Reply to: The Worklife Company: "I'm sad to go but its easier in Dubai"

[smalldog]

That is the problem - accommodation.

You would be lucky getting any form of council accommodation in London and lots of places. They simply don't exist or what does exist one bed/studio flats will not be given to people with children.

And it's very hard to downsize on a privately rented place with kids. What landlord would allow a family to move in if they knew they were going to be overcrowded?

And selling houses takes months.

I agree hence why my family couldnt afford to live or get council accommodation in London....there seems to be an attitude now that never used to exist. People seem to insist that they want to live in a certain place therefore the government et al should provide them housing there. Its needs must, we had to live in a grotty new town outside London when I grew up as everyone was shipped out of London for exactly those reasons, accommodation was getting scarcer. You were told where you were going and that was that....I dont get whats changed so dramatically, people seem spoilt and not willing to compromise or even work for a living...Im all for a safety net but when its stretched to the point of breaking as we obviously have at the moment then something has to give, not only do people maybe have to pay more taxes but other people should be taking more social responsbility to contribute to society, maybe do jobs they dont want too and fund their own livelihood. I dont agree in just putting up taxes, there also needs to be a mindset change in some social circles. Think that could be easily encouraged, "you need to work for your benefits" that might just encourage people to look for their own work!!

I would quite like a nice council house in Bermuda....

[NotAllThere]

Ah well, they are employees, so I don't know the details of their arrangements.

[BlasterBates]

Are you talking about Swiss working in Germany? For Germans working in Switzerland, this is not the case. In my client office there are plenty of employees living in Germany, who work in the Swiss office, and work from home when they want to, without any problems.

Well I don't know the particular circumstances, but the company I work for forbids it.I'm sure dône on the occasional basis it is probably legal, but not if you're doing a few days week regularly.

There are definitely tax issues, I know as I do this all the time, and I've taken advice, and yes a lot of people break the rules often unwittingly. Some, also large, companies get into problems doing this kind of thing. Quite a few years ago there was a big hoo-ha for Logica as their employees were coming over to germany and overstaying their welcome. Anyway if these employees are working at home it would be difficult for the tax authorities to find out.

Isn't to be taken lightly as you can be hit very hard with tax and VAT demands if the tax authorities come down on you. The trouble there is often a sheep phenomena, everyone does it so it seems to be fine and then POW, the sh*t hits the fan.

[SueEllen]

hehe is that the only critique you can give my post? I take that as a compliment ur highness

taking your other point, then you have to downsize...or take council accommodation,

That is the problem - accommodation.

You would be lucky getting any form of council accommodation in London and lots of places. They simply don't exist or what does exist one bed/studio flats will not be given to people with children.

And it's very hard to downsize on a privately rented place with kids. What landlord would allow a family to move in if they knew they were going to be overcrowded?

And selling houses takes months.

[Emigre]

So what do we do? Attract more people to come and work here, to raise more Income Tax?

Yes and no. It cannot be right that more is paid out through benefits than is raised from those that are employed. If you haven't got it you shouldn't be able to spend it. This should apply to Govt as well. How can it be right that people earning up to £58,000 can be entitled to receive tax credits? Madness! So, first of all cut benefits so that only those on say less than 60% of average wage are entitled.

Second, get rid of these bonus taxes that drive wealthy bankers and the like offshore. They may be unpopular but they have been major contributors to the Govt's coffers for years, many of them on secondment here from eg the US. Create better certainty in the tax system - get rid of IR35, ban retrospective tax grabs - these pieces of legislation send a clear message to would-be investors that the UK is an uncertain place to do business. Simplify the tax code - it will make it harder to avoid.

The current Govt is driving higher earners offshore losing all the tax they have been paying rather than expecting to get an extra 10%. If they think that banks won't be able to avoid the bonus tax then the Treasury are even more stupid than we given them credit for.

[smalldog]

hehe is that the only critique you can give my post? I take that as a compliment ur highness

taking your other point, then you have to downsize...or take council accommodation, or take two jobs or work longer hours. My dad had 3 jobs (paper delivery in the morning, then draughtsman daytime then cleaner in the evening) when he raised our family to make ends meet....ive been in the position myself before and rather than sign on I became a despatch rider in London for two months while I found work. just because you cant afford it any longer due to your change in financial circumstances doesnt mean its someone elses problem, i.e. the rest of society to sort out. This world isnt here to sort out your problems, its should be absolutely the last resort....but a lot of the time it doesnt seem to be.

[NotAllThere]

...I cant remember how many programmes Ive seen where people say they can earn more on benefits than working, its a disgrace that you can earn more sitting on ur arse than working for a living

What really pisses me off are the lazy buggers who can't be bothered with the extra key strokes to type "your". This is an online forum, not an SMS - you can type more than 140 characters...

If the minimum wage was £20/hr, perhaps more people would get off their arses.

To give you an example, If Im ever out of work to the point of being on the dole would I rather work in Macdonalds, or claim the dole along with all the lovely job seekers this and that and do some meaningful voluntary work?

But what if working 40 hours a week didn't bring enough in to pay for you and your dependant's rent, heating, food...

[NotAllThere]

... For that reason companies on borders don't allow working at home if you live over the border....

Are you talking about Swiss working in Germany? For Germans working in Switzerland, this is not the case. In my client office there are plenty of employees living in Germany, who work in the Swiss office, and work from home when they want to, without any problems.

[smalldog]

So what do we do? Attract more people to come and work here, to raise more Income Tax?

no we tighten up handouts only to people who really really need them and raise more in income taxes as more people will be encouraged to work if its not so easy to do nothing..I cant remember how many programmes Ive seen where people say they can earn more on benefits than working, its a disgrace that you can earn more sitting on ur arse than working for a living....its too easy and its too easy for a reason, its called majority votes...Labour buy votes by giving out benefits, and who says we dont have lobbying, we do, its just with the general public rather than senators..They prey on the naivety of the uneducated in thinking they are working for them, bless..

To give you an example, If Im ever out of work to the point of being on the dole would I rather work in Macdonalds, or claim the dole along with all the lovely job seekers this and that and do some meaningful voluntary work?

They probably pay the same, im gonna go with the good cause arent I....It shouldnt be an option should it....

[Tarquin Farquhar]

People living offshore and paying tax is an optimum solution. People living offshore paying no tax but keeping people employed is a good solution. Places like IOM have high employment from exports of "financial services" but little or no benefits to pay.

In the UK, our stellar Govt pays out more in benefits than they raise in Income Tax. Unbelievable maybe but true.

So what do we do? Attract more people to come and work here, to raise more Income Tax?

[Emigre]

No, mainly they do it by cherry-picking, which is what other countries dislike about them: they use low tax rates to attract high earners or wealthy people, which works for them because a low percentage of a high income still makes a good tax base. But those who are not rich are not welcome. Most "real" countries do not get to choose to be composed only of the rich, but do get to have the top slice of their cake stolen by the tax havens.

People living offshore and paying tax is an optimum solution. People living offshore paying no tax but keeping people employed is a good solution. Places like IOM have high employment from exports of "financial services" but little or no benefits to pay.

In the UK, our stellar Govt pays out more in benefits than they raise in Income Tax. Unbelievable maybe but true.

[smalldog]

No, mainly they do it by cherry-picking, which is what other countries dislike about them: they use low tax rates to attract high earners or wealthy people, which works for them because a low percentage of a high income still makes a good tax base. But those who are not rich are not welcome. Most "real" countries do not get to choose to be composed only of the rich, but do get to have the top slice of their cake stolen by the tax havens.

sounds brilliant where do I sign!!! sick and tired of propping up a society which I have no respect for any longer, too many spongers, freeloaders and rip off merchants....Im no socialist, and if this government thinks they are then I expect them to be filling the spare rooms of their country homes with Londons homeless, after all gotta share the wealth eh! oh sorry is it only socialism when it suits?

two men on a farm:

man 1 - weve got this great idea called socialism!!!
man 2 - cool what is it?
man 1 - well ive got a cow, and we share her milk around the community so everyone benefits
man 2 - sounds amazing!!!
man 1 - and the chap down the road has pigs so when they go to slaughter we share out the meat
man 2 - it gets better and better
man 1 - and anyone who has chickens will share out the eggs etc...
man 2 - thats not fair!!!
man 1 - why?
man 2 - well I havent got cows or pigs but I have got chickens...!

[Tarquin Farquhar]

which is my entire issue with this country and other similarly complex and expensive tax regimes. Other countries manage to survive without high taxes, and yet we are constantly told without them the whole fabric of society would collapse...I think not, otherwise how do Tax havens build roads, employ emergency services, provide healthcare and schooling....I would hazard a guess that they protect precious resources and dont fritter it away,unlike our government who find any excuse to spend it

No, mainly they do it by cherry-picking, which is what other countries dislike about them: they use low tax rates to attract high earners or wealthy people, which works for them because a low percentage of a high income still makes a good tax base. But those who are not rich are not welcome. Most "real" countries do not get to choose to be composed only of the rich, but do get to have the top slice of their cake stolen by the tax havens.

[smalldog]

Rents may have dropped since the recession started but I don't think it is significantly cheaper to live there, certainly there are minimal taxes to pay out there.

which is my entire issue with this country and other similarly complex and expensive tax regimes. Other countries manage to survive without high taxes, and yet we are constantly told without them the whole fabric of society would collapse...I think not, otherwise how do Tax havens build roads, employ emergency services, provide healthcare and schooling....I would hazard a guess that they protect precious resources and dont fritter it away,unlike our government who find any excuse to spend it

[Tarquin Farquhar]

I used to work from home 2 days a week, and 3 days in Germany - where did I 'do the work'.

Both places. It is perfectly possible to be taxable in 2 countries. Neither taxman would have any problem with that.