I was born in the UK, where does it state that I have to pay tax?

Question

I obviously do pay tax, but I am curious as to where in the constitution or laws it states that I have to pay tax, and also when that comes into effect. Just curious!

Answer 1

Your liability to pay tax can be seen wherever you receive an item, or a service that you are given without reaching for your debit card eg. doctors, hospital provision, law and order, sanitation, bin collection, community services, pavements etc etc.

Answer 2

The Capital Allowances Act 2001

The Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003

The Income Tax (Pay as You Earn) Regulations 2003

The Income Tax (Trading and Other Income) Act 2005

The Income Tax Act 2007

In response to john H -  Income Tax was introduced in 1799, as a means of paying for the war against the French forces under Napoleon. A short-lived peace treaty with Napoleon allowed the repeal of income tax. However, renewed fighting led to the 1803 Act which set the pattern for income tax today.

Answer 3

The Joker correctly quotes the latest, but there have been many Income Tax Acts over the years. When I was working we used to have them in big volumes. They occasionally get amended, each act superseding the previous ones, and then there is the Finance Act each year, resulting from each budget.

It hasn't always been only Income Tax. At one time there was a Window Tax, which is why you see so many old houses with blocked up windows.

Before Income Tax, there was even a tax on hearths.

Answer 4

I believe general taxation came in to being just after the first world war,  Vat was raised from 15% to 17.5 % to alleviate the problems caused by abolishing the poll tax  and as we all know to our cost  the Labour government that came in to power in  1987 started raising stealth taxes and attacking private pensions as soon as they came in to power.

This is the most unscrupelous government that the UK has ever had, the sooner they go the better