In the wake of the debate over the abolition of the 10 per cent tax rate, Southpaw Grammar raises some valid points regarding taxation in the UK.
Not surprisingly, I disagree with his points over inheritance tax although I believe, as he does, that we need to re-examine the tax policies of this country.
Certainly, I would favour raising the threshold at which people begin to pay tax to a far higher rate than we have now. I will be blogging on prescription charges on Tuesday but one has to question some of the 'freebies' which are available to all, regardless of income.
For example, child benefit was created as a vital weapon in the fight against child poverty. However, has anyone examined why higher rate taxpayers are able to receive nearly £1000 per year tax free for their first child? How much does this cost every year to give to the relatively well-off in society? Could it be used instead to raise the tax threshold levels for the poorest paid?
If we wish to make the NHS more sustainable, should we be incentivising people to opt out by providing tax incentives for private health insurance? If, as will inevitably happen, the cap on tution fees at English universities will be raised to around £9,000 per annum, can't the fees paid be treated as training and deducted from the tax paid by these graduates in the future?
These are difficult questions but ones that need to be discussed by all parties.
At the same time, there needs to be greater incentives for enterprise, rather than ensuring that only the equity houses get the best out of the tax system. I am sick of hearing about how many jobs and wealth venture capitalists create every year and how any changes would affect this. However, in relative terms, this dwarfs into insignificance compared to the contribution of 4.5 million small businesses in the UK.
Why not help small businesses for once rather than kowtowing to large business organisations such as the CBI? Indeed, where else but in the UK would you see the highest rate of corporation tax decrease whilst that for small firms goes up?
Simple reforms could go a long way. For example, parents should be able to invest in their son's or daughter's business without incurring a tax hit - the first £10,000 of any investment could be tax-deductible, which would release an enormous amount of capital for new businesses.
If we really want a vibrant manufacturing industry, could the Government provide a one-off 100% write off for businesses to invest in capital equipment to a certain cost (say a £1million) so that we upgrade the capacity of industry, especially small businesses, to be competitive and productive.
There are difficult decisions to be made over taxation during the next two years but it must be one that balances helping the poor with providing incentives that create growth in the economy.
Not surprisingly, I disagree with his points over inheritance tax although I believe, as he does, that we need to re-examine the tax policies of this country.
Certainly, I would favour raising the threshold at which people begin to pay tax to a far higher rate than we have now. I will be blogging on prescription charges on Tuesday but one has to question some of the 'freebies' which are available to all, regardless of income.
For example, child benefit was created as a vital weapon in the fight against child poverty. However, has anyone examined why higher rate taxpayers are able to receive nearly £1000 per year tax free for their first child? How much does this cost every year to give to the relatively well-off in society? Could it be used instead to raise the tax threshold levels for the poorest paid?
If we wish to make the NHS more sustainable, should we be incentivising people to opt out by providing tax incentives for private health insurance? If, as will inevitably happen, the cap on tution fees at English universities will be raised to around £9,000 per annum, can't the fees paid be treated as training and deducted from the tax paid by these graduates in the future?
These are difficult questions but ones that need to be discussed by all parties.
At the same time, there needs to be greater incentives for enterprise, rather than ensuring that only the equity houses get the best out of the tax system. I am sick of hearing about how many jobs and wealth venture capitalists create every year and how any changes would affect this. However, in relative terms, this dwarfs into insignificance compared to the contribution of 4.5 million small businesses in the UK.
Why not help small businesses for once rather than kowtowing to large business organisations such as the CBI? Indeed, where else but in the UK would you see the highest rate of corporation tax decrease whilst that for small firms goes up?
Simple reforms could go a long way. For example, parents should be able to invest in their son's or daughter's business without incurring a tax hit - the first £10,000 of any investment could be tax-deductible, which would release an enormous amount of capital for new businesses.
If we really want a vibrant manufacturing industry, could the Government provide a one-off 100% write off for businesses to invest in capital equipment to a certain cost (say a £1million) so that we upgrade the capacity of industry, especially small businesses, to be competitive and productive.
There are difficult decisions to be made over taxation during the next two years but it must be one that balances helping the poor with providing incentives that create growth in the economy.
Comments
couldn't agree more but given the problems Labour have run into at a UK level on Tax matters will they be brave enough to carry such reforms through i wonder.
Thanks for the link; the irony of my approach to inheritance tax is that my partner and now my son are in line to inherit an amount that would even be tax under the tories £1 million pledge.
There is not much i would disagree on in this post. You certainly have a bedfellow in me on the issue of small businesses being the priority for investment in this area. 99% of businesses in this country are SMEs/SMBs (UK) so the numbers simply add up to do this.
I cannot profess to be as learned as yourself on such matters, however i think there is a lack of emphasis on the workers within the SMEs as well as the business owners.