TAXATION BURDEN

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 142, 13 December 1939, Page 12

TAXATION BURDEN

BRITAIN &• GERMANY

A COMPARISON MADE

(British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, December 11

Though the weight of direct taxation is now greater than evei before in British history, the burden borne by British individual incomes is not, according to estimates recently made, so great as that under which the German workers are struggling.

In Britain no income tax is paid by a married man with two children till his income exceeds £300 a year, but in Germany a married wage-earner with two children pays 12s on a £100 income. £11 14s on £200, and £23 8s 6d on £300.

The British taxpayer with a similar family and earning £500 a year pays but little more than one-third of the amount extracted from his German counterpart, and on all incomes up to £700 the German tax is more than double.

On reaching the higher income levels the incidence of the British tax is heavier than the German.

The comparison, which is taken at the rate of 20 marks to the pound, is thought by competent commentators to show a large reserve British taxation capacity, whereas, unless the Government is unfairly taxing work-ing-class incomes, Germany must be within a short distance of the maximum direct taxation point.