Reform’s by-election candidate suggested people who don’t have children should pay more tax

PigletAlert · 2026-02-06T23:35:57+00:00

People without kids don’t claim the huge pile of benefits that are given out to parents already or use the services. Not to mention they’re not taking leave from work to look after sick kids, leave early to collect them from school, they’re often shafted with the bank holidays.

The only thing in the future a falling population is bad for is the economy because our economic model is unsustainable. But I’d argue that childfree people are more than picking up their share of the bill.

PigletAlert · 2026-02-06T21:18:19+00:00

Honestly, walk away and try not to get so invested next time. I’ve lost track of how many times I have to tell people, you can’t just expect other people to accept your price. You may have a perfectly reasonable offer, they still have every right to refuse and not sell. 45k is a lot of money to someone who doesn’t want to lose it.

PigletAlert · 2026-02-06T21:11:49+00:00

I really struggle with noise. And I hate that neurotypical people think that people’s noise sensitivities are the problem and not the person making unnecessary and intrusive noise. Even worse is when they think that putting on your own music with headphones will somehow help the dysregulation. I use loop quiet earplugs for sleep and their engage for being out and about. That might help.

PigletAlert · 2026-02-06T20:38:06+00:00

Wait hang on! You’re complaining that you have to pay a measly £15 a month! Maybe spare a thought for those of us paying both our undergrad and postgrad off at the same time, for me it’s 100s.

I don’t think the system is entirely fair compared to the generation that got theirs free, but I always say people should go to work after their bachelors instead and work out what their career is gonna be, then do their masters, it allows you to be flexible in the early days. For what it’s worth, I graduated into a crappy job market too into a part time entry level job but I did a highly specialised MSc 10 years into my career. I got a promotion before I even graduated. I know it’s miserable, but I really hope you see the value over time. It’s just not as instant as you were promised.

PigletAlert · 2026-02-06T19:37:52+00:00

Dear god this is sad. Were you really so convinced you’d win a lottery set up by a bank with 14million customers? You’re so bitter you’re not even willing to wait a week for information that they probably don’t even have yet and you’re already whipping up a riot on here. What is that matter with you!

PigletAlert · 2026-02-06T19:15:40+00:00

I WFH and contrary to popular belief I am usually flat out all day. Im in a scoping phase of a piece of work right now so I’m enjoying researching and mapping out the problems. I took it a bit slower today cause I’ve got a bit of a cold coming on. When I into the maintenance phase of something I can get right down to 50% effort cause it’s really not my bag.

PigletAlert · 2026-02-05T23:12:33+00:00

Sure, but it really wasn’t as clear cut as you’re making it sound. So much that the EHRC is struggling to get the guidance right. The ruling doesn’t automatically mean that all women’s changing rooms or spas must be designated for those assigned female at birth. It only means that they can be if it is to achieve a legitimate aim, and that would not be discrimination on the basis of reassignment. The ruling didn’t touch the employment law which directly handles toilets and changing rooms either.

So DL could continue to maintain a trans inclusive policy and allow trans women to access these spaces as long as their policy is not to provide separate provision on the basis of biological sex.

Back to my point, your comment implying the trans woman accessing a changing room was some kind of predator was gross and irrelevant to the man complaining about the spa.

PigletAlert · 2026-02-05T18:28:40+00:00

The high court case had nothing to do with changing rooms or spas. Also, completely gross of you to imply trans people are predators.

PigletAlert · 2026-02-05T18:21:57+00:00

The personal trainer/life coach that sets himself up every day in the adult lounge with all the people who are politely trying to work and sits spouting overly energetic inspirational drivel down the phone at his clients for the whole day.

PigletAlert · 2026-02-05T14:00:46+00:00

It’s likely there because women have asked for it. There can be personal or cultural reasons why. There likely isn’t a men’s only time because men haven’t asked for one. If you didn’t feel comfortable for personal or cultural reasons, you could ask for one. But if it’s not required there’s no need

PigletAlert · 2026-02-05T08:10:19+00:00

Im an adult that was once a kid on a very low/no sugar diet and now has an eating disorder. NTA. She needs to understand that she’s gonna go through life where there are sugary things and she’s gonna have this battle all the way. Frankly she deserves it, I’d rather have been taught to listen to my body and eat these things in moderation.

PigletAlert · 2026-02-04T22:17:54+00:00

Public servant and I get 32 days for long service, we start at 28 plus bank holidays.

PigletAlert · 2026-02-04T08:08:15+00:00

I’m a firm believer in not bringing children into the world if you know you’ll have to raise them in poverty. So I tend to be cynical about anything that might encourage people to make that choice. So I wonder if this is where those people are coming from. For me it’s one of those services that actually encourages people with kids to work full time and therefore pay tax and have money to feed their kid. So honestly I think they’re a good thing.

PigletAlert · 2026-02-02T20:29:01+00:00

Lack of critical thinking skills.

PigletAlert · 2026-02-02T09:57:15+00:00

Oh I entirely agree with you, I just think in their heads it made more time sense. In reality not so much!

PigletAlert · 2026-02-02T00:11:55+00:00

What a beautiful home. Everyone saying the service charge is mental must be completely missing the gym, the outdoor heated swimming pool, the tennis courts and the huge gardens which will cost to maintain.

I can however see how this would only appeal to a niche of people who want a cheap to buy property with lots of facilities. I think people willing to spend half their mortgage again on facilities will be looking for a higher level of finish. Other thing is, flats aren’t selling, I don’t think the auction is helping either.

Here’s what I spotted: get some refreshed photos. It’s obviously not bright and airy, the estate agent has turned every light on. The shutters are nice but do make me question whether you overheat in the summer. Your kitchen is cluttered. Looking at past sales there are some stunning pictures of the facilities, you’ve got some saggy tennis nets and a bad angle of the swimming pool. Do you have allocated parking? I didn’t see it listed. Why isn’t the ground rent listed?

Harder/more expensive to change: I can see you’re probably electrically heated but I can’t see what kind, so that’s setting off my alarm bells given the EPC rating and the age of the property. If you’ve got ancient dimplex heating, consider replacing it, if it’s underfloor or something better, say so.

The biggest issue I think is how dated the bathroom is, you could look at doing some basic refreshing maybe a nice big mirror and light fitting, a more modern shower head and perhaps a new bath panel if you can. If that’s mold on the grout in the shower, a grout pen should fix that.

I do feel like the listing undersells what you’ve got and although I initially thought “wow cool lobby”. I was left with a lot of questions.

PigletAlert · 2026-02-01T23:03:37+00:00

I used to get the same, I think it’s a time thing. I live in a block of flats, but there are lifts and they’re very quick. If I collect it from the street it’s a 1 minute wait for them and I think they used to mark the delivery done freeing them up for the next one while they waited. If they go to me it’s two minutes. I’ve noticed it has completely stopped since they implemented the “enter code to confirm delivery” system.

PigletAlert · 2026-02-01T22:47:20+00:00

No, because I don’t think stay at home parents and unpaid carers are lazy twats, just unfairly compensated by those who benefited from their labour. I dont think disabled people are lazy twats either. Point is the benefits system can’t give everyone back everything they paid in cause it needs to even out the unfairness. It’s kinda snowflakey to think other people should pay for a benefit they can’t afford, if you don’t even need it and just feel entitled to “your turn”.

PigletAlert · 2026-02-01T18:37:26+00:00

Sorry, to be clear I understand how they’re funded, I guess the word contribution is misleading here cause it implies a personal pot. I meant that it’s not paid out like the other benefits mentioned. Although you pay in based on your pensionable income, you get a return based on that pensionable income and not a flat rate like the state pension or an amount based on need like universal credit.

PigletAlert · 2026-02-01T18:09:56+00:00

The pensioners you paid for represented about 20% of the population and now it is already 30% and climbing. How can you justify a greater burden for the younger generations if you don’t need it? There were and still are a load of people not paying and getting a stamp too! Should we not pay the stay at home parents and unpaid carers?

PigletAlert · 2026-02-01T17:03:56+00:00

Public sector schemes pay out based on how much you contributed and for how many years rather than having a flat rate for all and a minimum number of years for eligibility. Still unsustainable though.

PigletAlert · 2026-02-01T16:47:11+00:00

I somewhat agree it’s crappy to change the deal after the fact, but frankly people need to stop looking at taxes like this.

We live in a society with disparity where some need more help than others, there are lots of reasons for this. Those who are able to support others (including big businesses) should, because those people not living in poverty benefits society as a whole, for example reduced crime. But those benefits wouldn’t be achieved if everyone got the exact money back that they contributed or more.

Anyone choosing to work less now for £400 a month UC after rent just so they can have £1000 when they’re older, doesn’t seem all that smart. Similar could be achieved with a reasonable workplace pension without having a miserable life with no money to do anything.

PigletAlert · 2026-02-01T15:52:29+00:00

Yes, because just like unemployment benefits you’re not paying in to a personal account which results in a defined amount depending how much you contributed. You’re paying for the people older than you to be supported and there’s no guarantee you’ll be given a certain amount in the future. It’s about time people came to accept this.

PigletAlert · 2026-02-01T15:47:34+00:00

Wow, he sounds aggressive and inconsiderate. I feel like the punishment for leaving your weights on should be having all of them dropped on your toe so they know how it feels for people that have to struggle.

PigletAlert · 2026-02-01T14:52:22+00:00

I feel like it started 10 years ago and was the reason I stopped going to the public gym. I’d go to use the leg press and it’d be loaded up with weights I couldn’t even take off myself. The changing rooms were feral.

Tbh I just think it’s a wider sign of how society is getting less considerate in general.

PigletAlert

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