I am sure that at some point someone will publish a table of who really wins and loses over the tax changes in the budget. Simple people like me have to rely, unfortunately, on comment rather than fact in most newspapers so it remains a bit murky as to where the real truth lies.
The tables published by the Daily Mail of all people seem to suggest that the overwhelming majority of people, including those on low incomes are winners.
The case studies published by the Times also show most people are winners.
I was struck when reading the Times article the judgement on the budget from the people in the case studies. For ease I am showing the edited highlights - a rough description of their circumstances, how much the won or lost, and what they thought. Some people just don't deserve anything.
Not unusually, the only people in these case studies who lost out actually commented that it was right that the money should go to those more deserving.
I think if they read some of the other comments they may revise their opinion.
Kim, 28, works as a customer adviser, while Garry, 27, stays at home to look after their son.
£471 better off.
“I’m delighted that we’ll be getting more tax credits".
Gary and his wife, Sonja, have a three-year-old daughter. Gary is a financial planner and a higher-rate taxpayer. Sonja is a part-time operations manager.
Will be £1,054 better off.
“The country has been badly run for the past ten years and the effects of the credit crunch means he is very limited in what he can do.”
Shelley, 44, works as an English teacher. She lives with her two daughters, 15 and, 13 of age.
£410 better off.
“My first thought is thank you Darling. It is excellent that the changes will benefit me by £390.”
Emma, 33, and Steve, 35, have two young children. Steve is a higher rate taxpayer. Emma does some sales consultancy and her earnings fall within her personal allowance.
£351 better off.
“An extra £60 a year in child benefit is helpful but it won’t go very far.”
Cheryl, 46, lives with her 13-year-old son. She works for the Youth Justice Service and is a lower-rate taxpayer. Her earnings are supplemented by child maintenance from her ex-husband, child benefit and child tax credits.
£590 better off.
“I’m disappointed the Chancellor hasn’t done more to tackle fuel poverty for vulnerable households like mine.”
Kevin, 28, and Jessica, 19. They are both lower-rate taxpayers.
£14 worse off.
“There will never be much offered to two working people without children, but it’s right that low-income families should be getting the most benefits.”
Frank, 65, and his wife, Dorothy, 66 are retired - he a newspaper photographer and she worked in administration. They live on the state pension and two private pensions, hers very small. They have some savings and a small number of shares.
£446 better off.
“There’s nothing in this Budget for me.”
Hmmm.......
