Yet VAT is not levied on things deemed to be essentials - although there is a massive amount of VAT on cigarettes and alcohol (and fuel).

Capital gains tax again falls on the richest who dumbly leave all assets under their name until time of death. Unsurprisingly, they have the money to pay for systems to mean that the percentage they pay is low. I imagine those narrowly over the threshold pay the most, and then quickly dropping off... again a nice example of no thoughts of how the system adapts to the new tax.