Home Computer Initiative (HCI) Ended

[billybongo]

What a shame that this Goverment in it's infinite wisdom has pulled the plug on the tax concessions available to employees under the Home Computer Initiative.

1500+ people employed in the industry to deliver these schemes to employers/employees will now be looking for other jobs.

[url]http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/[/url]


>> Edited by billybongo on Thursday 23 March 11:34

[zumbruk]

"The Treasury said yesterday the scheme had benefited too many higher rate taxpayers"

God forbid that those already paying more tax than average should derive any benefit.

[mattley]

I'm surprised by that. I'd have thought that high rate taxpayers would have brighter than to subscribe to that nonsense.

The deal was appalling. The £1500 pound computer was actually a £600 machine with a piss poor software bundle, bought on PC Worlds store credit. So even with the tax break you still ended up paying about a grand for a £600 machine.

Total Rip off, good riddence.

[page3]

Ahhhhhrrrr!

our company was in the process of setting this up - but we are told it cannot be completed in time before the deal ends

I had a nice new 20" Intel iMac lined up...

[Plotloss]

zumbruk said:

"The Treasury said yesterday the scheme had benefited too many higher rate taxpayers" God forbid that those already paying more tax than average should derive any benefit.

Does the article really say that?

True colours shining through it seems.

The scum.

[Kinky]

Plotloss said:

Does the article really say that?

press article said:

The Treasury said yesterday the scheme had benefited too many higher rate taxpayers and the chancellor wanted to focus on improving internet access for the unemployed and pensioners. The tax benefit will remain in place for those who have already bought computers.

Interesting to note it was 'slipped' out as a seperate communication, and not part of the budget announcement. A good day for burying bad news eh?

K

[Don]

Plotloss said:

zumbruk said: "The Treasury said yesterday the scheme had benefited too many higher rate taxpayers" God forbid that those already paying more tax than average should derive any benefit. Does the article really say that? True colours shining through it seems. The scum.

Apparently in due course ISAs (particularly Cash ones) will be stopped too. Too many higher rate tax payers benefitting.

[Plotloss]

Do what Don?

Can someone please pinch me, I appear to be in some sort of living nightmare.

What exactly is the impotus to achieve anymore?

Or should we all be happy to be mugged of 40% Robin Hood style to provide a cheap leather sofa and a cheaper LCD TV to each of the unwashed masses.

[GregE240]

Don said:

Plotloss said: zumbruk said: "The Treasury said yesterday the scheme had benefited too many higher rate taxpayers" God forbid that those already paying more tax than average should derive any benefit. Does the article really say that? True colours shining through it seems. The scum. Apparently in due course ISAs (particularly Cash ones) will be stopped too. Too many higher rate tax payers benefitting.

Oh, great.

Robbing bastards.

[slapmatt]

I agree with mattley - we had this offer and it was dogshit.

[mcflurry]

Ours was an ok spec machine, from Dell, but with the 3 year warranty.
That cancelled some of the tax free saving.

However, since my Dell lappy has gone wrong 3 times since it turned 1 year old I am glad it does have next day business cover

[billybongo]

If the Treasury's issue is that to many higher rate tax payers were benefiting, then a more appropriate step would be cut the benefit to limit the concession to basic rate of tax only.

They make a mockery of theselves with Central Goverment (DTI) having just launched their HCI scheme to their staff and also the Dept of Work & Pensions just about to launch their HCI scheme to staff.

Seems that the Government want to focus on giving PC 'benefits' to the unemployed - what a joke - I'm sure eBay will do a roaring trade !!

[CommanderJameson]

mattley said:

I'm surprised by that. I'd have thought that high rate taxpayers would have brighter than to subscribe to that nonsense. The deal was appalling. The £1500 pound computer was actually a £600 machine with a piss poor software bundle, bought on PC Worlds store credit. So even with the tax break you still ended up paying about a grand for a £600 machine. Total Rip off, good riddence.

The deals were done on a company-by-company basis. I got £3K's worth of computer for ~£1.7K, so it worked for me.

[zumbruk]

BTW, did you know that the threshold to be a "higher paid employee" (not a higher *rate* employee) is £8500/year. If you earn more than that, then benefits in kind are treated as taxable.

It's never gone up since the day it was introduced.

And on the IT front, if companies loan a PC to an employee to allow them to work at home, it is to be treated as a £200/year taxable benefit liable to income tax and NIC.

Cheers, Gord, you moron.

[r988]

zumbruk said:

BTW, did you know that the threshold to be a "higher paid employee" (not a higher *rate* employee) is £8500/year. If you earn more than that, then benefits in kind are treated as taxable.

So thats everyone on full time employment then, isn't that less than minimum wage?

[toby tucker]

For those of you that feel strongly enough to do something about the Governemnet cancelling HCI without any warning , then there's a petition you can sign to let the Mr Brown and his cronies know of your displeasure, The link is as follows:

[url]www.petitiononline.com/hci/petition.html[/url]

[CommanderJameson]

toby tucker said:

For those of you that feel strongly enough to do something about the Governemnet cancelling HCI without any warning , then there's a petition you can sign to let the Mr Brown and his cronies know of your displeasure, The link is as follows: [url]www.petitiononline.com/hci/petition.html[/url]

With the greatest respect, signing this petition will have a fraction of the effect that would be achieved were the signatories to write to their MPs.

[zumbruk]

CommanderJameson said:

toby tucker said: For those of you that feel strongly enough to do something about the Governemnet cancelling HCI without any warning , then there's a petition you can sign to let the Mr Brown and his cronies know of your displeasure, The link is as follows: [url]www.petitiononline.com/hci/petition.html[/url] With the greatest respect, signing this petition will have a fraction of the effect that would be achieved were the signatories to write to their MPs.

Given that B'Liar paid no attention to the protests against the invasion of Iraq, I can't imagine he's going to pay any attention to this. Other than admitting another 10,000 immigrants with IT skills to take your jobs.

[CommanderJameson]

zumbruk said:

CommanderJameson said: toby tucker said: For those of you that feel strongly enough to do something about the Governemnet cancelling HCI without any warning , then there's a petition you can sign to let the Mr Brown and his cronies know of your displeasure, The link is as follows: [url]www.petitiononline.com/hci/petition.html[/url] With the greatest respect, signing this petition will have a fraction of the effect that would be achieved were the signatories to write to their MPs. Given that B'Liar paid no attention to the protests against the invasion of Iraq, I can't imagine he's going to pay any attention to this. Other than admitting another 10,000 immigrants with IT skills to take your jobs.

Clearly, then, sitting around doing nothing (which is, in UK parliamentary terms, signing this petition amounts to) is the best option! Forward! Vive La Neue Labourevolution!

Your MP is under no obligation to respond to an internet petition. He has to write back to you if you write to him, so it's worth it, if only for the (admittedly minor) embuggerance you cause.