When I first started paying tax and NI I think the rate was 30% tax and 9% NI before then I think tax was 33% or something around that and this was the basic rate.
However, care, home helps, prescriptions, university and many other things were free and public transport cheap.
Thatcher and the Tories wanted people to pay less tax, so income tax rates were cut and indirect tax like VAT significantly increased.
It was the start of the survival of the fittest, keep your own money, but buy your own services when needed, the socialist (not communist) of support, care and education from cradle to the grave was being dismantled, there was profit to be made from caring for others, public essentials and utilities. Public sector services were derided by the right wing press and Tories so they could get their hand on the assets and make money. People were seen as a commodity to be exploited by the greedy for profit rather than provide a service at cost base because of need.
Essential public services of health, care, education, transport, and utilities should be provided by the state at cost price and not left to free markets to profiteer, why can't good services be provided at a fair and decent price, covered by a decent and fair rate of tax, this way the majority benefit, rather then a select few to make a profit.