Survival on benefits is now lifestyle choice

Sir, - With reference to the letter by Joseph Miller, Create Fairer Tax System (May 23), the writer was clearly trying to establish some form of populist tax avoidance rhetoric.

He referred to bankers and chief executives receiving £500,000 bonuses and “putting it straight into a Swiss bank account”.

He contrasted this with a £10 increase in benefits which rather than that bonus “goes straight back into the economy”.

The reality, of course, is far from that fanciful scenario.

Large bonuses of £500,000 would benefit the public purse to the tune of circa £150,000 to £200,000 by PAYE taxation paid at source.

The balance is far more likely to be used by the recipient in local spending as well: maybe funding a nice holiday to reward the family for the significant hours put in to win that reward, or going back into the local economy via restaurants and hotels.

I do find the whole class warfare and politics of envy arguments very tedious and misleading.

These days, those earning very large remuneration packages and bonuses are frequently from workingclass backgrounds where they have worked hard at improving their lot.

The writer attempts to smear the reputation of others to create an unfair system where hard work is not rewarded over the feckless and workshy.

The social security benefits system was meant to provide subsistence living when faced with hard times, not to provide a lifestyle choice. Graeme Fox. 2 Elcho Drive, Broughty Ferry.

The skyline of the City of London, home to some of the world’s biggest banks.