GROSS PROFITS ASSESSED TO INCOME TAX
(From Inland Revenue Report)[1]

1893-4£673,700,000
1894-5657,100,000
1895-6677,800,000
1896-7704,700,000
1897-8734,500,000
1898-9762,700,000
1899-1900791,700,000
1900-1833,300,000
1901-2867,000,000
1902-3879,600,000
1903-4902,800,000[2]
1904-5912,100,000
1905-6925,200,000
1906-7943,700,000
1907-8980,100,000
1908-91,010,000,000

It should be observed that these figures are for gross income, and some adjustments have to be made before we can arrive at the total income of that part of the nation which has the mingled pleasure and pain of paying Income Tax.

From the £1,010,000,000 brought under review in 1908-9, the Inland Revenue authorities allowed the following deductions before arriving at taxable incomes:—

(a)Exemptions in respect of incomes under £160 per annum£58,400,000
(b)Abatements on incomes ranging from £160 per annum to £700 per annum120,300,000
(c)Life Insurance Premiums10,500,000
(d)Charities, Hospitals, Friendly Societies, etc.11,800,000
(e)Repairs to Lands and Houses40,100,000
(f)Wear and tear of Machinery and Plant22,900,000
(g)Other Allowances52,700,000
Total Deductions£316,700,000

So that Income Tax in 1908-9 was actually collected not upon £1,010,000,000 but upon £693,300,000.

But we have not to make all the above deductions in arriving at the actual income of the income tax paying class. We have only to deduct those items which are not the real income of that class, viz.:—

(a)Exemptions in respect of incomes under £160 per annum£58,400,000
(d)Charities, Hospitals, Friendly Societies, etc.11,800,000
(e)Repairs to Lands and Houses40,100,000
(f)Wear and tear of Machinery and Plant22,900,000
(g)Other Allowances52,700,000
£185,900,000

Deducting these items we get:—