With politicians wading into the row over Premier League players wages, the UK Government could end up a big loser to the tune of hundreds of millions of tax pounds when wage reductions are finally made.
The Premier League players are paid nearly £2.9 billion collectively in wages by the twenty top-flight clubs combined each year and with tax loopholes for players no more, the footballers must pay around 45% of their wages to HMRC in PAYE tax.
With up to £700m collected in income tax, national insurance and employers NI annually the taxman would see the tax revenues from the Premier League reduce along with the players’ wages.
If players cut their annual wages by 30% as has been suggested in the last twenty-four hours then the government could see £200m less collected in taxes as a direct consequence.
There is no simple solution to the problem but the government could lose just as much as the players.
I thought the PFAs arguments put forward to protect the massive wages of players were so laughable that nobody could possibly taken in. But you seem to have swallowed the rubbish hook, line and sinker.
Those who can least afford to make salary sacrifices are being put on furlough to keep businesses afloat – an arrangement where we the tax payer then subsidise them to protect them and their families.
But those earning many tens of thousands per week are not expected to make any sacrifice, and defend this by saying they would then pay less in tax and this would hurt the NHS? What utter self-serving rubbish! £16.5billion of NHS debt has been written off already – which we the normal taxpayers will have to pay for over the years.
Many businesses are running on fresh air at the moment – football clubs are no different. It is not an option for the highest paid playyers – who aren’t even being productive at the moment – to expect to be paid as though nothing has happened. This is not solidarity with the hard-working, tax-payers and people earning a minimum wage who find themselves designated as key workers after being taken for granted for so long.
The PFA, and those they represent, have shown that they are just selfish, uncaring, and think they are better than the rest of us.
I am disgusted by the PFAs stance, and by the blind repetition of their propoganda on this site.
One can well imagine the “light bulb ” moment when the PFA came up with the tax angle as an excuse to avoid pay cuts for players. The simple solution ? Don’t have pay cuts at all , the PFA can agree a 30% charitable donation of wages from all official’s and players to the NHS etc . The tax still gets paid and those contributing may actually feel better for doing their bit in these challenging times. In the real world people are dying and we are starting to lose health workers working on the front line trying to save lives including, local to me a 39 year old nurse and mother of 3 at QEQM hospital in Kent. Unfortunately I still get the feeling that many of those within football live in bubble and just don’t get it .
Yes, let us all think up as many reasons as we can as to why these over paid & under employed, selfish morons should not play their part in this fight ! It must be deeply distressing to see them lose 30% of their obscenely inflated pay , whilst the clubs become insolvent & the rest of us (who provide their salaries, in one way or another) suffer , & contribute far more in the fight against Corona. That is not to ignore that SOME players are making a contribution (thank you) – but they need to collectively play their part & make a real sacrifice. In the same manner that the rest of us are doing ! Losing £100k per week out of £300k , or 10k per week out of £30k does not cut it with me. Compare that to nurses who are losing their lives ! If they do not step up to the plate, & very soon, they will lose me as a spectator – &, I hope, a lot of other supporters, too.
Most players are on ridiculous amounts of money for what? Kicking a ball around a pitch! They not saving life’s like nhs workers. £30000 a week is good enough for football players and that’s pushing it. Why can’t the players all chip in and and raise money for those who need it. The game is crazy it’s not a sport anymore it’s a business now. Take a pay cut and help those who need it. You got players like Kyle Walker splashing out £2500 on brasses.. how many face masks and Ppe could that get health workers?