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it doesn't feel like a well designed system if too many income thresholds line up
Yeah - you get these odd situations where the marginal effective tax rate is extremely high (even >100% in some corner cases). It can create big disparities between single earner and double earner households with the same aggregate gross £.
NickCJ
Yeah I agree - obviously look at the extremes and it seems really clear that it needs to be means tested; I think the issue is that to make that a meaningful saving the cut off is always low enough to catch quite a few people. Most people have a similar idea of what sounds like "well off" and hence we have loads and loads of things that kick in (or help that stops) at £100k or thereabouts. Not saying those earners are the most deserving of help but it doesn't feel like a well designed system if too many income thresholds line up