Annual Tax Summaries

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-29871522

Apparently most of us will receive a Annual Tax Summary from Osbourn this week. Leaving aside the huge amounts of money that this exercise will cost,
I am not sure what the use of these will be. We can't decide where our taxes are spent in Britain, so won't all these millions of letters be the same ?

[Gromit]

I think it is a good idea.
When I receive my Council Tax Bill there is a breakdown of where the money is spent. The same for national tax is welcomed. I just hope the figures are broken down enough so that the public can make informed conclusions. I have already seen a headline to the effect that a quarter of the tax raised goes on Welfare Spending. That will obviously outrage the Mailers, but the majority of Welfare Spending is actually paying the OD Age Pension.

[Gromit]

// How the biggest chunk of your hard-earned tax goes on welfare: //
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2818168/How-biggest-chunk-hard-earned-tax-goes-welfare-Average-worker-pays-1-100-bill.html

And a breakdown of the Welfare Bill
http://straighttothesource.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/welfare-spending-2011-2012.jpg

[Farriercm]

Two for the price of one then Gromit..

[mikey4444]

I don't doubt the value of telling us where our taxes are being spent but this could have been achieved by a press release, not wasting vast sums of money sending letters containing the same info to everybody in the country.

Will my taxes have been spent somewhere different to your Gromit ?
As far as I am concerned, this is an early start to next May's election, as it has all the hallmarks of Tory Party propaganda.

[mikey4444]

The answer was removed so quickly that I didn't have chance to read it ! ..anybody know what it was ?

[Peter Pedant]

repeat of G's first post Mikey

[mikey4444]

Thanks Gromit for your links...the pie chart was very interesting, confirming that the Old Age Pension forms the bulk of Welfare Spending.

[mikey4444]

Oh thanks PP...I didn't notice. Sometimes that happens to me, but I'm not sure why.

[Gromit]

Most of us receive some communication from the Inland revenue during the year, whether it is a demand, or a statement. The breakdown should be sent out with that and the cost is negligible.

I do not see this as Tory Propaganda, I see it as transparent Government.

APress Release would not be adequate because the Press will misrepresent the figures, such as the Daily Mail headline above. The information is easy to find, but most cannot be bothered and rely on the misleading press to (un)inform us.

As long as it is done right, I think the statement is a good idea.

[mikey4444]

I have been looking again at the pie chart that Gromit has helpfully given us.

Its interesting to see that the main unemployment benefit, JSA, only accounts for 3% of the annual expenditure, 1% more than the Winter Fuel Payment. Considering all the people that are on the dole, I would have thought that this figure would have been higher. Very surprising.

[mikey4444]

Gromit...so its just a coincidence that Osborne has decided to send this out now, 7 months before a General Election, rather than with the annual tax code notifications, that normally come out after the end of a fiscal year ?

Of course that might be after the May election !

[Gromit]

Mikey
That is why I support the idea, as long as it is done correctly. Most people are misinformed about the tax spend and are surprised at the true amounts. Giving the public the correct information, with it being distorted by the press, is a good idea.

[youngmafbog]

The problem is Gromit there is also an opportunity for [any] Government to twist it.

I agree Mickey, I think this is an utter waste of time and money. They could have posted a breakdown on the HMRC site and let those that were really bothered work it out for themselves.

[mikey4444]

YMB...we are as one on here and you deserve your BA !