[domwood]

Actually, most benefits count as taxable income in the UK, it's just the tax is taken before payment. And no there isn't a correlation, I'm not saying there is. I'm pointing out that, considering the tax band isn't proportionally that much higher for the more affluent, there's significant divergence in the level of maintenance in these areas, when all these areas should be maintained without discrimination.

[gaius]

Where do benefits come from? The taxpayer. Taxing them is just shuffling money between two govt budgets.

[domwood]

Indeed. So there's no small degree of irony in taxing people on their tax funded benefits.