Received from: PCS
Merged into composite C07
Congress notes the UK economy has the sixth highest GDP of any nation on Earth, but our economy has deep inequalities: with the richest 10 per cent owning 50 per cent of personal wealth, while the bottom 50 per cent hold just 9 per cent.
The UK has greater wealth inequality than most developed economies. Last year’s report by The Fairness Foundation found the UK’s wealth gap has grown by 50 per cent in eight years, while the Joseph Rowntree Foundation found that destitution had increased by 150 per cent in the last seven years.
Poverty isn’t just morally wrong, it’s bad for the economy; so tackling poverty, inequality and lack of opportunity should be a key government priority.
Congress considers that the UK welfare system – both the state pension and working age benefits – is one of the least generous among comparable nations; and notes that poverty has considerable economic and social costs.
Congress believes that the money is there to address this. HMRC estimates the UK tax gap to be £46.8bn, and outside tax experts estimate it to be more than twice that – around £100bn. Congress therefore believes that politicians must make the case for redistributive taxation and a more equal society.
Congress therefore agrees to campaign to:
i. increase taxes on wealth and on those with the highest incomes
ii. boost social security spending – and the incomes of the unemployed, disabled people, and pensioners
iii. invest in HMRC’s workforce to go after tax avoiders and evaders
iv. end punitive sanctions and invest in DWP’s workforce, to provide essential help and support.
Public and Commercial Services Union