I Thought The Tories Had Been Robbing The Poor To Pay The Rich

[New Judge]

But it seems I have been misled:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/26/nearly-half-of-britons-pay-no-income-tax-as-burden-on-rich-incre/

“Almost half of Britons pay no income tax while the richest are now shouldering the biggest burden on record”

“…the proportion of working-age adults who do not pay income tax has risen from 34.3 per cent to 43.8 per cent, equivalent to 30million people. “

“Over the same period the amount of income tax paid by the richest 1 per cent has risen from 24.4 per cent to 27.5 per cent, meaning that 300,000 people pay more than a quarter of the nation's income tax.”

“…the increased burden on the rich is unlikely to "unwind" in future as the Conservatives have pledged to increase the personal allowance to £12,500.”

And I also wonder how many of that 43% have their wages topped up by so-called "tax credits". (So called because if you pay no tax I don't see how you can received a tax credit, but it's only me being pernickety).

[Svejk]

That'll be the Tory cutbacks we keep hearing about.

[Old_Geezer]

Maybe the biggest burden because the differentials have grown and they get a larger slice of the cake to pay back from than ever before ?

[Old_Geezer]

"the proportion of working-age adults who do not pay income tax has risen from 34.3 per cent to 43.8 per cent"

So much for managing the country and economy such that it provides enough adequately paid jobs then.

[madiba]

No doubt the socialists will see a down side to Conservative prosperity

[EDDIE51]

I would imagine that the vast majority of the 43% get family or working tax credits.

[TheChair]

The working-age population of the UK is around 38 million. How on earth do they calculate that 43% of 38 million is equivalent 30 million?

[Old_Geezer]

I'm sure prosperity for the few, if there is any increase in prosperity that is, is seen as wonderful for those who are, or who have a reasonable shot to aspire to be, one of the few.

[Togo]

Some pay tax although not working, or regarded as of working age. The 43.8% is of tax payers. We are all in the tax system even when past retirement age.

[EDDIE51]

It also includes those on benefits who do not work and those who have taken early retirement. I know 5 ex firemen and 2 ex policemen who retired at 55 to 60 so are not paying tax but still of 'working age'.
( they all do 'cash in hand' work though, so the figures also include those in the 'black economy') .

[hc4361]

Togo, the report is regarding tax payers of working age:

the proportion of working-age adults who do not pay income tax has risen from 34.3 per cent to 43.8 per cent,

[hc4361]

Eddie, I find it hard to believe that the pensions of fire and police officers of the currently under 65s are low enough to avoid income tax.

[New Judge]

Yes it also refers to the "richest 1%" as numbering 300,000. So again it seems to suggest that 60m people are of working age in the UK. The ONS figures for age distribution of the population in the UK in 2012 shows (very roughly) 33.2m people between 20 and 64 (it only provides 5 year bands):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demography_of_the_United_Kingdom

So something adrift somewhere. But I think the percentages may be about right.

[Gromit]

That means record number of people are earning less than £10K. Well done Gideon.

[ToraToraTora]

Madiba - "No doubt the socialists will see a down side to Conservative prosperity " socialists hate prosperity full stop unless it's their own, they want you to queue up for a slice of stale bread as long as you don't throw yourself in front of their motorcade.

[Gromit]

There are more people over the pension age. So the number of people of working age will be going down, so obviously the number paying tax will also be going down. And some pensioners will be paying tax which are also not included in the figures.

[EDDIE51]

hc4361 the fire men retired at 55 so just 38 years service, not sure how much pension they get from that, but they do cash in hand jobs mainly gardening to get extra income , dishonest I know.
Actually now I think about it, I heard they can choose to take a reduced pension at 55 or wait to 65 and get more. So I assume they take just enough pension to stay under the tax limit and supplement their income by 'cash in hand' ( bit like Greece !)

[Booldawg]

'That means record number of people are earning less than £10K'

And they're quite happy to stay under the threshold whereby they will a) have to pay income tax and b) lose their benefits.

[retrocop]

Blimey. How many years service did they accrue to pay no tax on their pension 2 ?. If you retired at 25years instead of 30 you would still pay tax again on a lesser pension.

[Togo]

//The Institute for Fiscal Studies said that the proportion of working-age adults who do not pay income tax has risen from 34.3 per cent to 43.8 per cent, equivalent to 23million people.
Over the same period the amount of income tax paid by the richest 1 per cent has risen from 24.4 per cent to 27.5 per cent, meaning that 300,000 people pay more than a quarter of the nation's income tax.//

What it actually says is that the proportion of "working age" non tax payers has risen to 43.8%. But that the tax paying 1% richest, are paying 27.5% of the total tax revenues. These people need not all be of working age but may be the wealthy retired. (civil servants and retired NHS managers perhaps) The figures suggest that there are 30 million tax payers, but 23 million non tax payers of working age. Mind Boggling.

[Gromit]

// they're quite happy to stay under the threshold whereby they will a) have to pay income tax and b) lose their benefits. //

I assume they would be a lot happier earning 40K instead of