Ben Chu opining in the Indy.
If we really want fairness on tax, shouldn’t we make the self-employed pay more?
Ah, that nonsense again. The self-employed do not benefit as much as the employed, that’s why. As for fairness, there’s no such thing. There is what the law demands and not a penny more. Of course, being self-employed, I can manage my affairs more efficiently than the employed in order to minimise my exposure and quite right, too. So, in order to make matters “fair” as the moron Chu would like, how about reversing the question a little. Do away with PAYE. Make everyone fill in a tax return and pay the HMRC as the self-employed do.
When the employed have to earn the money, have it in their accounts and then hand it over, they might start to think a little more about how it is being spent and why the state is demanding so much. The question really should be: why are we all paying far too much tax? To which, the answer is: the state is a larcenous beast with an insatiable appetite for spending beyond its means.
Meanwhile, as the self-employed keep reminding the hard-of-thinking buffoons like Ben Chu, who think we are some sort of untapped cash cow, we don’t get statutory sick pay, we don’t get paid holidays – so time off costs us double: the loss of revenue because we aren’t working and the costs of the time off itself.
Ben Chu is an idiot.
Self employed are also risking their on capital. Higher risk must provide opportunity of higher reward.
PAYE – yep, gone. People may then realise how high tax is.
As I found out to my cost recently when I spent 10 days in hospital and then got issued a sick note by my doctor for 1 month (and likely to be a lot more). I finally figured out that as a contractor this piece of paper was more of a liability than anything else, since it provided me with the obligation to pay statutory sick pay without providing the money to do so.
Ended up having to issue myself a P45 and signing on until I am fit to work again, which probably won’t be until after New Year.
The joys of “self employment” (actually a limited company contractor, but essentially similar)
I’d still rather do that than be employed.
Agreed. I’ve done employment, but consider it a poor alternative to working for myself. The difference between a ‘service contract’ and a ‘contract of service’ is chalk and cheese.
“…the state is a larcenous beast with an insatiable appetite for spending beyond its means…”
That’s not quite true:-
“…the state is a larcenous beast with an insatiable appetite for squandering beyond its means…”
There! That’s more accurate.