Want your children to be able to go to uni?

But you don't pay a penny before you have a salary of 21k, so if you don't earn that it won't be 'hanging over your head'. For all intents and purposes it IS a graduate tax, the reason why it is a debt in your name instead of just a tax band is to ensure that graduates will still owe the money even if they go abroad to earn lots of money - if it was a simple tax then these people could easily escape paying.

Prinnie - your debt are a lot less of what future generations will have to deal with.

I am not earning 35 k - far from it (though just above 21 k) and I find it hard to bring up a family and I am glad I don't have 30k of debts hanging over me. In my career I will probably never get to 35 k - as will most other people as the average salary in the UK is 25 k.

"The young of tomorrow will have time to plan" If your life has gone exactly to plan - good for you. Mine hasn't and I bet there are many others affected by the economic crises who did not plan for this.

And yes - I call it crippling when you owe 30 k before you have even earned a penny. A graduate tax would be much fairer as you would have a salary first and you would not have to worry about being in debt. I heard Vince Cable arguing for it quite convincingly this summer on radio 4 (No more broken promises, eh Vince?) The fact is those who are financially comfortable will be fine and those like me will really struggle and feel the pressure. And that's unfair. Aren't we all supposed to be in this together?

But who needs social mobility anyway? I probably should have never gone to university in the first place (even though I did very well) and crawled back into the working class hole I came from. If I was young now I could probably do one of Portofinos suggested apprenticeships - maybe hairdressing. The career choice favoured by most young women in the 1960's in the area my mum grew up. Now, that's what I call progress.

Looks like the OP has bailed out! Just in time for a beer in the student union bar - perhaps?

They WON'T be crippled with debt, and hopefully this will resurrect management training schemes and apprenticeships, as for MOST jobs you don't actually need to go to Uni at all!

Just looked back at an old payslip and when I earnt 18K my student loan repayments were around £60 per month - clearly affordable and could have been slightly higher without causing too much harm. The young of tomorrow will have time to plan.

I don't think the debts will be crippling though - I only pay £140 per month out of my wages off my student loan (and I earn 35K) - in my mind my payments aren't high enough as it's taking forever to clear - it's just like an extra tax - and you won't pay anything until 21k or the equivalent. It's the fairest way I can think of - we either have something like this or we start to restrict the numbers who can go to uni and taxpayer fund it again.

Sorry Prinnie I don't want my son to be crippled by huge debt to pay for his higher education - should he wish to go to uni.

Maybe it would be ok if he becomes a high paid lawyer or an investment banker - then paying back the debts will be peanuts.

but what about if he becomes a teacher or any other profession where you don't earn much but you need a higher education?

Teachers (at least those in state schools) make a huge contribution to society - why should it be up to them alone to struggle paying off huge debts acquired while training to become one? It's unfair and wrong.

Of course your kids will be able to go - you don't pay the new fees until you graduate. There's no onus on parents to pay 9k a year up front!

I'm here as a TTCer and I accept that if my kids need to go to uni they'll just have to pay for it over their working lives!

I really don't understand the fuss - someone has to pay for university education - surely it should be the people who use it.

Both your kids are under 5!

If it's just self interest that motivates you - then don't waste your time (stay in the warm). We are pretty sure to have a labour government before 2023 And they will no doubt sort it all out before your kids turn 18. .

If your interest is more general than your post implies - then sure join in. I'm sure the vast majority of the country who didn't get a chance to go to Uni - are feeling slightly reassured to see the [mainly] middle classes angry about this. It shows that the Coalition is spreading the pain across the social spectrum.

you're welcome - also across the country there are student assemblies which are open to everyone at the weekend to discuss the actions for the following week. If you are in London - think it's at birkbeck college at 4-6pm.

There's an awful lot going on so the best thing is to have a look at

www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=167108026656320#!/event.php?eid=166941933346069&index=1

and

www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/event.php?eid=172969552731286

hope this helps

Thank you guys. The two sites are really great. I have just e-mailed my Libdem MP Lynne Featherstone through the families against fees site. I have asked her to honour her pre-election pledge to oppose any rise in tuition fees.

I can't believe the Libdems can just break their election promises as they see fit .

My son is only six months old but what on earth am I going to do if he happens to want to get a higher education like his parents ?

My only solution is to let him learn as many foreign languages as possible and let him go to study in France or Germany or any other country which is not keen on ruining young peoples futures by crippling them with university debt.

@GreatAuntLoretta I am at work on Thursday but if there is a demo on Wednesday I would love to go and form a buggy brigade

you might find this useful - think lots of parents and relatives will be going - if I wasn't working I certainly would be

www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Parents-against-the-uni-fee-increases-and-removal-of-EMA/178728745470731