Who gets angry with stealth taxes ?

[Cyberman]

Yet more evidence of HMG stealth taxes this morning on Talksport :


A plastic driving licence has to be renewed by the expiry date on the licence at 17.50 pounds every few years whereas the old paper driving licence was valid until the age of 70 and did not have to be renewed until then. Also, you have to pay to have expired points removed from your licence or to change your address.... this was free before!!


The driving test fee rose by 8 pounds a few months ago which is 20% approximately. Of course inflation is much less than that.


Anybody else know of any more of this 'secret profiteering' by HMG ?

[bogeyman]

Not me brother.

I love 'em.

How else are we going to promote fairness and diversity in our beloved land?

All that fairness and diversity costs a lot of money you know.

[chris79]

Yet more evidence of HMG stealth taxes this morning on Talksport :


A plastic driving licence has to be renewed by the expiry date on the licence at 17.50 pounds every few years whereas the old paper driving licence was valid until the age of 70 and did not have to be renewed until then. Also, you have to pay to have expired points removed from your licence or to change your address.... this was free before!!


The driving test fee rose by 8 pounds a few months ago which is 20% approximately. Of course inflation is much less than that.


Anybody else know of any more of this 'secret profiteering' by HMG ?

Yes but perhaps the cost of the infrastructure didn't rise at the same rate of inflation. Maybe they are using the extra money to improve the service? Maybe the last time the price was put up was 10 years ago? Would be a perfect world if everything just rose at 2% every year.

[Cyberman]

Yes but perhaps the cost of the infrastructure didn't rise at the same rate of inflation. Maybe they are using the extra money to improve the service? Maybe the last time the price was put up was 10 years ago? Would be a perfect world if everything just rose at 2% every year.

That's exactly the point. By increasing number of employees and other overheads in our burgeoning and wasteful public sector(infrastructure ) we are screwing everybody in the private sector plus pensioners etc in order to finance the New Lie monolith. This has to stop...... roll on 2010 !!

[ratewhore]

How else are we going to promote fairness and diversity in our beloved land?

Thought you had farked off to Canada?

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Yet more evidence of HMG stealth taxes this morning on Talksport :


A plastic driving licence has to be renewed by the expiry date on the licence at 17.50 pounds every few years whereas the old paper driving licence was valid until the age of 70 and did not have to be renewed until then. Also, you have to pay to have expired points removed from your licence or to change your address.... this was free before!!


The driving test fee rose by 8 pounds a few months ago which is 20% approximately. Of course inflation is much less than that.


Anybody else know of any more of this 'secret profiteering' by HMG ?

Flippin ID cards - ID tax

[morsing]

I have a bigger problem with people using the phrase "Stealth tax" than the actual tax itself.

[Cyberman]

I have a bigger problem with people using the phrase "Stealth tax" than the actual tax itself.

The actual tax name does not sum up what is happening. Stealth taxes are tax increases or new taxes that are introduced in a manner that the majority of UK taxpayers are unaware of until they are actually requested to pay it.


Classic stealth taxes, bordering on dishonesty, under New Lie have been:

the new 20% tax rate that was introduced with a fanfare as it was spun as being a cut but in fact was an increase for those paying 10%.

1) the refusal of the chancellor to raise tax bands each year by the inflation rate, thus pulling about 4 million more taxpayers into the 40% band, but also lower earners into paying tax that they really should not be paying.

2) the refusal to raise inheritance tax bands in line with inflation

3) putting up taxes and then allowing rebates but only if you fill in a 40 page form...... some people are just not literate enough to fill in these forms and some are even unaware of the availability of rebates.

4) the introduction of speed cameras with consequent increases in fines

5) the reduction of services but increase in council taxes


and yes, now we have ID cards that will place even more financial burdens on the public



so tell me why do you not like people using the true word for these tax increases ? Are you Gordon Brown ?

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Speed cameras aren't a stealth tax - unless you think prison and fines are stealth taxes on burglars

[Cyberman]

Speed cameras aren't a stealth tax - unless you think prison and fines are stealth taxes on burglars

Oh come on !!! Of course they are. Some politicians have even admitted it. They are a means of extracting further funds from the hard-pressed driver.