Water & wealth taxes
As part of the “Letters to my MP” series
Dear [insert MP name here]
I am writing to express my great concern over the rising cost of living, particularly the looming increase in water charges, and to urge you to campaign for the levying of a general wealth tax to mitigate economic burden on ordinary citizens.
From April 2025, the average annual water and wastewater charge in England and Wales will rise by £123 to £603 annually. This dramatic leap—produced by decades of neglect and bad management by the water companies—will fall most heavily on working families. Instead of leaving consumers to pay the price, the moment has come to re-examine the priorities of the finances of these companies. Several continue to make significant profits and pay dividends but will require customers to pay for the improvement in infrastructure. Meanwhile, the whole tax system is out of kilter.
Whilst the working person is forced to shoulder a weighty burden by means of income tax and National Insurance, huge concentrations of wealth—in too many cases inherited or accumulated passively—are untaxed. The proposed new [insert random party name here] policy to abolish the non-domiciled tax regime and reform inheritance tax is an acceptable first move but does not go far enough. Without a general wealth tax, as will pay the rich their fair share, the tax will continue to fall too heavily on hard-working families. I urge you to support introducing a general wealth tax to:
1. Ease the burden on hard-working families - The money raised by a wealth tax can be used to reduce income tax and National Insurance on hard-working families.
2. Finance key services – Further financing of healthcare, schools, and infrastructure would benefit society overall.
3. Make it fair – There is quite a lot of the most unequal distribution of wealth in Europe within the UK. Taxing great wealth would help to create a more equitable economic system.
A reluctance, thus far, to implement a wealth tax is disappointing. It is a policy that many of us, including me, believe is essential to a more equal society. In the absence of such a policy, I have real trouble moving forward for future elections. I urge you to campaign for this policy within your party and demand genuine tax reform that puts the interests of the majority ahead of the interests of a privileged minority.
A wealth tax would be taxing the asset owning class of 10million+ and reducing income tax for average working people. Would you please familiarise yourself with the work of economist Gary Stevenson, because economic problems of average people lie in wealth disparity and diminishing public services.
Hope to hear back from you on this urgent matter.
Best regards,
LJ
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