Getting down to the brass tax

■ More than half of people live in households that get more from the State than they pay in tax – the highest ‘dependency’ level ever

■ The number living in households who get more than they pay has risen from 24 million or 40.3 per cent of the population in 2000 – to 36 million or 54.2 per cent today

■ The average household receives almost £5,000 a year more in cash welfare, healthcare, schooling and other ‘benefits’ from the State than they pay in tax

■ The top 20 per cent of highest earning households pay £35,000 more in tax than they take in ‘benefits’

■ The poorest fifth of households receive £17,600 more in ‘benefits’ than they pay in tax

■ The top two-fifths of earners pay 83 per cent of income tax