f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Paying tradesmen cash in hand morally wrong - minister

In my opinion it is wrong, but I can understand why it is more likely to happen now given the austerity measures, higher levels of taxation and the fact people just don't have as much money available.

I think also most people feel that their taxes are not being spent wisely and that the austerity measures are having little effect something the public borrowing and growth figures would seem to support and something even the IMF are urging the UK government have a rethink over.

I guess all these things make people feel like getting what they can for themselves to compensate for what is being taken from them for what they see as no good reason.

Discuss.

ReallyReallyGoodMeat

This is a non-story. Hasn't this been going on since forever, austerity or not?

Blue by You

iTrader: (23)

No surprises there really, does anybody seriously think it's not morally wrong? Discount for cash transactions are as old as the hills, but that doesn't make them right.
How many people would honestly turn down a sizeable discount in return for the option of cash payment?
Just an example for the sake of discussion, ignore the issue of warranty.
4 tyres fitted and balanced for £500 including vat.
Or £400 cash?

DCI Gene Hunt

So if you had more money available (disposable income) and loved what the government were spending your tax on you'd want to pay VAT with a local builder/tradesman?

Get real

RoShamBo

iTrader: (1)

I own / run a removal company - upper end removals (houses over £500,000) and so deal with typically people with a bit of money and for every 10 removals I probably get asked 3-4 times about doing cash deals.
When you consider a move costing around £2,000 plus vat - that's £ 400 in vat.....a lot of money to anyone. Right or wrong, I can understand why people ask.

Ant

Customers always ask "how much for cash" like we're a one man band company , the joe public love to think they're getting money off.

Tidgy

didnt they say theres 2trillion in tax havens and there going after a couple of bill cash in hand, just shows there true colours hit the poeople who struggle to afford things and let the rich run riot.

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Yes it's been going on since forever, but it's on the rise which is why the minister has mentioned it and the reasosn it's on the rise are in the OP.

My accountant has had two fairly large limited companies more or less tell him they are doing cash deals and hiding them as the taxation level has got so high for them they will barely be able to survive if they don't as they are being sqeezed on price so much right now too.

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Well no one wants to pay tax, but you'd be more likely to yes, what is hard about that concept for you?

I mean how many times do you read just on here people questioning what the governemnt spends the taxes on?

JDM_Stig

iTrader: (3)

slightly off the main heading but wouldnt they be better chasing the companies trying to get out of paying Millions upon millions in tax then the working class who are trying to save a little.

DCI Gene Hunt

Do you really believe that if people thought that tax money was going towards "good things" they'd pay more?

Simple answer (so you can grasp it) "no".... they would just grumble lets about their income tax - which for most is deducted at source.

Your stupidity knows no bounds

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

As well as missing the point as usual I think yiou are judging others by your own gutter level standards.

And if we talking about stupidity I think you should keep quiet there too, I've shat out mnore intelligent life forms than you!

Now why not run along and get back to your immigrant threads you love so much?

DCI Gene Hunt

Totally agree, this is an opportunist move by HMG to see if they can make a few extra pound by making tax avoidance morally wrong - the Jimmy Carr scenario - in the hope that all of a sudden 50 million people will start insisting they pay VAT on window cleaning and garden patios.

SJ_Skyline

Politicians lecturing us on morality, oh do me a ******* favour!

Ant

Well that's this thread ruined already

DCI Gene Hunt

So everyone that doesn't pay tax has gutter level standards, nice. I can see that you're exactly the type of weak willed person this whole issue has been aimed at.

Enjoy paying that bit extra

urban

iTrader: (1)

Personally I don't have a problem with cash for discount.
Perhaps the government should concentrate efforts elsewhere

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

Quick question then: Say you pay a builder/roofer to do a job and you pay in cash money knowing said builder/roofer probably won't do the VAT thing. Do or would you still get the same level of "cover" if the work turned out to be of a poor standard and need fixing?

I ask as I was in a situation with this not so long back and paid cash as the guys came to my house. We're talking under £100 here, not £1,000's

Dingdongler

Yes but the 'cash in hand' economy is not a few quid. It probably runs into billions every year.

billythekid

I will ask my window cleaner if I can pay by BACS this friday then... £1.80....

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

£2bn if you read the government claims.

Technically, they are right but in reality it is something that is essentially unpoliceable. I'd like to make sure I get a proper guarantee though and the work is traceable if there are any faults later on. Few sole traders wander about with a card machine so that's either cash or cheque. The only 'discount for cash' I can see in the future is knocking off the scamming PayPal fees if mobile payments catch on.

Total non-story.

5t.

David Lock

Agree. I don't think HMG has a clue about what really goes on. It's almost a barter economy. You are unlikely to get a discount on things like tyres, mentioned above, as supplier has to account for his own supplies through the books but builders and any labour intensive work is wide open for cash options off the books.

What I object to is those on benefits who also run a cash business and I have known a few - windows cleaners with "bad backs", jobbing gardeners and car wash people as an example. Why should I pay for their effing benefits as well!!

dl

donny andi

iTrader: (3)

Cash is the king
According to my books I'm skint ........poor but happy

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

This is the dilemma as I can see it is probably costing the economy a bundle in taxes, but

a) they seem to waste a lot of our taxes anyway
b) big business seems to be allowed to get away with manioulating taxation to an extent

As an example Rangers went into administration allegedly owing HMRC 75 million.... how can that be, I get penalised if I pay my VAT bill one day late????

craigo

iTrader: (1)

Leave Rangers out of it. There are different rules in place for cheese grinders like yourself !

jonc

This goes some way to explaining why Greece are in the situation they are in now, but on a much larger scale. But I find it deeply ironic that it is the Government has no issues with morality when they're claiming expenses for rent on their "second" homes, duck houses, adult movies, capital gains tax avoidance etc etc.

David Lock

The UK is morally bankrupt from the top downwards. And it will never get any better

I was listening to a talk about Sweden and over there not paying taxes is a big no, no. It's frowned upon like blowing smoke into babies' prams or drink driving is over here. They pay high taxes but see real benefits in their lives.

dl

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

This

addi monster

iTrader: (6)

I am a tradesman and i always get the question upon pricing a job "how much for cash" to which my answer is "it will be the same price" just because i get paid in cash does not affect how much tax i pay or my expenses for the job, infact i have recently started refusing checks due to a few bouncing, why should i take a cheque when 99% of other companies will not accept them ?

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

Fair play to you. Do you feel you have ever lost work because of this?