UK - Tax the super-rich !

[Nessie]

Jail those who fail to pay 40% of their income, all income, no matter how they are paid it, including "loans", "benefits" and payment in kind.

 

[MikeG]

Jail those who fail to pay 40% of their income, all income, no matter how they are paid it, including "loans", "benefits" and payment in kind.

Where have you plucked that figure from?

You do realise that you've just condemned lots of really poor people to choosing between eating, heating, and prison?

 

[theprestige]

Jail those who fail to pay 40% of their income, all income, no matter how they are paid it, including "loans", "benefits" and payment in kind.

Why would anyone with income to spare want to pay into a society with *that* attitude towards them?

When people are doing useful stuff you mostly want to encourage and reward them, not criminalize them.

 

[rjh01]

Jail those who fail to pay 40% of their income, all income, no matter how they are paid it, including "loans", "benefits" and payment in kind.

That is a type of GST / VAT.

Where have you plucked that figure from?
<snip>

Many stats are invented. You can assume any figure without a source is invented and ignore it.

 

[ddt]

At least partly due to an ex SAS doorman.

This old article covers it:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/nov/26/one-hyde-park-council-tax

From that article:

A spokeswoman for the Candy brothers denied that the developer was required to provide the identities of the owners of their apartments. She said: "Once the apartment is sold, it is not the developer's responsibility to register the new owner with the council. This is the responsibility of the owner. I have spoken with the developer and they haven't received the Westminster city council letter you are referring to but they have assured me that they will co-operate as required."

Don't you guys have a Cadastre where people are required to register ownership of real estate? What was the Domesday Book about then?

I'd say, if you don't register your real estate property in the cadastre, it's apparently not your property and the council can seize it.

The problem with taxing the super-rich (both individuals and companies) is that they can easily shift their moneys between various countries and that there is no solidarity among tax offices. The Cayman tax office will happily screw the UK tax office out of a pound to receive itself only a penny. When it comes to corporations, at least the EU has been doing some good work that the EU tax offices don't unfairly screw one another over..

In order to effectively collect taxes, give the tax office wide-ranging capabilities:
1) reverse burden of proof. If the tax office claims that X owes them 1 million, then X has to prove it's actually less.
2) a blanket ban on tax avoidance schemes. Again, if the tax office claims X's Cayman company is just a tax avoidance scheme, then X has to prove the economic sense in it.
3) the tax office can seize your assets. Again, you have to go to court to undo it.
4) a heavy fine on avoided taxes, at least 100%, or at least such a percentage that the owed taxes plus the fine is more than the original income over the highest tax bracket.
5) if you don't pony up, imprisonment and forced labour until you've paid it back in work hours. Against minimum wages, of course. And invoice them for Her Majesty's housing.

And last but not least, the tax office should have the balls to take on the super-rich, and invest in hiring competent personnel that is able to take them on.

 

[dudalb]

Then you have the debate as to what constitutes the Super Rich...