Many EU countries have a “VAT” and like feel like this is kinda targeting poor people. Like, for the rich, this is insignificant, for poorer people, a (example) 20% tax would be a huge burden. Why do they do this?

🤔

    • boonhet@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      2 days ago

      Someone wanna tell me one of those countries with reduced VAT for children’s clothing or bread?

      We get reduced VAT on hotel stays and medicine only. Bread, children’s clothing (or more importantly if you need to use it, milk formula, which is going to cost you more) are all full VAT. Estonian here.

      • C A B B A G E@feddit.uk
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        2 days ago

        In the UK we don’t pay any vat on “essential” goods. And we have a raft of tax relief for lower earners.

        Not that it helps much, but it’s better than a poke in the eye.

        • Bacano@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          2 days ago

          it’s better than a poke in the eye.

          Idk why but this comment made me want to watch something with witty British humor and endearing characters

        • boonhet@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          2 days ago

          How’s income taxation?

          Here in Estonia we have 22% income tax if you earn enough, but also there’s a 33% tax on the employer’s side + some tiny ones on both sides. 22% sounds completely fine except your pre-tax income is NOT what your employer pays for you, they pay a significant extra. Which is still coming out of your salary in the end, because your employer has to offer you a lower pretax income lol

          • C A B B A G E@feddit.uk
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            1 day ago

            We get a tax free allowance of £12,570 annually, and then it’s banded from there: Income from £12571 to £14876 is taxed at 19% Income from £14877 to £26562 is taxed at 20% From £26523 to £43662 is taxed at 21% From £43663 to £75000 it’s 42% £75001 to £125140 it’s 45% And anything north of that is 48%

            This is calculated on income after any deductions from pay are made, like national insurance contributions, pension scheme payment, salary sacrifice schemes, student loan repayments and so on.

            • boonhet@lemm.ee
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              2 hours ago

              Ah okay, you guys get taxed a lot less then. We have an income tax free portion that slides to 0 by I think 25200 euros annually, at which point you always have to pay 22% of your gross, next year it’ll be 24. And your employer always has to pay 33% on top of your grose too.

        • boonhet@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          2 days ago

          Ah fair enough, not sure the reduced VAT for bread of children’s clothing is going to matter much compared to the insane 1000+ euro kindergarten fees per kid monthly (in the Netherlands). Some of the rest might be nice places to live though.

          • Boomkop3@reddthat.com
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            7
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            2 days ago

            I don’t know where in the Netherlands you are, but kindergarten is free. I happen to live in the Netherlands. You’re going to get costs such as pens and paper for your kid. But there’s no fees.

            • boonhet@lemm.ee
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              2 days ago

              I’m not, but I looked into the CoL as it’s the highest paying country in the EU for software engineers. Maybe it was just the it private ones that are paid and I was looking at those implicitly because I was looking at international ones where it wouldn’t be expected for kids to speak Dutch at home already