Cost of living crisis.

[ozleicester]

2 minutes ago, Jon the Hat said:

None of this makes any difference to the guy running an SME who can't get staff.  Except his other costs have all gone up to.  The point is, in a globalised world nothing stands alone.

FFS.. if you pay them more money... at least an adequate amount of money... they spend it, buying from SME's... Therefore the "guy" suddenly has customers able to buy his products and services. 

The dumb trickle down bullshit where the rich pocket every $, as compared to when you give the money to the workers and they spend 90% of it


These fvcking corporations need to be paying more tax and elitist bankers getting paid hundreds of thousands for doing less work than the local garbo or nurse need to be taxed much much more

[Tommy G]

4 minutes ago, ozleicester said:

FFS.. if you pay them more money... at least an adequate amount of money... they spend it, buying from SME's... Therefore the "guy" suddenly has customers able to buy his products and services. 

The dumb trickle down bullshit where the rich pocket every $, as compared to when you give the money to the workers and they spend 90% of it


These fvcking corporations need to be paying more tax and elitist bankers getting paid hundreds of thousands for doing less work than the local garbo or nurse need to be taxed much much more

Do you realise, apart from the big corporations in the headlines, most small and medium businesses are operating on a marginal profit basis. Putting up wages 5-10% alongside  a backdrop of gas and electric costs which have trebled for most businesses is not sustainable. You can quote all the big listed businesses like you have but most businesses under £100m, whichever sector they operate in will be carefully reviewing their costs base. 

 

It's easy to sit behind a keyboard and read sky news, with the popular left solution is ''lets tax bankers, windfall tax oil companies, personally tax individuals etc etc'' even more than they are doing already. The threashold for the additional rate tax is now anything over £125K (from april 23) a year you pay an extra 5%, not forgetting the 62% tax between £100K-£125K a year in the UK. I don't have the answer but these issues need to be looked at more deeply than just what the MSM feed us and tax hikes. 

[foxes1988]

3 hours ago, Jon the Hat said:

Which works fine as long as you can sell your products and services at the price which makes this worthwhile, and don't lose all your sales to competition in China.

What are you suggesting that the Chinese will start teaching our kids/ driving our trains/ ambulances all remotely.  That doesn't sound very logical to me, then again with this government sounds like their kind of plan 

[foxes1988]

2 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

Do you realise, apart from the big corporations in the headlines, most small and medium businesses are operating on a marginal profit basis. Putting up wages 5-10% alongside  a backdrop of gas and electric costs which have trebled for most businesses is not sustainable. You can quote all the big listed businesses like you have but most businesses under £100m, whichever sector they operate in will be carefully reviewing their costs base. 

 

It's easy to sit behind a keyboard and read sky news, with the popular left solution is ''lets tax bankers, windfall tax oil companies, personally tax individuals etc etc'' even more than they are doing already. The threashold for the additional rate tax is now anything over £125K (from april 23) a year you pay an extra 5%, not forgetting the 62% tax between £100K-£125K a year in the UK. I don't have the answer but these issues need to be looked at more deeply than just what the MSM feed us and tax hikes. 

Very true the MSM pushing the BS trickle down economics and wage price spiral BS of the Tories down our throats does need to stop.  Both proven myths

[Tommy G]

20 minutes ago, foxes1988 said:

Very true the MSM pushing the BS trickle down economics and wage price spiral BS of the Tories down our throats does need to stop.  Both proven myths

That alongside shock horror a business makes a profit. A large proportion of the population think the whole world should be a not for profit organisation. 

[leicsmac]

35 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

That alongside shock horror a business makes a profit. A large proportion of the population think the whole world should be a not for profit organisation. 

That would depend on the organisation and function IMO.

 

There are some things rather clearly beyond material value - or have consequences so radical they make material gain irrelevant.

[Daggers]

[Tommy G]

2 hours ago, leicsmac said:

That would depend on the organisation and function IMO.

 

There are some things rather clearly beyond material value - or have consequences so radical they make material gain irrelevant.

Yes in a very idealistic world! How do you get remunerated, just curious and you don't have to answer!

[leicsmac]

9 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

Yes in a very idealistic world! How do you get remunerated, just curious and you don't have to answer!

Two ways, both involving communication with members of the public, one rather drier and more academic than the other but one I'm hoping might be my stock-in trade some time soon, when it's up to me to make it more fun.

 

But to be clear, I'm not against folks making a buck, or even a lot of bucks - my point (rather practical I would hope) is that money doesn't mean much to a sick person and nowt to a dead one, and as such perhaps issues involving the onset of those two things that it's in our power to deal with might be best considered more in humanitarian terms than financial ones.

Edited 23 February 2023 by leicsmac

[Greg2607]

2 hours ago, Tommy G said:

That alongside shock horror a business makes a profit. A large proportion of the population think the whole world should be a not for profit organisation. 

I totally agree that businesses have to make profit.   I think the challenge for everyone, is that the wage stagnation over the last decade or more has entirely eroded people's buying power.   An "average" teachers salary is £71 more than it was 10 years ago.  

 

nurses average salary has grown by roughly £3000 in that same time..... but effectively, after taking into account inflation, that's a 9% pay cut in real terms.   How many of us would have been accepting of a 9% pay cut over the last 10 years? I wager it would be a very small percentage of us. 

 

We are seeing a society where food banks are an everyday and acceptable thing.   I never envisaged growing up in a country where there would have to be over 2,500 locations set up to give free food to the general population.  Lots of these people are in work. 

 

How can it be, that businesses can generate a profit, when their staff group have to take free food because they cannot afford to buy their own.  It's madness. 

 

now, i'm not claiming that it's ALL businesses that are doing this. but it's a significant proportion.  

 

Housing Costs are astronomical, We are powerless against the price of our utilities. Interest rates have risen more rapidly than wages can keep up, so everyone is getting poorer as a result. 

 

something has to change or you will be seeing rioting in the streets and the break down of a functioning society in the not too distant future if it doesn't. 

 

 

[Tommy G]

2 minutes ago, Greg2607 said:

I totally agree that businesses have to make profit.   I think the challenge for everyone, is that the wage stagnation over the last decade or more has entirely eroded people's buying power.   An "average" teachers salary is £71 more than it was 10 years ago.  

 

nurses average salary has grown by roughly £3000 in that same time..... but effectively, after taking into account inflation, that's a 9% pay cut in real terms.   How many of us would have been accepting of a 9% pay cut over the last 10 years? I wager it would be a very small percentage of us. 

 

We are seeing a society where food banks are an everyday and acceptable thing.   I never envisaged growing up in a country where there would have to be over 2,500 locations set up to give free food to the general population.  Lots of these people are in work. 

 

How can it be, that businesses can generate a profit, when their staff group have to take free food because they cannot afford to buy their own.  It's madness. 

 

now, i'm not claiming that it's ALL businesses that are doing this. but it's a significant proportion.  

 

Housing Costs are astronomical, We are powerless against the price of our utilities. Interest rates have risen more rapidly than wages can keep up, so everyone is getting poorer as a result. 

 

something has to change or you will be seeing rioting in the streets and the break down of a functioning society in the not too distant future if it doesn't. 

 

 

All fair points. My original point was that we are shocked that big corporations make billions of profits, the profits are, in relative terms, in line with turnover and market expectations with exception of oil and gas companies over the past 12 months. 

 

 

[grobyfox1990]

3 hours ago, Tommy G said:

That alongside shock horror a business makes a profit. A large proportion of the population think the whole world should be a not for profit organisation. 

Not sure about large proportion, I don't think 70/80% of Uk citizens, which is tens of millions of people, want the country to be not-for-profit. We're seeing justified outrage right now. People who've done the right thing, done what they're told, worked hard, been careful etc being ripped apart by FX fluctuations, interest rate rises, energy price squeeze etc none of which they are responsible for and are completely artificial, being hammered and seeing quality of life dripping away. Whilst those responsible for it can ride it out, Truss has not even apologised for her act of diabolical treason on Sept 23rd, disgraceful.

 

I have no idea why people stand for it, there should be widespread rioting on the streets

[Greg2607]

34 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

All fair points. My original point was that we are shocked that big corporations make billions of profits, the profits are, in relative terms, in line with turnover and market expectations with exception of oil and gas companies over the past 12 months. 

 

 

Agreed. 

 

I'd probably describe myself as left of center, and I'm totally comfortable with profits.  They have to exist for things like innovation and progress to occur.  But I do believe that as a society, we should all be able to function to a basic level. 

 

as it stands, we are barely meeting the bottom rung of Maslow's hierarchy of needs for large swathes of the population.   That feels wrong to me. Especially in those professions like teaching, nursing etc where "if they just left and got a better job" the NHS and education sectors would collapse. 

 

Pay them properly and without question. 

Edited 23 February 2023 by Greg2607

[grobyfox1990]

1 hour ago, Greg2607 said:

Agreed. 

 

I'd probably describe myself as left of center, and I'm totally comfortable with profits.  They have to exist for things like innovation and progress to occur.  But I do believe that as a society, we should all be able to function to a basic level. 

 

as it stands, we are barely meeting the bottom rung of Maslow's hierarchy of needs for large swathes of the population.   That feels wrong to me. Especially in those professions like teaching, nursing etc where "if they just left and got a better job" the NHS and education sectors would collapse. 

 

Pay them properly and without question. 

Maslow's hierarchy of needs!!!! Get in there. There is also a rude awakening needed amongst the population. In my view a first world country has all or at least 2 of: excellent public services, low public debt, growth. We have zero, and no sign it is going to change in the medium term, therefore cannot be classed as a 1st world country as it stands. Of course we will get back there eventually, but people cannot expect first world infrastructure with the UKs woeful investment record in the next 3-5 years. So stop demanding daily face-to-face GP appointments (an exaggeration but you get my drift)

[Babylon]

Virgin Media deciding to put my monthly bill up by £7... when it's currently only £19 is some going. 

[Greg2607]

Just now, Babylon said:

Virgin Media deciding to put my monthly bill up by £7... when it's currently only £19 is some going. 

plus EE going for 14.9% + 3.9%........ very kind of them...  

[Lako42]

1 hour ago, Babylon said:

Virgin Media deciding to put my monthly bill up by £7... when it's currently only £19 is some going. 

Tell them to feck off

[Foxdiamond]

Just to alert all to the latest nonsense spouted by Therese Coffey as quoted by BBC today.

[Greg2607]

how anyone can be against "re-wilding" and think that farmers are doing ok is beyond me... The company I work for is very strongly aligned to the National Farmers Union and Farmers are really struggling with the loss of EU Subsidies. 

 

If the government doesn't step up and put suitable support in place, farming in the UK will disappear behind some large conglomerate that comes and hoovers them all up.

 

It really isn't a sustainable model for UK farming at the minute. Not with Supermarkets dictating prices and ignoring the input costs. 

 

 

[Free Falling Foxes]

1 hour ago, Babylon said:

Virgin Media deciding to put my monthly bill up by £7... when it's currently only £19 is some going. 

Assume you have the basic BB and no other services?

You're relatively lucky. That is all we have and we're paying £29.99.

With a proposed increase coming up we're binning them off.

As I mentioned in the broadband thread, customers have until 24th March, after this the barstewards will charge a fee.

 

Edited 23 February 2023 by Free Falling Foxes

[Free Falling Foxes]

14 minutes ago, Foxdiamond said:

Just to alert all to the latest nonsense spouted by Therese Coffey as quoted by BBC today.

Hopefully, yet another nail in this governments coffin.

[Leicester_Loyal]

4 hours ago, Greg2607 said:

I totally agree that businesses have to make profit.   I think the challenge for everyone, is that the wage stagnation over the last decade or more has entirely eroded people's buying power.   An "average" teachers salary is £71 more than it was 10 years ago.  

 

nurses average salary has grown by roughly £3000 in that same time..... but effectively, after taking into account inflation, that's a 9% pay cut in real terms.   How many of us would have been accepting of a 9% pay cut over the last 10 years? I wager it would be a very small percentage of us. 

 

We are seeing a society where food banks are an everyday and acceptable thing.   I never envisaged growing up in a country where there would have to be over 2,500 locations set up to give free food to the general population.  Lots of these people are in work. 

 

How can it be, that businesses can generate a profit, when their staff group have to take free food because they cannot afford to buy their own.  It's madness. 

 

now, i'm not claiming that it's ALL businesses that are doing this. but it's a significant proportion.  

 

Housing Costs are astronomical, We are powerless against the price of our utilities. Interest rates have risen more rapidly than wages can keep up, so everyone is getting poorer as a result. 

 

something has to change or you will be seeing rioting in the streets and the break down of a functioning society in the not too distant future if it doesn't. 

 

 

 

Some railway staff (A small number) are having to visit foodbanks, I couldn't believe it when told.

 

1 hour ago, Babylon said:

Virgin Media deciding to put my monthly bill up by £7... when it's currently only £19 is some going. 

 

1 hour ago, Greg2607 said:

plus EE going for 14.9% + 3.9%........ very kind of them...  

o2 going for the same as EE, means my £25 a month deal (which I only agreed a few weeks ago) is going to £29 something.

[Free Falling Foxes]

15 minutes ago, Leicester_Loyal said:

 

Some railway staff (A small number) are having to visit foodbanks, I couldn't believe it when told.

 

 

o2 going for the same as EE, means my £25 a month deal (which I only agreed a few weeks ago) is going to £29 something.

I think they all do it, so much for competition.

The small print at the bottom of isp ads all state an increase of cpi plus 3.9% in April. If you sign up just before this date AND an 18 month or 24 month contract, you need to factor it in.

Edited 23 February 2023 by Free Falling Foxes

[Leicester_Loyal]

4 minutes ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

I think they all do it, so much for competition.

The small print at the bottom of isp ads all state an increase of cpi plus 14.9% in April. If you sign up just before this date AND an 18 month or 24 month contract, you need to factor it in.

Annoying, but like you said I knew it was coming, so made sure I got a decent Virgin deal to compensate (My o2 sim is through Virgin)

[Zear0]

3 hours ago, Foxdiamond said:

Just to alert all to the latest nonsense spouted by Therese Coffey as quoted by BBC today.

Someone clearly unaffected by an absence of salad.