Hume wrote:For starters, the 10p band has not been abolished. Earned income over the personal allowance will now be taxed at an initial rate of 20% rather than 10% but the 10% or 'starting rate' band still exists for dividends and interest. Not much comfort to lower earners I accept.
This is a bit of a turnaround for the Labour Party. The pre-Thatcher Old Labour Government of the 1970s had an Investment Income Surcharge on Unearned Income. If I remember correctly it was at the rate of 10% on Unearned income over £1000pa and over £2000pa it was 15%. This was over and above the Income Tax that had already been charged on this income.
Bearing in mind that at that time, there was a multi-rate tax system with a top rate of 83%, this meant that the effective potential top rate of tax for wealthy individuals was 98%. They allowed them to keep 2p out of every £1.
As I say, a bit of a turnaround.

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