BROADBAND:-

They'd be applauded more if they promised 100% coverage, rather than increasing it to Superfast Broadband in those areas that already have reasonable coverage.

Savings interest:-

 

Made a big thing of this and of decreasing the number of people paying savings interest or reducing the amount on which it's paid, saying 'people have already paid tax on their earnings, so why should they pay it again?'

 

But people were never being asked to pay tax again on the money they deposited, only on the interest earned - it's income, so in one sense, why shouldn't we be asked to pay a bit of tax on it?

I'm not listening atm, but I guess that's an easy promise to make since you're lucky to get any interest paid today at all....

That's true. I discovered a wee while ago that one of my savings accounts was paying 1.25% and I was thinking, 'gosh, that much!'

Got £3.85 gross and paid 77 pence tax on it last year.

The proposed abolition of class2 NI contributions is going to affect a whole lot of people.

Are you sure it was total abolition and not just the moving of it into Self Assessment?

Not seen much of the budget but I guess it will be much of a muchness. Sweetners for some to try and buy another five years in power.......

They do intend to abolish it at some time in the next parliament. The moving of it to self assessment is separate and goes ahead from the next tax year. Makes sense to abolish it and I guess that class 4 NI (the part based on profits) will increase a bit to allow for that.

 

He also said savings put aside for a deposit by first-time buyers will be topped up by the government - to the tune of £50 for every £200 saved - in a move that will come into force this Autumn.

 

WTF?  Am I reading that wrong?        I had to find my own deposit... can I have 25% of it back from the government please?

No, you're not reading it wrong. We all had to save up for a deposit. I agree it is probably tougher for some these days and the idea of 'if you can't afford it you'll just have to do without' seems to be an alien concept, but it's all part of the 'nanny culture' we live in these days.

 

But it's a double hand-out really as ALL the interest earned will be tax free and there's a free 25% extra earning tax free interest too!

I'll be hopping mad if that goes through, Fluffs.    Instead of handouts.. spend the money on creating affordable rental properties.

Abolition , there will be discussions about how it is to happen.

 

Which means will the people who have paid it retain their entitlement to SSP and  state pension.

Annul self assessment tax returns are being abolished too, and apparently  going digital.

 

I have no idea what that means, but I'll be happy not to have faff about in a panic every January..

I've started preliminary work. I like to give the books to the accountant when we go on our summer holidays.

It'll be like continual assessment....kind of. Annual tax returns will still be available for those who want them, or can't manage the online stuff -for whatever reason.

However, I believe that if you haven't made regular postings to your account throughout the year you will still find yourself faffing about in a panic towards the end of the financial year.

I already do mine online, so does it mean it's the hard copy returns that  are abolished?

Cross psoted, I get it now.

 

Grrrr.

Yeah, paper copies being done away with. Probanly won't see much difference for those who are already doing it on line.

Who is their cause?? 
No Independence didnt happen, promises made and never delivered...

The government. Wanting us all to re-elect them.

16p on a packet of fags.

At this rate I'll be demanding special privileges.

I don't know what country Gideon must have been describing in his pre-budget speech but it didn't sound anything like this one under this government nor under his chancellorship. 

Nevertheless it has been an excellent budget for us beer drinkers!
He has slashed the cost of a pint by a full one penny which means, if my maths are correct,  that each subsequent three hundred and twenty sixth pint will be free. (Two hundredth pint in Bolton)
We will now not have to pay tax on interest on our first thoosend poond invested, which I think saves us sufficient to buy another foaming pint of real ale.

Just used the BBC budget calculator. Says I'll be better off by £132 next year.

 

I'm off to get investment advice!

 

I did it this morning and it said I would be up by a similar amount. 

 

I haven't done the Budget calculator. I know what my incomings and outgoings are   One outweighs the other at the minute 

At least we willn't hear the Tories banging on about Gordon anymore, especially after Osbourne's raid on pensions yesterday.

They should ban budgets just before elections. Just a way to "buy" some parts of the electorate 

Exactly Moonie, cos on the whole mostly they don't stick to what they say 

Exactly Sprouty 

Quite so.

 

Oh look an extra £2 something in interest a year on my savings - we'll definitely have to vote for them....hang on.....the 'others' want to give me an extra £3 something - we'll definitely have to vote for them....on the other hand, there are another lot that say they'll increase the personal tax allowance more than this lot AND give me £1.50 a year more interest on my savings - we'll definitely have to vote for them!

 

NB: figures given are for demonstration purposes only.

Osborne reeled off a load of half truths and cheery-picked statistical measures.

 

All this pathetic diversions about 1p off a pint fails to mention that housing and rental costs are spiralling.  Fine if you're property owning, then you're largely protected, anyone else will be significantly poorer this time next year and the year the after.... 

 

In real monetary terms most are poorer than they were in 2010, unless they're rich.

 

 

I just goes to show that politicians (whichever party) are self serving, electorate bribing scum.