We all know we have to pay taxes, but do you know how they’re spent? Test your knowledge with our tax challenge
Most of us will think we’re paying a lot of tax at one time or another, but we may not consider what the money is being used for. Taxes are collected by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) on behalf of the Government to help pay for public services such as the welfare system, health and education, and other public investments like transport.
Take our challenge to see if you know exactly how your taxes are broken down and spent in each area.
Use the drop-down menus to construct your budget plan.
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Submit your pie chart to see how close you are!
Drag the markers on the pie chart below to change the percentages for each of the categories your taxes are spent on. Or, you can use the buttons underneath to create your chart.
Submit your pie chart to see how close you are!
| 24% |
Welfare |
|
| 20% |
Health |
|
| 13% |
State pensions |
|
| 12% |
Education |
|
| 6% |
National debt |
|
| 5% |
Defence |
|
| 4% |
Public saftey |
|
| 4% |
Transport |
|
| 12% |
Other |
It might be worth brushing up on your knowledge!
Lots of people in the UK over or underestimate how their income tax and National Insurance Contributions (NICs) are divided up by the Government. You can find out exactly how your money is spent each year in your annual tax summary from HMRC. This shows how your payments of income taxes and NICs are used by the government in its spending on public services such as welfare, health and education.
For more information on all the different areas your money is spent on and how it’s calculated, visit the Government’s ‘How public spending was calculated in your tax summary’ guide.
Good effort, but there’s room for improvement!
While you’re fairly knowledgeable about your taxes, it’s worth finding out exactly how your money is spent each year, and you can see this in your annual tax summary from HMRC. This shows how your payments of income taxes and NICs are used by the government in its spending on public services such as welfare, health and education.
For more information on all the different areas your money is spent on and how it’s calculated, visit the Government’s ‘How public spending was calculated in your tax summary’ guide.
You know your stuff when it comes to taxes!
If you’d like to find out even more, you can see exactly how your money is spent each year in your annual tax summary from HMRC. This shows how your payments of income taxes and NICs are used by the government in its spending on public services such as welfare, health and education.
For more information on all the different areas your money is spent on and how it’s calculated, visit the Government’s ‘How public spending was calculated in your tax summary’ guide.
You got
within 5% of the correct figures
These percentages are based on public spending data from the UK Government in the 2016/17 financial year. The percentages have been rounded for this tool, but exact figures can be found here.
It might be worth brushing up on your knowledge!
Lots of people in the UK over or underestimate how their income tax and National Insurance Contributions (NICs) are divided up by the Government. You can find out exactly how your money is spent each year in your annual tax summary from HMRC. This shows how your payments of income taxes and NICs are used by the government in its spending on public services such as welfare, health and education.
For more information on all the different areas your money is spent on and how it’s calculated, visit the Government’s ‘How public spending was calculated in your tax summary’ guide.
Good effort, but there’s room for improvement!
While you’re fairly knowledgeable about your taxes, it’s worth finding out exactly how your money is spent each year, and you can see this in your annual tax summary from HMRC. This shows how your payments of income taxes and NICs are used by the government in its spending on public services such as welfare, health and education.
For more information on all the different areas your money is spent on and how it’s calculated, visit the Government’s ‘How public spending was calculated in your tax summary’ guide.
You know your stuff when it comes to taxes!
If you’d like to find out even more, you can see exactly how your money is spent each year in your annual tax summary from HMRC. This shows how your payments of income taxes and NICs are used by the government in its spending on public services such as welfare, health and education.
For more information on all the different areas your money is spent on and how it’s calculated, visit the Government’s ‘How public spending was calculated in your tax summary’ guide.
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