Who pays the most tax?

[BrilloPad]

British public wrongly believe rich pay most in tax, new research shows | Money | theguardian.com

The poorest 10% of households pay eight percentage points more of their income in all taxes than the richest – 43% compared to 35%, according to a report from the Equality Trust.

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

But then again Richest pay 30% of income tax | The Sunday Times the top 1% of earners pay almost 30% of all income tax

Lies, damn lies and statistcs

[speling bee]

Do you mean most in terms of % of income or in absolute terms?

[vetran]

well as most of the 'error' seems to be indirect tax unless we make VAT & council tax income dependant then we aren't going to fix it.

The report said the higher percentage paid by the poor at the moment was down to a number of taxes. "While income tax and national insurance are broadly progressive, the bottom 10% of households pay roughly 23% of their gross household income in indirect taxes on consumption and more than four times as much of their income in council tax as the top 10%," it said.

[KentPhilip]

What this survey is not taking into account is the large number of rich and trust-fund people who are living off spending capital (such as those who have inherited large sums and are p*ssing it away). These people are paying a lot in indirect taxes as they spend, but are earning nothing. Therefore they are paying an infinity rate of tax.

Another way of explaining this is that many of the "the rich" who apparently pay less tax than the poor do so because they are saving their money. They are earning a lot but not spending it - hence they are not paying the indirect taxes - yet. It is only when they die and leave their money to their feckless descendents that the tax is finally paid as VAT etc on the carp that they buy with it.

The fact of the matter is that these lefties who write articles in the Guardian don't appreciate just how much money is required to keep their utopia state properly funded. They see 43% tax as being a lot, but in fact is less than that required for that job.

[scooterscot]

The little people pay the most tax per % of income. Always have always will. Now back to work.

[BrilloPad]

It is only when they die and leave their money to their feckless descendents that the tax is finally paid as VAT etc on the carp that they buy with it.

Can we help the process along?

[SpontaneousOrder]

So the poorest really pay less tax then
Otherwise you might as well say that the poorest speed more than the rich do, as doing 80 in a 20 year old corsa is a much larger percentage of the excess speed available than doing 80 in a new beamer.

[SpontaneousOrder]

Another way of explaining this is that many of the "the rich" who apparently pay less tax than the poor do so because they are saving their money. They are earning a lot but not spending it - hence they are not paying the indirect taxes - yet. It is only when they die and leave their money to their feckless descendents that the tax is finally paid as VAT etc on the carp that they buy with it.

Although it's savings that build modern industrial economies. Arguably keeping their cash stashed does more to help the poor than giving it to the government to spend would.

[d000hg]

And of course tax is really aggravated theft because it'll be taken forcibly using violence if you don't cough up.