Following a new report by the EU Tax Observatory, we asked people in Lancashire if billionaires should be forced to pay more tax
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00:00 Hi, I'm digital reporter Amy Seddon.
00:02 A new report by the EU Tax Observatory has found that most people pay far more tax than the super rich,
00:08 who instead use complex business structures to avoid paying it.
00:12 The EU Tax Observatory found that billionaires only pay 0.5% a year, which is much lower than the average person.
00:19 They recommend that 2% tax should be applied to billionaires every year.
00:24 With that in mind, I'm going out on the streets of Lancashire to ask people whether they think billionaires should be forced to pay more tax.
00:31 Let's see what they have to say.
00:33 Do you think billionaires should be forced to pay more tax?
00:36 Yeah, of course, they have way more than enough money than what they need to survive.
00:39 And there's very poor people who would much rather have the tax money go towards programmes that could help support them.
00:45 And the billionaires just honestly don't need it.
00:47 Do you think billionaires should be forced to pay more tax?
00:51 More tax? And I think, my opinion, can we take some money from them to the society, to the poor people?
01:01 So go further than tax and maybe take a lump sum?
01:05 Yes, more tax, yes.
01:07 Take a lump sum, do you mean?
01:09 Yes.
01:11 Why do you think that?
01:13 Because they have money, they didn't need that all money, many millions or billions,
01:17 but the poor people need some, it's important for their lives.
01:23 It's not fair that there are billionaires out there.
01:25 Yes.
01:27 Do you think billionaires should pay more tax?
01:29 Yes, I think billionaires should pay more tax.
01:31 Why do you think that?
01:33 Because the billionaires have more money, they need to help the government.
01:37 If you've got more money, should you give more money?
01:39 Yeah, they should. They have to take more responsibility because they're rich.
01:45 You think they need to give back?
01:47 Yeah, I think so.
01:49 Do you think billionaires should pay more tax?
01:51 It's not something that I feel really strongly either way about, to be honest.
01:57 It's not something that directly affects me, if you will, and I'm one of these people that,
02:01 unless it's literally on my doorstep and knocking me in the face and saying,
02:05 you know, billionaires is having this impact on you because they're paying less tax,
02:09 then I don't really feel strongly either way, to be honest.
02:13 Does it feel quite financial and away from the everyday?
02:15 Yeah, it does really.
02:17 Yeah, it's probably like if you'd ask me something about people struggling in life,
02:21 should they be paying less or, you know, for example, at university,
02:25 how do you think tax affects students,
02:27 then that might be something that I might feel I would like to have an opinion about more,
02:31 where something like billionaires, it probably just, yeah, at the moment, for me,
02:35 I've not really got a very strong comment.
02:39 But you implied then that people who are worse off should pay less tax,
02:43 are you kind of of the belief that income should match tax?
02:47 Yeah, I think so.
02:49 I think, you know, I think sometimes you see the people that are really struggling
02:53 and that little bit of extra tax can see it made so much more and make such a difference.
02:58 It might be the difference between them getting a meal on the table or not,
03:01 and I think that's the sort of stuff that I do feel strongly about.