National Insurance and the NHS

acemastr · 30 Oct 2012 at 20:25

Bit of a rant about this country.

I pay my NI, some silly amount of my wages per month taken before I even get a look at it.

This is mainly put into the NHS, which I've come up with a bit of a phrase for 'A pit that the working put their money into, involuntarily, and the unemployed take out of as and when they care to'

Take the woman opposite me, 3 kids, never worked a day in her life, smokes 20 a day in the house... Kids are ALWAYS ill, sore throats, chest infections, colds.
That family are in the hospital and doctors literally weekly, sucking the money out of that pit.

I can't help but think we need to be more like the americans, as much as people don't like it here in the UK (because they don't understand it) it is a VERY good idea.

I'm hoping someone with more knowledge on this could perhaps point towards a way of opting out of NI(if at all possible, I've no idea).

</rant>

Doohickey · 30 Oct 2012 at 20:29

No you can't opt out of paying NI, and it doesn't just contribute towards the NHS, it accounts for your state pension, benefits etc.

Thorper · 30 Oct 2012 at 20:30

You'd be all for an american style healthcare service until you get ill and they rape your bank account for like £40,000.

acemastr · 30 Oct 2012 at 20:32

Thorper said:
You'd be all for an american style healthcare service until you get ill and they rape your bank account for like £40,000.

You see, people don't understand it. You'd pay for your own insurance, which would be considerably less than NI.

Bear · 30 Oct 2012 at 20:33

Doohickey said:
No you can't opt out of paying NI, and it doesn't just contribute towards the NHS, it accounts for your state pension, benefits etc.

NI may have accounted for things like you say, like you have to have paid class 1 NICs for two years to receive JSA but in reality NI is just another tax that gets put in the big pot. It isn't ring fenced at all for the things you imply.

G|mp · 30 Oct 2012 at 20:35

Nurse Dimple.........calling Nurse Dimple........

arknor · 30 Oct 2012 at 20:35

if all healthcare went private you think you wouldnt pay the same NI? it would just get wasted somewhere else

mysticsniper · 30 Oct 2012 at 20:35

acemastr said:
You see, people don't understand it. You'd pay for your own insurance, which would be considerably less than NI.

So what happens to the people, who can't afford insurance, and its never going to be less than paying NI.

Just take a look at any private care in the UK, the prices are sky high.

Doohickey · 30 Oct 2012 at 20:38

Bear said:
NI may have accounted for things like you say, like you have to have paid class 1 NICs for two years to receive JSA but in reality NI is just another tax that gets put in the big pot. It isn't ring fenced at all for the things you imply.

Oh I know that, it's a tax which isn't a 'tax'... I was just highlighting what it's supposed to be for in general.

C.R.A.Z.Y · 30 Oct 2012 at 20:44

acemastr said:
You see, people don't understand it. You'd pay for your own insurance, which would be considerably less than NI.

I'm all-right jack pull up the ladder! :rolleyes:

And the people that can't afford their own insurance ?? Let them suffer ??
Nice!
We have been evolving way too long to still be stuck in that selfish unempathetic Darwinion mind-set. It's what separates us from animals!

Xordium · 30 Oct 2012 at 20:46

acemastr said:
I'm hoping someone with more knowledge on this

Well you should be ok as that is 99% of the country judging from that post. Sure someone will set you right.

I can tell you how to opt out of NI though. Don't earn or receive any money.

Diagro · 30 Oct 2012 at 20:47

Xordium said:
Well you should be ok as that is 99% of the country judging from that post. Sure someone will set you right.

I can tell you how to opt out of NI though. Don't earn or receive any money.

cash in hand

Xordium · 30 Oct 2012 at 20:50

Diagro said:
cash in hand

Some people don't disclose their full incomes? How shocking!

dowie · 30 Oct 2012 at 20:54

Doohickey said:
No you can't opt out of paying NI, and it doesn't just contribute towards the NHS, it accounts for your state pension, benefits etc.

it just goes into the same pot as all the other taxes...

its just that you need to have made some NI contributions to qualify for some benefits

[TW]Fox · 30 Oct 2012 at 20:55

acemastr said:
You see, people don't understand it. You'd pay for your own insurance, which would be considerably less than NI.

No, it isn't considerably less than NI at all. Medical insurance in the US is hugely expensive.

Mr-White · 30 Oct 2012 at 20:59

I feel the same, I have private medical insurance yet I still pay for the free loaders, I should at least get a tax reduction as I pay the tax on my company benefit any way.

MW

gigeorge · 30 Oct 2012 at 21:01

I'd love to know how the NHS is managing what with all the migrant Europeans & other medical tourists, its only a matter of time before it'll break.

[TW]Fox · 30 Oct 2012 at 21:02

Mr-White said:
I feel the same, I have private medical insurance

Which doesn't cover emergency surgery....

yet I still pay for the free loaders

...so you are still a 'freeloader' if it ever came to life saving emergency surgery.

I pay the tax on my company benefit any way.

Oh, so actually you freeload your private medical insurance anyway

C.R.A.Z.Y · 30 Oct 2012 at 21:02

Mr-White said:
I feel the same, I have private medical insurance yet I still pay for the free loaders, I should at least get a tax reduction as I pay the tax on my company benefit any way.

MW

Nice Altruistic attitude, I wish we had more people on the planet like you :rolleyes:

scorza · 30 Oct 2012 at 21:02

Mr-White said:
I feel the same, I have private medical insurance yet I still pay for the free loaders, I should at least get a tax reduction as I pay the tax on my company benefit any way.

MW

No you shouldn't. In this country the private medical industry complements the NHS (at the moment at least), meaning that the NHS keeps your private medical insurance premiums down.