What if everyone's UK tax data was made public?

[kabbes]

But this isn't dropping it into conversation with all and sundry at the church fete, it's publishing it somewhere people can access it should they be interested.

But why will people be interested? They will only be interested because they are (a) nosy; or (b) have an axe to grind. Well option (a) can just mind their beeswax, whilst option (b) is exactly why people might be circumspect in the first place.

For example, I've always been reluctant to reveal my salary precisely because I know that people get so funny about these things. I'd like to think that I have a lot of online friends here across the economic divide. I don't want to start creating little divisions because people falsely read something into some personal information. It's fairly meaningless anyway -- without knowing what accumulated personal wealth someone has, the salary doesn't tell you anything. You could earn a fortune but if you owe a million then you probably aren't going to be living the high life.

How do you feel about transparency within a company re employee salaries?

I love the idea in theory. But in practice, so long as people continue to be so funny about money, it will continue to lead to resentment, awkwardness and battlelines.

 

[kabbes]

But it is gauche. I'm not saying everyone should be forced to hold a dinner party at which you stand up to your friends and state your yearly annual salary.

I'm saying everyone's salary details should be up, online, for those that want to look.

It's completely different.

See my comments to qumibly, above.

 

[King Biscuit Time]

They don't follow.
If everyone's info was made public, then those that couldn't hack it, or had an axe to grind (with you, with me, with the bin man) would have to suck it up.

 

[quimcunx]

Wahey I earn a fair bit AND I dont pay tax, gizza flash

PM me your income and I'll PM my flash.

 

[kabbes]

I don't want them to have to suck it up. As I said, this is socially awkward. I want to just keep it between me and my bank manager in the first place.

 

[quimcunx]

I don't want them to have to suck it up. As I said, this is socially awkward. I want to just keep it between me and my bank manager in the first place.

You could just PM it to me.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

For those doing something of less obvious social purity, it's hardly a surprise that they aren't keen to broadcast their earnings all over the place.

For example, I've always been reluctant to reveal my salary precisely because I know that people get so funny about these things.

We all KNOW that you're an actuary though.

 

[kabbes]

Oh noes, by being coy I have fostered a curiosity. Please, no curiosity necessary. It's really not that interesting. Besides, I could be totally making it up.

 

[kabbes]

We all KNOW that you're an actuary though.

There's actuaries and there's actuaries. It's a broad scale. Qualifieds could be on anything from £40,000 all the way up to £1m.

 

[Pickman's model]

I don't want them to have to suck it up. As I said, this is socially awkward. I want to just keep it between me and my bank manager in the first place.

unless you're at a posh bank you don't have a bank manager.

 

[kabbes]

unless you're at a posh bank you don't have a bank manager.

 

[Fuchs66]

PM me your income and I'll PM my flash.

Wahey

 

[kabbes]

Here is a bit of leg:

 

[Fuchs66]

Here is a bit of leg:

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

There's actuaries and there's actuaries. It's a broad scale. Qualifieds could be on anything from £40,000 all the way up to £1m.

Quite and you have a bank manager and not some spotty skivvy who sneers at your overdraft. Therefore you must be at the higher end of actuaryisms...

 

[Kanda]

Quite and you have a bank manager and not some spotty skivvy who sneers at your overdraft. Therefore you must be at the higher end of actuaryisms...

My Mum lives in council sheltered housing and has a Bank Manager that she actually has to go talk too... that's utter rubbish.

 

[Fuchs66]

I have "preferred banking" my personal banker makes appointments to visit me

 

[kabbes]

I don't actually have a bank manager, for the record. It was just an expression of speech. I have a series of very nice people in a call centre to speak to, though, when I need to.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Still doesn't explain why it is socially awkward for others to know how much you earn/paid in tax. If anything it would be the other way around, the disgust felt when it is announced that some banker's pocketed a £5million would surely be turned around if the story was a banker has just paid nearly £2.5million in the general pot to help pay for shit to help everyone else.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

I don't actually have a bank manager, for the record.

I do have one, as it happens

 

[kabbes]

I don't think people should be forced to give up their privacy, though, just for the sake of it. If it makes me feel awkward, that is enough, surely? I don't have to justify an emotion. What will you gain by knowing what tax I have paid? I am salaried, which means my tax is all taken in PAYG long before I ever see it. I have no funky tax avoidance measures in place. So what more do you need to know?

 

[quimcunx]

So what more do you need to know?

Everything. It's for my file.

 

[kabbes]

You're such a kabbesphile.

Edit: that pun didn't really work, did it? There has to be a better one out there.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

I don't think people should be forced to give up their privacy, though, just for the sake of it. If it makes me feel awkward, that is enough, surely? I don't have to justify an emotion. What will you gain by knowing what tax I have paid? I am salaried, which means my tax is all taken in PAYG long before I ever see it. I have no funky tax avoidance measures in place. So what more do you need to know?

I'm just nosy and a tad bored this afternoon.

 

[kabbes]

Only a tad? I'm fucking paralytic with boredom.

 

[lighterthief]

If tax data was made public I'm sure it would go a long way to wiping out unfair pay inequalities. Might also go some way to reducing the wage differential, ie the gap between those who earn least and those who earn most.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Only a tad? I'm fucking paralytic with boredom.

Well tad was hyperbole, it's fookin' like a morgue in here today. But that then leads to the strangeness that when the phone does ring, no one can be fucked to answer it.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

If tax data was made public I'm sure it would go a long way to wiping out unfair pay inequalities. Might also go some way to reducing the wage differential, ie the gap between those who earn least and those who earn most.

Nah, don't think so, would just cause resentment. Earlier this year there were some traumatic changes in my company, one of my colleagues revealed his salary to me expecting to hear mine in return. Upon hearing how pitifully low his was compared to mine I watered mine right down and he still got the hump that I was earning more than him.

He's an intelligent bloke, he's seen the profit figures stating how much profit I generate compared to him, yet he thinks that our pay should be on a par. Fuck that.

 

[two sheds]

ok. why don't you put up your tax data for, say, 2006/07, 2007/08 and 2008/09 here now. after all, if you haven't done anything wrong, what are you afraid of?

Yes, quite, that was the point i was making

If people in power want full information on us to make sure we're not doing anything wrong, it's only fair we should have full information on them to make sure they're not doing anything wrong.

 

[Jessiedog]

If tax data was made public I'm sure it would go a long way to wiping out unfair pay inequalities. Might also go some way to reducing the wage differential, ie the gap between those who earn least and those who earn most.

Aye!







Meanwhile.......

kabbes, PM me your CV and I'll double your salary, beef your pension (plus compensation for your current scheme), a top notch relocation package, luxury housing, best international private education for your kids and total authority to innovate and run a real outfit (and retire within 6 - 8 years).

And all completely confidential.

You'd have to actually really work hard for a wee bit, but could retire wealthy very quickly.

So maybe not for you.




Woof