The top rate of income tax...
...is actually 50% on earnings above £150k a year. If you're employed then I assume the following to be the case.

I assume that you mean you're earning more than £42,475 per annum? If so then it's 40% levied on whatever you earn over and above that amount. Given that your Employees NI contributions for amounts over and above £42,475 fall from 12% to 2%, you're not as worse off as you might think.

The median gross pay (as per April 2010) in the UK was just over £25k a year...if you're in the top ten percentile of earners in the UK (and in the top 1% of earners worldwide) then just how the heck do you justify receipt of a welfare state benefit?

Surely a better place to put the money would (interest on our QE payments, aircraft carriers and Trident subs aside) be a national child minding scheme akin to the system operating in Scandinavia which would mean both parents would be able to work and thus create more wealth?

Just a thought...
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Tue 6 Mar 2012, 13:11, 2 replies)

Once again Pyjamaman steps in with common sense to spare
And I like the idea of proper childcare funded by Govt. This can replace the tax relief on nannies that rich people can also claim, while their poor relatives can't claim for Granny picking up the kids after school five days a week and giving them tea.

[love to the Hen Woman!]
(Che Grimsdale Best before:, Tue 6 Mar 2012, 13:38, closed)

Well maybe
But if our house looses it, I would need a £2.4k payrise to cover the difference. That is a lot of money, no matter who or what you are.
(LetsGetDownToIt, Tue 6 Mar 2012, 15:56, closed)

I went for years without a pay rise
Every time I got an increase I'd have an equal and opposite increase in pension contributions, or I'd have to start paying back student loan, or I'd lose my tax credits, or pay for Sprog to go to Uni. And don't forget tax rises, VAT hikes, inflation...

Need I go on? I need about a £10k rise this year just to put me in the position I was in five/six years ago.

So join the club.
(Che Grimsdale Best before:, Tue 6 Mar 2012, 16:38, closed)

So it does all just boil down to
'Why should I be worse off, I'd rather it was you'
(LetsGetDownToIt, Tue 6 Mar 2012, 16:56, closed)

No, I'm a Cameron-ite
We're all in it together, so let's all agree to whinge as loudly as we can to show our solidarity.

I've given up waiting for any sort of fairness in this world or the next, but I'm learning to live without hope - and like it.
(Che Grimsdale Best before:, Tue 6 Mar 2012, 17:16, closed)

But going without a pay rise is a bit different to taking a £2.5k pay cut.

I have no problem with it being taken away in a fair manner, but have a run down period so people can adjust their financial commitments.
(jono_h, Tue 6 Mar 2012, 19:23, closed)