Taxed more than I earn.

[edison]

Is this really what hmrc are getting away with now.

I'm paid via a reputable umbrella company. Which looked OK the first week but now it goes something like this.

Total earnings 3500 a week.
deductions 1800
Pay 1700

Or there abouts.

How can that be in anyway fair. I'm taxed more than I literally take home.
Before anyone comments I have some huge medical debts to clear and ive studied so hard for this role and is extremely demanding on me.

Good thing you weren't around in the late 1970s when top rate of income tax was 83% and even the standard rate was 33%.

What rate of tax do you think is 'fair' for you to pay?

[JPC]

Good thing you weren't around in the late 1970s when top rate of income tax was 83% and even the standard rate was 33%.

What rate of tax do you think is 'fair' for you to pay?

Honestly this is an interesting question. The fact that I am currently paying way over 6.5k a month in tax contributions I do feel it is scandalous to pay much over 30% of your earnings.
Why? The approach to tax should be about contributing to society. I've made mine all my life. Even when I've been out of work I've never claimed a bean in benefits ever.
And as i said previously the money I would have here now had it not been taken in tax would be paying others to do the jobs I would rather not do or need doing. It wouldn't all be spent on cocaine prostitutes and speed boats as I believe hmrc perceive the successful to be.

I'm fit I'm healthy I've never been a burden on society so far. I have private health care and life insurance so anything unfortunate coming my way isn't a burden on the tax payer.

Why should I have more taken away from me just because I've chosen to sacrifice more of my life and quality of life to earn more be self sufficient and retire earlier. Again without the need to claim off the state ever.

As I said before tax should not be based on resentment or a perceived one has been privileged in what one earns. Any hard working successfull person knows it never works like that. There is always a sacrifice no money can replace.

[Lance]

Is this really what hmrc are getting away with now.

I'm paid via a reputable umbrella company. Which looked OK the first week but now it goes something like this.

Total earnings 3500 a week.
deductions 1800
Pay 1700

Or there abouts.

How can that be in anyway fair. I'm taxed more than I literally take home.
Before anyone comments I have some huge medical debts to clear and ive studied so hard for this role and is extremely demanding on me.

There's no such thing as an unfair rate of tax.
It's only unfair when some people can avoid that rate and others cannot.

[jainnode]

Before anyone comments I have some huge medical debts to clear and ive studied so hard for this role and is extremely demanding on me.

I'm fit I'm healthy I've never been a burden on society so far. I have private health care and life insurance so anything unfortunate coming my way isn't a burden on the tax payer.

Why should I have more taken away from me just because I've chosen to sacrifice more of my life and quality of life to earn more be self sufficient and retire earlier. Again without the need to claim off the state ever.

quite.
you're right. - it's just not fair

[northernladuk]

I'm fit I'm healthy I've never been a burden on society so far. I have private health care and life insurance so anything unfortunate coming my way isn't a burden on the tax payer.

That's just a silly argument and it's you that's upsetting yourself by not seeing the bigger picture. Yes no one likes to pay tax but to say it's unfair just on that basis is silly. You drive down roads, walk down pavements, they are lit up at night, your bins are emptied, you have a good job because you benefitted from education paid by someone else, you are (relatively) safe when you walk down the road. The police, ambulance, fire will come when you need them and so on and so on.

Why should I have more taken away from me just because I've chosen to sacrifice more of my life and quality of life to earn more be self sufficient and retire earlier. Again without the need to claim off the state ever.

Welcome to life. You need to get your own head around it else you are going to make yourself miserable. It's part of life in any country you live in. If you don't like it and can't get your head around it you are going to have a very long and miserable life.

[newmove]

It is unfair, to be honest. I have just completed my self-assessment returns and it's obscene! No one should be contributing approx 70%

[NotAllThere]

It is unfair, to be honest. I have just completed my self-assessment returns and it's obscene! No one should be contributing approx 70%

Have you considered a lower paying job to address this obscenity?

[Protagoras]

Have you considered a lower paying job to address this obscenity?

It's even worse ...

I had zero income last year, and paid out in taxes
£2.9k council tax
£3.2k VAT
£700 car / fuel duty

I reckon the best I could do would be to have £12570 income, so that would give rise to £360 NI charge (post July) while for the same outgoings, tax rate would then be 56%.

This should be a fairly simple optimisation problem; but it's too depressing for me...

[ladymuck]

It's even worse ...

I had zero income last year, and paid out in taxes
£2.9k council tax
£3.2k VAT
£700 car / fuel duty

I reckon the best I could do would be to have £12570 income, so that would give rise to £360 NI charge (post July) while for the same outgoings, tax rate would then be 56%.

This should be a fairly simple optimisation problem; but it's too depressing for me...

You must have a proper contractor's house with council tax that high. Downsize and move to a less salubrious area.

VAT means you've been spending too much money on luxury goods. Buying only children's clothes and fresh fruit and veg will keep that down.

Get a bike and then there's no car / fuel duty.

[Protagoras]

You must have a proper contractor's house with council tax that high. Downsize and move to a less salubrious area.

- I'm actually looking to upsize! The way the valuation system works I can upgrade to a 4+ bed detached and drop one or two council tax bands. The place I'm in has an excessive valuation from years ago. It's Scotland!

- most of the time it's too wet / cold / windy / dark for me to get motivated to get on my bike!