Where does the UK make its money?

[joe-90]

We have no major industries like shipbuilding or railways. Everyone seems to work in some kind of service industry such as plumbing and building or police or teacher. So who pays our way? When we decide to make ourselves rich by doubling house prices just for the heck of it, where does that extra money come from? Are we living in a fool's paradise waiting for the inevitable crash?


joe

 

[empip]

Tell you what, we are printing more than we earn !
Look at increase in GDP and the corresponding change in M4 (lolly in the system) There is a large inflationary gap between the two... Which must come home to roost sooner or later...
1.7% against 9.5% a reality 7.8% inflation.....

 

[AdamW]

Your bank. Much industry going on there? All that seems to happen is you pay a load of money in at one end, then later on you get a load of money out at the other end. Sometimes with interest, sometimes with a fee. Depends. But from the customer perspective, ships and railways don't come into it.

But the banks seem to do alright, don't they.

Our country might not mine coal, spin cotton or build lots of ships anymore... but we are into insurance, commodities trading, research, etc. None of which are particularly tangible sources of money from a layman's perspetive, but there is plenty there! And there are industries, especially high-tech, where billions upon billions are being turned over every year, but in such obscure areas you wouldn't even think it is so profitable.

As to everyone being teachers and builders and plumbers and policemen... so far as my experience dictates they're all teachers, doctors, engineers and students! There are all kinds of jobs out there, but if you do most of your socialising with say, 10 people, you aren't going to know people in all jobs!

 

[kendor]

Adam is right we seem to be moving away from being industrial to financial (probably more money in it ) this seems to be happening more since computers became second nature to the majority of the population. and as stuff can be made far cheaper elsewhere and we are not prepared to lower our lifestyles over hetre and take paycuts accordingly then eventually we will be out of work anyway.
even previously poor countries are cashing in on the computing industry and technological industries so we may be left with nothing soon unless we are prepared to be more competitive.

 

[Softus]

So who pays our way? When we decide to make ourselves rich by doubling house prices just for the heck of it, where does that extra money come from? Are we living in a fool's paradise waiting for the inevitable crash?

S'funny - I've been having the same thoughts recently. All the major manufacturing industries seem to have declined, or died, in this country, and without looking up any numbers, I don't understand where the money comes from. Except for the fact that, according to what we're told, the average consumer is in deeper debt than ever before in the UK's history, while at the same time having less of a pension to look forward to, so it would seem that there is a widespread financial disaster waiting to happen.

Does anyone know which publications contain detail on how the country earns its money, particularly in exported goods and services?

 

[Nige F]

Agree with you all.....If there is a publication with the fiscal details in detail I wouldn`t be able to understand it That`s why I`m a plumber, not an architect Never been in debt other than mortgage and a car.now if everyone was like that, what would happen to the economy

 

[andy]

Where does the UK make its money?

from drivers. speedin fines, car tax, fuel tax, fines for not payin road tax, even tho they wont let you etc etc

 

[masona]

Adam is right we seem to be moving away from being industrial to financial (probably more money in it )

Maybe they don't have much choice because the government appears to be shutting most of the building training centre around here for the building trades apprenticeship. I can see a time when the building trades will dried up because hardly any youngster learning the trades now. Unless it's more and more people are now doing diy?

I have 2 friend want to learn plumbing trades with no joy because my local buiding training centre is being demolish for a block of flats, why? perhaps there no demand anymore or the youngster don't want to get their hands dirty?

 

[securespark]

the corresponding change in M4

Don't travel it that often......

 

[empip]

the corresponding change in M4

Don't travel it that often......

Well, you should !! War has broken out here again, pretty quiet now as the egoists draw breath .......

 

[Moz]

masona
Regarding building training centres
I dont know about your area,but a mate of mine Phil,
who is a lecturer in Mechanical /Engineering (Plumbing !) at our local poly is fighting them off with a sh*tty stick ,lol
all the middle aged men wishing to retrain an attend a NVQ plumbing an heating courses
(maybe its the false reports of plumbers getting 2k a week for changing tap washers ,lol)
+ the brickwork courses an plastering courses are doing very well too in the Construction dept

He is now even doing overtime teaching the night course that the Tech have started ..lol

 

[kendor]

Adam is right we seem to be moving away from being industrial to financial (probably more money in it )

Maybe they don't have much choice because the government appears to be shutting most of the building training centre around here for the building trades apprenticeship. I can see a time when the building trades will dried up because hardly any youngster learning the trades now. Unless it's more and more people are now doing diy?

I have 2 friend want to learn plumbing trades with no joy because my local buiding training centre is being demolish for a block of flats, why? perhaps there no demand anymore or the youngster don't want to get their hands dirty?

To be fair Mas the thing with the apprenticeships has been going on for ages, it started with thatchers government rmeoving grants for apprenticeships,maybe because of a glut of electricians and other trades at the time i don't know? but it's really only in recent times that this has started to have an effect and that i've noticed apprentices being taken on again, it has two effects one beneficial to electricians in that they are becoming more sought after again hence they can command higher pay or the other effect is that more electricians from abroad will flood the industry as happened during the sixties with a lot of polish sparks working in the industry.