If you’ve read my previous post on this subject, you’ll know this isn’t just theory for me. I’m writing as someone who will be directly affected by the UK government’s latest plans to cut welfare. I’m disabled. I rely on the support that’s now under threat—not for luxuries, but to survive. And honestly? I’m angry. Not just for myself, but for everyone who’s being told, yet again, that we’re the problem. That we’re the ones who need to “tighten our belts” while others look the other way.

Let’s be honest: the UK is not a poor country. The government has choices. But every time there’s a budget squeeze, it’s always the most vulnerable who are asked to pay the price.

Why? Because it’s easy. Because we don’t have expensive lobbyists fighting our corner. Because, to some, we’re seen as expendable.

But here’s the truth: there are fairer, smarter ways to balance the books—ways that don’t involve taking money from people who are already struggling to get by.

The Real Numbers: Where the Money Is

Let’s talk about tax. Every year, the UK loses a staggering £46.8 billion to tax avoidance, evasion, and non-payment. That’s not a typo. That’s the official figure for 2023–24, published by HMRC (GOV.UK Tax Gap Summary, 2025). If the government managed to close just 20% of that gap, it would bring in nearly £9.5 billion—more than enough to cover the so-called “savings” from welfare cuts.

And yet, instead of going after the big fish—corporations, wealthy individuals, and those who play the system—the government is coming after people like me. People who need help just to get by.

There Are Alternatives—If Only They’d Look

Here are just a few options the government could take, if they genuinely cared about fairness:

• Wealth Tax: A modest 1% tax on individual wealth over £1 million could raise £10 billion a year, according to the independent Wealth Tax Commission.
• Fairer Capital Gains Tax: If capital gains were taxed at the same rate as income, the Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates we’d see an extra £8–14 billion a year for public services (IFS, 2020).
• Land Value Tax: Taxing landowners fairly could bring in another £6–10 billion annually, based on various economic studies and policy proposals.
• Cutting Waste: Billions are lost every year to government inefficiency and dodgy contracts. The National Audit Office regularly highlights areas where public money could be better spent.

And we do have to acknowledge the fact that benefit fraud and error cost the government about £8.3 billion last year (Full Fact, citing DWP and HMRC) - Note: thats NOT PIP fraud, which the DWP themselves say is non-existent. That’s a lot, but it’s still dwarfed by the tax gap. So why is the focus always on us?

This Is About Choices—and Values

I’m tired—tired of being told there’s “no alternative.” There are alternatives. The government just doesn’t want to upset the people with power and money. It’s easier to demonise the disabled, the sick, and the poor.

If you’re reading this and you’re not affected—yet—please understand: this isn’t just about numbers. It’s about dignity. It’s about whether we want to live in a country that protects its most vulnerable, or one that throws them under the bus at the first sign of trouble.

I refuse to be silent while politicians pretend there’s no other way. There is. And it’s way past time we demanded better.

Sources:

• HMRC Tax Gap Summary 2025
• Wealth Tax Commission
• Institute for Fiscal Studies: Capital Gains Tax
• Full Fact: Benefit Fraud vs Tax Avoidance
• National Audit Office