is always appreciated.