Tax Justice UK
  • Home
  • Projects
    • Taxing Wealth
    • Tax and public opinion
    • Tax and the climate crisis
    • Ending tax dodging
  • About
    • Our approach
    • People
    • Funders
    • Sign up
    • Jobs
  • Blog
  • Donate

New poll reveals concern about the state of public services and support for higher taxes on wealth

5/4/2020

 
A poll carried out as the UK went into coronavirus lockdown found Brits already concerned about the state of the NHS, public services and poverty. The poll of 3,000 people by Survation for Tax Justice UK revealed significant support for higher taxes on wealth and companies. The detailed results are available here. 

We’re all coming together to help get through the devastation caused by coronavirus, but the crisis has exposed how threadbare our public services have become. 

When we emerge from this, we need a response that’s along the lines of 1945, when we created the NHS, rather than a repeat of post-2008 austerity. Instead of looking for more cuts, the public favours policies that strengthen our precarious social safety net.

The poll found more than three quarters (79%) believe that NHS, policing and education were either the same (25%) or have become worse (53%) in the last 10 years; 67% said homelessness was worse; 78% feel that poverty was either the same or worse; while people think that foodbank use (64%) and inequality (63%) have both got worse.

The extra government spending introduced to deal with the crisis will largely be funded through borrowing and money creation. But as the crisis fades, a return to austerity would go down badly with the country. Higher taxes on wealth and companies would be a popular way to support more government spending and tackle rampant inequality. 

74% of the public want to see the wealthy paying more tax - including 64% of Conservatives. Nearly two thirds of respondents (66%) believe that people who earn a living from their wealth should face the same tax rates as those who work. 69% support council tax reform to make it more closely reflect current house prices, so those with more expensive homes pay more. 63% support an annual wealth tax, including 57% of Conservatives. Only 24% don't want to pay more tax personally and a similar percentage (26%) of respondents want to see tax cuts for everyone. 

The poll also found people in an uncompromising mood about companies and individuals who avoid tax, 87% think that the government should close tax loopholes for corporations and individuals, meanwhile 74% agree it’s not right that wealthy people can pay for accountants to find ways to avoid paying their share. 84% say tax avoidance by companies is morally wrong, even if legal, and a similar proportion (80%) take the same view of tax avoidance by individuals. 67% support higher taxes on companies’ profits, including 61% of Conservative voters. 

People have had enough of the clever accounting that allows companies and wealthy individuals to pay less than they should. We need an economy that prioritises care. If we are to be resilient to future shocks, that means the strongest taking their fair share of the burden through higher taxes on wealth and companies.

Post-crisis tax changes could include higher taxes on wealth and a tax on super-sized corporate profits. Any reform would have to be accompanied by more resources to HMRC to administer the scheme. 

This polling builds on our report “What’s wealth got to do with it", which was based on seven focus groups asking the public their attitudes on public spending, wealth and tax. It is available here. It is part of an ongoing project to understand public attitudes on tax. 

The survey took place 17-23 March via an online panel and consisted of 3,010 UK residents aged 18+. It is part of an ongoing project by TJ-UK to test attitudes on public services, inequality and tax. Download the full results tables here. 

This project was funded by the Friends Provident Foundation. 


Comments are closed.

    Posts

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    June 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Tax Justice UK is a Company Limited by Guarantee in England & Wales (no. 10761736)
Registered Address: C/O Godfrey Wilson, ​Mariner House, 62 Prince St, Bristol BS1 4QD

Tax Justice UK is a partner of (but independent from) the Tax Justice Network

Privacy policy
Terms and conditions for using this website
Equality and Diversity Statement

If you have concerns about Tax Justice UK, you can make a complaint using this email address complaints@taxjustice.uk.

This website is published under the Creative Commons Attribution Licence
​Tax Justice UK campaigns for a better tax system to benefit everyone in the UK.
Media enquiries:  +44 (0)7413 729 505 (24hrs) 
Phone: +44 (0)20 3637 9137
​Email: mail AT taxjustice.uk
Picture
  • Home
  • Projects
    • Taxing Wealth
    • Tax and public opinion
    • Tax and the climate crisis
    • Ending tax dodging
  • About
    • Our approach
    • People
    • Funders
    • Sign up
    • Jobs
  • Blog
  • Donate