WELFARE & TAXATION
WELFARE AND TAXATION
WT01 The Green Party will introduce a basic income to cover an individual's basic needs, replacing tax-free allowances and most social security benefits. A basic income is an unconditional, non-withdrawable income payable to each individual as a right of citizenship. It will not be subject to means testing and there will be no requirement to be either working or actively seeking work.
WT02 We will end workfare schemes as well as addressing the misuse of sanctions on receivers of benefits. Fitness to work will be assessed by doctors and not private companies.
WT03
We will tighten laws to prevent tax avoidance to ensure every member of society pays their way.
WT04
We will remove the welfare cap.
WT05
The Green Party will raise the top rate of income tax to 60%.
WT06 The Green Party will lower income tax to 20% to households earning under £18,000 a year and 22% for under £19,200, and increase the number of income tax bands to achieve a more progressive system.
WT07 The Green Party will raise the tax free allowance to households earning under £15,000 a year.
WT08 We will gradually introduce a wealth tax of 2% per year on the top 1%, using the yield to reduce employer's National Insurance.
WT09 We will increase corporation tax for large corporations to 30% but keep it at 20% for smaller firms to support local business.
WT10 We will abolish the unfairly discriminating ‘bedroom tax’.
WT11
The Green Party will phase out the current VAT system where possible over a period of time and replace it with a system of environmental taxation measures ('eco-taxes'). These will target specific products, production methods, resources used and pollutants produced in order to discourage ecologically unsustainable consumption.
WT12
The Green Party supports Inheritance Tax rates that will be progressively banded, with rates of tax increasing according to a recipient's total income/wealth. Recipients who only pay Income Tax at lower rates will not be subject to Inheritance Tax.
WT13
Furthermore, as with Capital Gains Tax, a person's only or main home will be exempt from Inheritance Tax. If a person inherits a property which is already their principal private residence there will be no Inheritance Tax to pay.
WT14
A Green Government would strengthen the range of in work benefits available to families on low incomes (below £22,500).
WT15 We will put aviation on a level playing field with other modes of transport by making it subject to fuel duty and VAT (where outdated international law makes this impossible, introducing a flight tax dependent on the distance and type of aircraft that has the same economic effect) to ensure flights are priced at a rate that reflects the environmental damage they cause.
WT16
We will introduce a Frequent Flyers Levy to replace the abolished Air Passenger Duty, allowing one tax-free return flight per year and rising for subsequent journeys, as a progressive alternative to discourage unsustainable reliance on aviation.
