Is the UK now giving off strong Third World vibes?

K-9

Pay feck all PRSI here compared to National Insurance in the UK. We get what we pay for!

mariaalice

There is council tax in the UK as well.

csirl

All of the European countries who are not in the EU or heavily integrated into the EU have a similarity in terms of standard of living. While not 3rd world there is a noticeable gap compared with the EU.

Balkan States, Turkey, pre-war Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.

Very different in terms of size, history, politics, culture etc etc but a certain sameness in terms of standard of living.

Post Brexit UK will idrop to this level.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058313371/is-the-uk-now-giving-off-strong-third-world-vibes

If the Uk is third world, what are we?!?

rossie1977

If you think UK is 3rd world you obviously never visited an actual third world country...

Even 2nd world countries you see stuff that would be unthinkable in the west.

goodlad_ourvlad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121125984#Comment_121125984

I keep an eye on this a lot... it's not a direct comparison

What you'll usually be hit with in Ireland is Tax, PRSI and USC

In the UK you will be hit with Tax, NI, Water changes and council tax

Currently, for me, all of the UK charges work out less than Ireland's for a similar wage.

There are variable factors which could make it more expensive or cheaper than Ireland depending on circumstances.

Also not factored in is waste charges in Ireland, which is covered in UK council tax, along with cheaper utilities.

edit: if you are in a financial situation in Ireland where you pay minimal USC or PRSI, yes, you are in a far better position that what you would be in the UK.

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121127597#Comment_121127597

on quite a lot, probably most at this stage, aspects we are out performing the uk and have been for years, that's not to say we are perfect, we absolutely, definitely aren't.

certain aspects such as health the uk were out performing us but since 2010 they have been slipping substantially, with quite a sharp slip since 2019.

britain was a modern, decently performing and run country during the blare years, not perfect but was going places, the tories took 13 years to destroy it beyond anyone's expectations and they aren't finished yet.

K-9

Lower to medium wages, definitely more take home pay here. Less social insurance and more tax credits. On minimum wage here nobody pays tax or PRSI.

Once you start going into 40% tax, PRSI and USC, doesn't be long catching up.

I'd argue and have argued for years we should be paying more PRSI, not cutting it and USC. It's the thing that always gets recommended in many a report, but nothing is ever done about it, the opposite in fact. It's an easy one to tinker around with come budget time.

Anyway that's my old hobby horse. Anybody notice a tinge of John Majors last days in office to this government. Scandal after scandal? They seem to have just given up at this stage.

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121128002#Comment_121128002

to be honest the end of the major government was a picnic in comparison to this shower.

todlers and babies would run the UK better then them.

major is a grown up, a competent leader? well i don't know but definitely competent compared to the lot even since 2010.

that's my 2 sense anyway.

K-9

Yeah, Majors government was more sex scandals. Little did we know about him and Edwina Curry, but yeah, I'd say he's a more old school, traditional Conservative. Theresa May would be like that as well, for all her faults, I'd say the basis for her hatred of Boris, he's just a totally different breed to her.

Aabid

Media can sometimes exaggerate perceptions, but it's important to remember that countries go through various phases and challenges.The UK, like any other nation, has its unique issues, but it's crucial to base opinions on a broader and more nuanced understanding rather than generalizing based on media portrayals.

Cal4567

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121127772#Comment_121127772

Really does depends on the individual. I have extensive living and working periods in both countries. In the end, with all the points you raise, it's marginal, almost to the point that in total it's almost negligible. We all have differences though to make it really hard to define clearly.

Cal4567

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121128157#Comment_121128157

You can see similarities alright. Been in power too long they don't really care anymore, and in both periods, they know the game is up. Just in it for the money, as my late mother use to say. Dad's reply was 'I think you mean the pussy'.

Shoog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121127854#Comment_121127854

You should understand that the Tories actually want this semi feudal state of affairs, everything in the UK is weighed in favour of the very rich. I think they have pushed things to far to fast for their own liking - but as far as the Tories goes everything is right on track.

Labour will get in for one or two terms but they have stated that they will not change any of the fundamentals.

The UK is a fundamentally low wage economy and it always has been - things have just got worse recently.

goodlad_ourvlad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121128479#Comment_121128479

my personal circumstance, I have more take home pay in the UK with a hefty pension being accumulated.... something I would never have in Ireland on the same wage.

Access to credit is another huge factor... I definitely wouldn't be able to own a house or car in Ireland with the wage I'm on, which would be too high to access benefits in Ireland.

Cal4567

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121128545#Comment_121128545

100% this. My UK pension has given me the income to live comfortably once work dried up for me due to age.

mariaalice

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121128545#Comment_121128545

Does that include council tax or water charges? I agree with you about credit, they have 5% deposit and shared ownership.

Karppi

There's a new series on the BBC iPlayer which goes a long way to uncover the political realities of the last 7 or so years, since the Brexit referendum. I am finding it very revealing, even though I thought I knew a lot about it already. It's Laura Kuenssberg: State of Chaos. Worth a look at the foundations of the UK's current position

goodlad_ourvlad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121129452#Comment_121129452

Is the UK now giving off strong Third World vibes? - Page 6 — boards.ie - Now Ye're Talkin'

BlueSkyDreams

The average salaried worker here is paying the higher rate of tax from 40k.

In the UK, they dont pay 40% until they earn 58k (euro).

They also earn 10k more before they start paying ANY tax at all.

The cost of everything in the UK is also far cheaper.

There is no cirumstance in which the average salaried person or couple could be considered better off in Ireland.

Out of interest, why top 20%?

You mean if you are in the top 20% of earners in ireland you are better off in the UK?

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121124552#Comment_121124552

Sorry, meant to quote your post. Reply above.

ancapailldorcha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121130662#Comment_121130662

Strongly disagree. I spend £8.60 a day for a total of 45 minutes on the tube. Transport here is extortionate. Same for housing. I don't notice anything here that is cheaper, much less "far cheaper" than in Ireland.

Taxes on income may be a bit lower but that's no good when salaries on the whole are lower in the UK. On top of income tax, there's also council tax which can run cost a fair bit in its own right.

PeaSea

The UK Health Service is definitely heading to not-1st-world standards. Especially here in the North / 6 counties / Northern Ireland, a visit to A&E routinely takes 24+ hours to be assessed, seen and released. The out of hours service phone everyone on their daily list at 2am or 3am to ensure they get a tick beside the box that says "contacted all patients back". It can often take 10 working days to get an appointment with a GP. Waiting lists for routine operations are now more often than not a year or two at least and are the worst in the UK.

K-9

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121130656#Comment_121130656

I don't know what you mean by earn 10k more before they pay ANY tax at all.

The personal allowance in the UK is £12,570, about £241 a week, then you are taxed.

Tax credits here for a PAYE worker is €3,550, or €17,750 before you pay tax, €341 a week.

Social insurance contributions are less here too, plus no student loan to pay back.

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121124757#Comment_121124757

average worker in ireland pays much more income tax than their equal in the UK.

40% tax at 40k in Ireland vs 58k(euro) in the UK.

And everything is cheaper in the UK.

The poor in ireland are better off than in the UK, due to our generous social welfare, but middle earners are better off in the UK on balance.

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121130676#Comment_121130676

London is a different kettle of fish and is very expensive. I agree.

But essentially anywhere outside of the South East is much cheaper than Ireland and even in London, Supermarkets, energy prices etc are cheaper than Ireland.

ancapailldorcha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121131024#Comment_121131024

Most of the UK's population is in the southeast though:

I find it hard to believe that energy is more expensive in Ireland after what Liz Truss did last year. Same for supermarkets.

BlueSkyDreams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121130774#Comment_121130774

People on average incomes in both countries pays way more tax and insurance in Ireland than they do in the UK.

You will keep a considerable amount more of your income in the UK than you do in ireland.

And everything is cheaper in the UK. The only real kicker in the UK is council tax. But on balance, you are financially better off by some margin, as long as you work in a median or average paid job.

tjhook

Third world vibes?

I live in a country that had the IMF in under 20 years ago to take the reigns from an incompetent government. That's third world vibes.

The UK has shot itself in the foot in a number of ways, but I don't feel in any position to point and laugh.

K-9

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121131038#Comment_121131038

Did a few calculations.

Uk average salary 32k Stg

Tax and Nic about 6.5k

Take home 25,500

Average Ireland €45k

Tax and Prsi 8.8k

Take home 36,200€

When you take the higher average wage in Ireland and do the converting, still higher wages in Ireland.