Do you want to discuss boring politics? (25 Viewers)

[eastwoodsdustman]

What good things do you think the budget offered to SMEs?

There is also a levy on businesses energy bills to pay for Sizewell C that was inserted without much notice. Its not a huge levy but will have an impact on companies who use a lot of energy in their processes.
Yet another stealth tax imposed that puts pressure financially on businesses when they should be assisting them to grow.

 

---

[CCFCSteve]

From what I’ve read, very little again on growth (encouraging business investment, employment etc) which is a genuine worry….this was supposed to be the bedrock of their manifesto. Personally think theyve got it the wrong way round, get the growth first which gives more to play with but we are where we are

Looks like a budget to placate the further left of the party. In the first 18 months we’ve now had forecasted tax increases of around £60bn per annum although a chunk backloaded (sure I read in manifesto they forecast around £8bn) as well as the £40bn per annum extra borrowing

I think most people expected and don’t mind paying a bit more as long as they see any improvement in public services etc. Still early days so let’s see how things look at the end of Parliament

 

[CCFCSteve]

The worst are those who are on 100s of grand who complain about the state of the country then move to Dubai.

I can understand people wanting to move elsewhere for a better life for themselves or their family but Dubai strikes me a pure tax saving play. Each to their own though

 

[chiefdave]

Work 0 Shirk 3

Not to single you out as there's loads of similar posts but whenever I see things about people happily living on benefits I always wonder how.

My GP has suggested to me, on more than one occasion, I take an extended amount of time off work for health reasons. When I look up what I would be entitled to its a grand total of £493.74 a month. That's made up of £400.14 universal credit, £93.60 council tax support.

Can also get £285.08 towards my mortgage but that is a secured, interest accruing (3.66%) loan.

So 1st of the month I get my £500 and then I have to pay £650 mortgage before I even think about other bills and food. Doesn't scream life of luxury to me.

Everyone seems to know someone who is having a great life on benefits but nobody ever seems able to explain how they are doing it.

 

[Sick Boy]

I can understand people wanting to move elsewhere for a better life for themselves or their family but Dubai strikes me a pure tax saving play. Each to their own though

I see posts about it on LinkedIn fairly often, including some going on about how the UK has become a police state, so they're moving to Dubai - fucking idiots - hahaha!

 

[Sick Boy]

Not to single you out as there's loads of similar posts but whenever I see things about people happily living on benefits I always wonder how.

My GP has suggested to me, on more than one occasion, I take an extended amount of time off work for health reasons. When I look up what I would be entitled to its a grand total of £493.74 a month. That's made up of £400.14 universal credit, £93.60 council tax support.

Can also get £285.08 towards my mortgage but that is a secured, interest accruing (3.66%) loan.

So 1st of the month I get my £500 and then I have to pay £650 mortgage before I even think about other bills and food. Doesn't scream life of luxury to me.

Everyone seems to know someone who is having a great life on benefits but nobody ever seems able to explain how they are doing it.

It's mostly a myth that gets parroted. No doubt they'd then complain about increases in crime if benefits were removed from desperate people and then complain even more when taxes go up to fund the police.

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

I can understand people wanting to move elsewhere for a better life for themselves or their family but Dubai strikes me a pure tax saving play. Each to their own though

Course but don’t say the country is shit without recognising the consequence of avoiding or evading tax and then continue to whinge about the country you’ve left and tell those living and trying to make it work that it’s shit

 

[SBAndy]

Not to single you out as there's loads of similar posts but whenever I see things about people happily living on benefits I always wonder how.

My GP has suggested to me, on more than one occasion, I take an extended amount of time off work for health reasons. When I look up what I would be entitled to its a grand total of £493.74 a month. That's made up of £400.14 universal credit, £93.60 council tax support.

Can also get £285.08 towards my mortgage but that is a secured, interest accruing (3.66%) loan.

So 1st of the month I get my £500 and then I have to pay £650 mortgage before I even think about other bills and food. Doesn't scream life of luxury to me.

Everyone seems to know someone who is having a great life on benefits but nobody ever seems able to explain how they are doing it.

A very dumbed-down explainer: if you sold your property for what you paid for it, so no additional savings in the background, and you magically managed to get into social housing on Day 1, you'd not have the property cost as it would likely be covered by housing benefit.

Still wouldn't call it luxurious, mind.

 

[CCFCSteve]

Not to single you out as there's loads of similar posts but whenever I see things about people happily living on benefits I always wonder how.

My GP has suggested to me, on more than one occasion, I take an extended amount of time off work for health reasons. When I look up what I would be entitled to its a grand total of £493.74 a month. That's made up of £400.14 universal credit, £93.60 council tax support.

Can also get £285.08 towards my mortgage but that is a secured, interest accruing (3.66%) loan.

So 1st of the month I get my £500 and then I have to pay £650 mortgage before I even think about other bills and food. Doesn't scream life of luxury to me.

Everyone seems to know someone who is having a great life on benefits but nobody ever seems able to explain how they are doing it.

I presume those that get the most benefit aren’t home owners (so rents covered) and are getting other benefits such as child benefit, PIP etc. appreciate that it won’t deliver a life of luxury but some might prefer it rather than work. Two real life cases recently, one woman who was well looked after with four kids* (girlfriends mate) they’re now at an age where she’s got to work and it’s actually giving her a new lease of life and another couple of don’t work but guy does cash jobs on the side.

Looking at the data there is no doubt in my mind that there is a decent number gaming/‘maximising’ the system.

*also got cash from two of the dads

 

[chiefdave]

A very dumbed-down explainer: if you sold your property for what you paid for it, so no additional savings in the background, and you magically managed to get into social housing on Day 1, you'd not have the property cost as it would likely be covered by housing benefit.

But then you'd have the equity from the house sale sat in the bank which would be classed as savings which would cause your benefits to be slashed.

In theory social housing would work, in reality not so much. Councils publish waiting times for social housing, selling your house would put you in band 4. For that band it won't even give you a waiting time, basically says forget it you've got no chance. If you somehow managed to get moved to a higher priority its a 2+ year waiting list.

I don't buy it, its always vague 'i know someone' or 'friend of a friend' but very light on specifics. Of course if people are claiming benefits and working cash in hand as Steve suggests that's a whole different thing but thats down to enforcement not the level of benefits.

 

[fernandopartridge]

From what I’ve read, very little again on growth (encouraging business investment, employment etc) which is a genuine worry….this was supposed to be the bedrock of their manifesto. Personally think theyve got it the wrong way round, get the growth first which gives more to play with but we are where we are

Looks like a budget to placate the further left of the party. In the first 18 months we’ve now had forecasted tax increases of around £60bn per annum although a chunk backloaded (sure I read in manifesto they forecast around £8bn) as well as the £40bn per annum extra borrowing

I think most people expected and don’t mind paying a bit more as long as they see any improvement in public services etc. Still early days so let’s see how things look at the end of Parliament

The budget is to placate the 'markets' as if they are in charge. There is no promise at all of any improvement to public services, very little on public infrastructure for anywhere other than London and the South East as per.

 

[SBAndy]

But then you'd have the equity from the house sale sat in the bank which would be classed as savings which would cause your benefits to be slashed.

In theory social housing would work, in reality not so much. Councils publish waiting times for social housing, selling your house would put you in band 4. For that band it won't even give you a waiting time, basically says forget it you've got no chance. If you somehow managed to get moved to a higher priority its a 2+ year waiting list.

I don't buy it, its always vague 'i know someone' or 'friend of a friend' but very light on specifics. Of course if people are claiming benefits and working cash in hand as Steve suggests that's a whole different thing but thats down to enforcement not the level of benefits.

Ha, think you've got my explanation confused with advice!

Yes, agreed, homeowners who fall on hard times are basically going to have to bumble their way through on a pittance. I would imagine the majority on housing benefit have never owned a home, though. And that seems to be the kicker that *can* make the wider financial picture more fruitful.

 

[fernandopartridge]

I'm in two minds about the NMW, I wonder whether a better approach would be to require that businesses employing somebody on NMW is expected to increase it in line with indexation unless it can otherwise demonstrate how such an increase would cause it material loss when compared to the prior year?

 

[chiefdave]

Ha, think you've got my explanation confused with advice!

I was about to quit work and sell me house!

 

[eastwoodsdustman]

Not to single you out as there's loads of similar posts but whenever I see things about people happily living on benefits I always wonder how.

My GP has suggested to me, on more than one occasion, I take an extended amount of time off work for health reasons. When I look up what I would be entitled to its a grand total of £493.74 a month. That's made up of £400.14 universal credit, £93.60 council tax support.

Can also get £285.08 towards my mortgage but that is a secured, interest accruing (3.66%) loan.

So 1st of the month I get my £500 and then I have to pay £650 mortgage before I even think about other bills and food. Doesn't scream life of luxury to me.

Everyone seems to know someone who is having a great life on benefits but nobody ever seems able to explain how they are doing it.

I do think that if you are already in the system (and know what to claim for) then you are pretty much onto a reasonable amount. If you are trying to get onto anything then it seems to be a different matter.
The fact that they have pulled the plug on people getting BMW's, Mercs, Lexi, and Alfa's on the motability scheme would indicate that people have taken the piss though.

 

[fernandopartridge]

I do think that if you are already in the system (and know what to claim for) then you are pretty much onto a reasonable amount. If you are trying to get onto anything then it seems to be a different matter.
The fact that they have pulled the plug on people getting BMW's, Mercs, Lexi, and Alfa's on the motability scheme would indicate that people have taken the piss though.

What's the economic benefit of pulling the plug on that scheme? From where I am looking it saves no real money and is purely to placate spite.

 

[Grendel]

What's the economic benefit of pulling the plug on that scheme? From where I am looking it saves no real money and is purely to placate spite.

It is really odd when you think about it.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Net migration down by quite a lot, in part thanks to more British nationals emigrating.

 

[chiefdave]

The fact that they have pulled the plug on people getting BMW's, Mercs, Lexi, and Alfa's on the motability scheme would indicate that people have taken the piss though.

Hope they've factored in the impact on the second hand market as the Motability scheme plays a big part in that.

Think its, as ever, all a bit misleading and playing to the crowd. You don't just pick a car and get it paid for, you get an allowance. Very few cars fall below that allowance so in practice you need to top it up and pay the extra. If you want a BMW or Audi obviously there's a lot extra to pay.

Did read that there are a fair number of Mercs purchased via the scheme but that seems to be because the design of certain models is well suited to those with mobility issues rather than then wanting a flashy car.

 

[chiefdave]

Net migration down by quite a lot, in part thanks to more British nationals emigrating.

BBC reports that the figures show little change for emigration?

Net migration has fallen nearly 80% from its peak.

Migration added 204,000 people to the UK’s population between July 2024 and June 2025 according to provisional figures published by the Office for National Statistics.

This is:

• Down nearly 70% on last year’s figure of about 650,000 people
• Down nearly 80% from its peak of nearly a million people (944,000) in the 12 months to March 2023
• The lowest figure since the pandemic (132,000 in the 12 months March 21)

This latest fall in the net migration figure - the difference between people coming to the UK and those leaving - is a result of fewer people coming to the UK.

Just under 900,000 (898,000) people immigrated to the UK between July 2024 and June 2025, down more than 400,000 people the year before that.

Emigration was little changed: At the same time, 693,000 people emigrated from the UK, up by 43,000 on the previous year.

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

BBC reports that the figures show little change for emigration?

Still won’t be enough or possible to give any credit to Labour or starmer

 

[Grendel]

Still won’t be enough or possible to give any credit to Labour or starmer

I did ask you about the budget and how it benefits SME’s? You can keep this childish persona all you like but I can’t find anyone who actually runs businesses who doesn’t think he and reeves are a disaster

 

[wingy]

If we're going to entice the population to invest in shares what's going happen when there's a crash every ten years or so?

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

I did ask you about the budget and how it benefits SME’s? You can keep this childish persona all you like but I can’t find anyone who actually runs businesses who doesn’t think he and reeves are a disaster

Won’t affect the small business my wife is the ceo of either way
Good business good profit margin will continue to grow and increase staffing

 

[PVA]

Nothing Reeves has or can do will affect my business (and the vast majority of other businesses) anywhere near as much as Brexit did, but of course we're not allowed to put any blame on that. Of course that was voted for by the people now upset that Reeves is apparently fucking the economy.

 

[SBAndy]

I did ask you about the budget and how it benefits SME’s? You can keep this childish persona all you like but I can’t find anyone who actually runs businesses who doesn’t think he and reeves are a disaster

It’s the slight misnomer with being the party of ‘the working people’. Vast swathes of SMEs will be very low-numbers employers and almost de-facto workers for another company (i.e. their main client). Should be looking to loosen things for them in some way.

 

[wingy]

Nothing Reeves has or can do will affect my business (and the vast majority of other businesses) anywhere near as much as Brexit did, but of course we're not allowed to put any blame on that. Of course that was voted for by the people now upset that Reeves is apparently fucking the economy.

Have you seen that think tank has done a study on Brexit and trade has actually shrunk by 8%according to it,all that tax has gone for a swanny.

 

[Grendel]

Nothing Reeves has or can do will affect my business (and the vast majority of other businesses) anywhere near as much as Brexit did, but of course we're not allowed to put any blame on that. Of course that was voted for by the people now upset that Reeves is apparently fucking the economy.

Brexit has zero impact on many businesses who are small in reality

 

[Grendel]

Won’t affect the small business my wife is the ceo of either way
Good business good profit margin will continue to grow and increase staffing

Ah so businesses that are struggling is due to them and not the government

What a cuntish thing to say

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

Ah so businesses that are struggling is due to them and not the government

What a cuntish thing to say

You could read it that way if you were a c**t which maybe you are I’m not but you fill your boots if it makes you feel hard and brave which it clearly does as you do it constantly

businesses struggle for no end of reasons and id throw the question back at you. What is your small business and how is it affected?

 

[mmttww]

What a cuntish thing to say

Is it any different from your regular 'I pulled myself up from a tough place so everyone else should suck it up!' routine?

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Brexit has zero impact on many businesses who are small in reality

Had a pretty big one on the major food manufacturer my BIL works for.

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

Had a pretty big one on the major food manufacturer my BIL works for.

And farmers and fisheries

 

[PVA]

Brexit has zero impact on many businesses who are small in reality

Absolute nonsense.

It's had a huge effect on the entire economy.

So maybe think about the fact you LITERALLY VOTED TO DAMAGE THE ECONOMY while slating Reeves for not stimulating the economy.

 

[Bugsy]