Free laptops and broadband for poor families!

[truman]

Another one making assumptions. Which is why i have no issue in this case with my taxes being used to benefit the poorest of the population.

 

At least i don't get vilified about my intentions with the equipment purchased. If i break it or flog it on ebay for instance.

 

So have you filled one in?

[Number Six]

You're assuming obviously.

My point is that any self employed person, fiddles, manipulates or whatever the rules are to reduce tax commitments or buying equipment.

 

Speaking of assumptions ... Care to reconsider that comment in light of the fact that

 

a) it is wrong, as are most sweeping statements

b) you have no evidence to support it

c) it is tarring a lot of people with your prejudiced, bitter brush

 

If you buy a 300 laptop and this reduces your tax payable to the Government - its a tax break in my opinion.

 

You could only claim against 300 laptops if you needed 300 laptops. If you need them it is a business expense, no?

 

Along with stationary,fuel,vehicles etc etc all of which will be used for non declared personal usage by lots of self employed people.

 

Lots, but not all? Your mellowing. I don't claim for miles I cannot claim for, and my vehicle is my own. If I used 'business' paper and envelopes for every personal letter I have written in the last 5 years I guess I could have 'fiddled' the duty on 4 envelopes and 5 pieces of A4. If only I was that cunning!

[truman]

Speaking of assumptions ... Care to reconsider that comment in light of the fact that

 

a) it is wrong, as are most sweeping statements

b) you have no evidence to support it

c) it is tarring a lot of people with your prejudiced, bitter brush

 

 

 

You could only claim against 300 laptops if you needed 300 laptops. If you need them it is a business expense, no?

 

 

 

Lots, but not all? Your mellowing. I don't claim for miles I cannot claim for, and my vehicle is my own. If I used 'business' paper and envelopes for every personal letter I have written in the last 5 years I guess I could have 'fiddled' the duty on 4 envelopes and 5 pieces of A4. If only I was that cunning!

 

But you're not counting all the free pencils...

[GordonBennet]

I'm sure most people have an old computer knocking about at home anyway. You don't need the latest model to learn basic IT skills.

 

Also broadband is quite cheap these days, some of these mobile companies do mobile broadband for about a tenner a month. For a typical council estate family a tenner's not that much - 4 pints of stella for dad, two packets of fags for mum or a few scratchcards for granny. If they cut out these luxuries they could easily afford it!

[Number Six]

At which point i think i'll leave people of this attitude to play by themselves.

 

TRANSLATION: I can see I've made a bit of a daft statement here, and my feeble initial attempt to justify it has made it worse. However, I am far too proud to hold my hands up being wrong, so I am making a desperate, clawing bid for the moral high ground by claiming a debate I both initiated and fuelled is somehow not worth having.

 

Bye.

[Number Six]

But you're not counting all the free pencils...

 

The 'free' pencils I paid for? Oh yeah, how could I forget them? I built a tiny log-cabin style extension with them :-D

[willman]

No is the simple statement. I dont know a single self employed person who hasn't used a business product for personal use and not declared every phonecall, letter,stamp or personal mile,meals.Thats not prejudiced IMHO it's just being honest.

It's no different to employed people using the comapny phone for private calls or the business computers to book holidays online.

But because they have a job and pay tax no one can have any freebies.

Thats prejudice.

[willman]

TRANSLATION: I can see I've made a bit of a daft statement here, and my feeble initial attempt to justify it has made it worse. However, I am far too proud to hold my hands up being wrong, so I am making a desperate, clawing bid for the moral high ground by claiming a debate I both initiated and fuelled is somehow not worth having.

 

Bye.

 

I stand by my statements with regards to free laptops for the poor - i have no intention of debating issues regarding workers and non workers.

I'm claiming no high moral ground just being honest.

[GordonBennet]

No is the simple statement. I dont know a single self employed person who hasn't used a business product for personal use and not declared every phonecall, letter,stamp or personal mile,meals.Thats not prejudiced IMHO it's just being honest.

It's no different to employed people using the comapny phone for private calls or the business computers to book holidays online.

But because they have a job and pay tax no one can have any freebies.

Thats prejudice.

 

You've spent the entire thread trying to derail it by ranting on about office workers using company products for personal use, but it's irrelevant to the topic.

 

In case you've forgotten, I'm arguing that it's unfair to give lazy families who choose not to work free luxury goods when working people have to pay for the same things themselves. Quite what a call centre worker checking his email in his lunch hour has to do with it, god only knows.

[Cyclone]

You're assuming obviously.

My point is that any self employed person, fiddles, manipulates or whatever the rules are to reduce tax commitments or buying equipment.

If you buy a 300 laptop and this reduces your tax payable to the Government - its a tax break in my opinion. Along with stationary,fuel,vehicles etc etc all of which will be used for non declared personal usage by lots of self employed people.

Isn't that a fiddle?

 

No, using a work laptop for some personal use is not a fiddle. It's not uncommon even amongst the non self-employed.

Mobile phones are specifically exempt under HMRC rules, so my business can pay for that and I don't have to work out what was a personal call.

Given that I do use my laptop for work, and couldn't work without it, I'd say that it's a valid business expense.

And as BT Trautmann said, the number of personal letters I've sent in the last decade can be counted on one hand (without the use of any fingers).

 

Your entire argument (if it can be called that) supporting the handout of millions of pounds of computer equipment, is that the employed can use a computer that is owned by a business. The two concepts are entirely unrelated!