The Student Room Group

Problem with professionals in the UK

If you're a professional in the UK, you are basically punished for working hard, getting an education and being successful.

You are taxed like no other - and the funny thing is, the tax isn't even spent on helping you - I've had a really bad toothache for the past 2 months, but because god knows where my tax is being spent, i cant actually see a dentist for free and I cant afford to fork out £500 for a filling, hence...i live with the pain....

In addition, anything you earn - gets possessed by the government. If you somehow manage to save a little amount of money to buy a house..you have to pay stamp duty, council tax etc.

So basically you get taxed on already taxed income, and then you get taxed again...what incentive is there for a British professional to remain in the UK anymore? Personally, I'm trying to get out of here ASAP, what are other people's thoughts?

The UK is only good for people who have a business and can 'write-off' things as expenses, OR if you are on benefits! - Anyone working for a living, as a professional or any other 'job' is basically suffering with cost of living.

Would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this matter.

Reply 1

I’m glad im not the only one that feels this way

Reply 2

Original post
by money-for-all
I’m glad im not the only one that feels this way

Is there no NHS dentists where you live? If it's that bad call 111 and see an emergency dentist.

Council tax applies to renters too -

Reply 3

Original post
by money-for-all
If you're a professional in the UK, you are basically punished for working hard, getting an education and being successful.
You are taxed like no other - and the funny thing is, the tax isn't even spent on helping you - I've had a really bad toothache for the past 2 months, but because god knows where my tax is being spent, i cant actually see a dentist for free and I cant afford to fork out £500 for a filling, hence...i live with the pain....
In addition, anything you earn - gets possessed by the government. If you somehow manage to save a little amount of money to buy a house..you have to pay stamp duty, council tax etc.
So basically you get taxed on already taxed income, and then you get taxed again...what incentive is there for a British professional to remain in the UK anymore? Personally, I'm trying to get out of here ASAP, what are other people's thoughts?
The UK is only good for people who have a business and can 'write-off' things as expenses, OR if you are on benefits! - Anyone working for a living, as a professional or any other 'job' is basically suffering with cost of living.
Would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this matter.

How are you defining 'a professional'...?

If you've not got £500 then you clearly arent one. Thats nothing money.

Where are you going and why haven't you left yet?

Reply 4

Original post
by money-for-all
I’m glad im not the only one that feels this way

Who else feels this way?

Reply 5

I'm a professional living in the UK and personally feel that I've been rewarded for working hard, getting an education and being successful. The country is certainly facing challenges, but this post is entirely hyperbolic.

Reply 6

Original post
by money-for-all
If you're a professional in the UK, you are basically punished for working hard, getting an education and being successful.
You are taxed like no other - and the funny thing is, the tax isn't even spent on helping you - I've had a really bad toothache for the past 2 months, but because god knows where my tax is being spent, i cant actually see a dentist for free and I cant afford to fork out £500 for a filling, hence...i live with the pain....
In addition, anything you earn - gets possessed by the government. If you somehow manage to save a little amount of money to buy a house..you have to pay stamp duty, council tax etc.
So basically you get taxed on already taxed income, and then you get taxed again...what incentive is there for a British professional to remain in the UK anymore? Personally, I'm trying to get out of here ASAP, what are other people's thoughts?
The UK is only good for people who have a business and can 'write-off' things as expenses, OR if you are on benefits! - Anyone working for a living, as a professional or any other 'job' is basically suffering with cost of living.
Would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this matter.

If you are a professional in the UK, you earn more than most other people because you are rewarded for a job that takes relatively little toll on your body. As a result, you are more likely to be in good health, live in a high standard of accommodation, have sufficient or even excess to eat and enjoy things like leisure time, holidays and socialising because you have spare money to spend on luxury items. You also have the ability to save money so that in the eventuality that something bad does happen, you have the means to fund it. Or, you have access to relatively cheap credit.

Since you have a good standard of education you are also able to learn and access financial products such as insurance that allows you to mitigate disasters in your life such as needing a filling and if you didn't know this, you do now.

As a professional, you have the luxury and privilege of being able to drive because you can afford to and also the privilege and luxury of purchasing your own home, giving you the security of knowing that it will not be taken away from you at the whim of someone else.

Sadly though, one thing some professionals do have is a sense of entitlement. The position that when something goes badly, it is someone or something else's fault. For example, if you needed to filling and couldn't find an NHS dentist, but also forgot to purchase dental insurance, it is suddenly the government's fault, ironically complaining we pay too much tax whilst not spending enough on dentists.

I would rather be a professional with the security in society it affords me than in poor and cheap rented accommodation provided to me by the state and so security of income because my job can be replaced by AI / a robot at any moment.

Feel free to move elsewhere. I believe Belgium, Germany, Denmark, France and Sweden all have higher tax burdens and dare I say it, higher standards of living? Or you could go live in Dubai, spend your life in a fridge located in the dessert and sell off your human rights. But hey - you pay no tax right?

Reply 7

Original post
by hotpud
If you are a professional in the UK, you earn more than most other people because you are rewarded for a job that takes relatively little toll on your body. As a result, you are more likely to be in good health, live in a high standard of accommodation, have sufficient or even excess to eat and enjoy things like leisure time, holidays and socialising because you have spare money to spend on luxury items. You also have the ability to save money so that in the eventuality that something bad does happen, you have the means to fund it. Or, you have access to relatively cheap credit.
Since you have a good standard of education you are also able to learn and access financial products such as insurance that allows you to mitigate disasters in your life such as needing a filling and if you didn't know this, you do now.
As a professional, you have the luxury and privilege of being able to drive because you can afford to and also the privilege and luxury of purchasing your own home, giving you the security of knowing that it will not be taken away from you at the whim of someone else.
Sadly though, one thing some professionals do have is a sense of entitlement. The position that when something goes badly, it is someone or something else's fault. For example, if you needed to filling and couldn't find an NHS dentist, but also forgot to purchase dental insurance, it is suddenly the government's fault, ironically complaining we pay too much tax whilst not spending enough on dentists.
I would rather be a professional with the security in society it affords me than in poor and cheap rented accommodation provided to me by the state and so security of income because my job can be replaced by AI / a robot at any moment.
Feel free to move elsewhere. I believe Belgium, Germany, Denmark, France and Sweden all have higher tax burdens and dare I say it, higher standards of living? Or you could go live in Dubai, spend your life in a fridge located in the dessert and sell off your human rights. But hey - you pay no tax right?

You have accepted being a slave to the UK tax system - and it sadly shows in your post...

Reply 8

Original post
by money-for-all
You have accepted being a slave to the UK tax system - and it sadly shows in your post...

I have a £99k gross salary and take £17k in dividends.

Net I take home £77k.

What would I take home in the average country?

Edit
And in the UK I can see a dentist for free.
(edited 3 weeks ago)

Reply 9

Original post
by Quady
I have a £99k gross salary and take £17k in dividends.
Net I take home £77k.
What would I take home in the average country?
Edit
And in the UK I can see a dentist for free.

What do you do? - If you don't have a minimum of 15 years experience in some field - you're capping with £99k

Reply 10

Original post
by money-for-all
What do you do? - If you don't have a minimum of 15 years experience in some field - you're capping with £99k

Public sector 17 years.
So my pension is pretty sorted.

Reply 11

I appreciate the issue with accessing NHS dental care however I'm surprised someone in a professional career can't afford private dental care.

Have you looked at how you can cut excess spending?
Maybe try to make regular payments into savings accounts so you have cash to cover issues like dental care?
Have you considered options to supplement your income? For instance Uber driver or food delivery driver in the evenings or at night.

Reply 12

Original post
by money-for-all
You have accepted being a slave to the UK tax system - and it sadly shows in your post...

There are two ways you can look at it. Yes, I am a slave to the tax system. But equally I also see all the benefits it gives me. I live in a relatively safe country with security services and army to protect me. I live in a civilized society that subscribes to the rule of law and provides a system to law and order and courts to uphold that law. My kids are educated for free and my rubbish is taken away for me. If I get ill, I am treated in a hospital by one of the best doctors in the world. There is a system of infrastructure that allows me to travel around the country and areas of natural beauty are protected and maintained. And so on and so on.

Or, I could live in Somalia where there is no tax system at all. Or I could live in the UAE where there is no tax, but equally, no rule of law, morality and you live in the dessert. Which would you choose?

Reply 13

If you don't like the UK tax system you have the option to emigrate. It's not going to improve any time soon, I know that much.

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