If you're worried about rising private school fees..

[CurlewKate]

... why not just get a better paid job? It apparently works for poor people.

It’s not that though in my experience. This country is a bit of a shit hole now to be frank. Ever increasing taxes and not a lot to show for it, I’m not talking a few grand. It’s disgusting how much higher-higher tax is. Thing is, people don’t mind doing that at all if there is some pay off. With an ever decreasing work-life balance to see less of their earned money. Meh. The other issue is - people don’t mind paying if the services they are funding are value for money. They aren’t. Highest taxes ever and people can’t see a Dr or have a teacher in their state schools. Other countries have well funded systems because people are happy to pay in and more of them. There is some pay off of a more universal, good quality system. Here, the universal benefits are taken off high tax payers, tax allowance, childcare, child benefit etc. ‘You can’t have nice things as you’re rich.” Problem is - this causes an issue of resentment and reluctance to work for the great good. It’s all take. People then move to a society with better facilities and balance.

Thousands of pounds a year is not “peanuts”. Additional rate tax applies on gross income of just over £125k a year. That’s just over £6k take home per month. Yes, that’s a lot compared with many people, but an extra VAT charge will make the difference for many people on that income level.

With just 1 child at private school costing around £25k (not unusual), the extra VAT would be £5k a year (almost a month’s take home pay). That is not peanuts.

Well honestly, do any of you, and really mean this, actually expect no changes to your circumstances given the economic problems that have developed in the last 13 years?

Some of you are able to afford things which are to most of the population, unimaginable.

In terms of leaving the country, of course there is a cost. And you only get one crack at life and I would never begrudge someone acting in what they thought was their own best interest.

But what I actually hear is that you won't leave. That some will eat beans to secure private schooling or not heat their homes.

And when this has come for this pretty privileged part of society, you dislike as much as poorer people.

Some people on this thread will have voted for the Conservatives and found themselves shafted: well, make choices but you've got a Labour government coming. And if you are pissed off at how things look, then you can decide to vote differently, These are tough times for everyone.

Did you vote for Corbyn?

Never voted Conservative in my life. 🤣

There’s always a tipping point.

Can Labour add more taxes without reaching it?

ONS seem to think we are close so guess we will find out! Now top heavy with net takers so maybe even past it.

I know there are Labour advocates on this thread who don’t want to hear it

But it is concerning

I think this is the point that many seem to miss. It’s not “just” the VAT. It’s everything else as well.

Not sure where people think it’s all coming from. Really. It’s so simplistic - people won’t move. They will and are. Skilled workers are massively underpaid here and taxed to death for the privilege. There is no universal benefit to it. Just take, take, take. Work more so we can take all of your earnings. People expect some magic scandi model with a majority of adults not paying anything in. Forgetting they have a much bigger, wider pyramid of tax payers as everyone is expected to pay a fair share - not a few.

As soon as public exams are done we are off and I can’t bloody wait.

Seriously @EasternStandard, I did not vote for Corbyn!

There are people on this thread who like me have been given wonderful things in this country. I love it. It has been given a through kicking by right wing nationalists and cut it self off from its biggest money maker. That is all on the Conservative Party who are incompetent.

Labour are going to win; so what do you all do? I mean, this is de facto the point where you either say I need some more income and do that or leave. You only have that control.

I’m not making decisions on the school thing. But I am worried about higher taxes for reasons @Princessandthepea0 and @Another76543 and probably others have made

I love it here too, we’re really lucky generally I know that. BUT those ONS figures look incredibly heavy to me

Labour are going for higher taxes and certain groups in a way they did not last time under Blair

I’m not making decisions yet but as I said I’m glad we have a get out should we need it.

Chatting to others who’ve said similar. Just a back up at this stage. A nice one thankfully

Well you all must send postcards from your new lives overseas. And take a good deal of comfort in the extra money.

We all make choices. I refuse however to believe that those who have private school fees do not also have nice assets too, and the kind of incomes mentioned I do, and you will be fine. I am happy to stay. I believe I will still be able secure school fees, pay my mortgage and have a nice life under a Labour government.

And to the person who said they cannot afford an extra 5k on their 25k school fees, kindly, you sound like you cannot afford the school if this is such a huge sum.

It’s not about extra money in my case

It’s about that ONS dependency rate and how we deal with it.

People can still post from o/s btw and do. Living happily

It’s not about extra money. It’s about a better quality of life where our children can be aspirational. Paying taxes in a fairer society where everyone pays in with access to better services.

There is always a tipping point in a democracy and we are pretty much there. The minute aspiration is stopped and everyone starts trying to punish people for just having good jobs. Not generational wealth - just good jobs. The whole of society gets poorer. I don’t want to bring my children into adulthood in an ageing population where more people take from the system than put in. Their lives will be much poorer in the long run as everyone will become worse off in more ways than one in am overburdened state.

The problem with Labour is that they have absolutely no ideas. Somehow let’s throw some money into education and hope for the best, everyone knows this will change nothing (look at NHS). But what is more satisfying is for everyone to see those “fat cats” suffer.

@Princessandthepea0 - respect your argument there. But for my purposes, my children will get a good education. University in the U.K. is great. They are dual nationals. If they want to make lives elsewhere then they can. The UK is my home.

You’re not getting punished for having a good job. That’s kind of the entire point of the thread.

(also ‘super’ rate taxpayer here, not that it matters but I suspect it might matter to you)

so to get back to the point. I am old enough to remember when the whole country was grammar schools. But for every grammar school there was a secondary modern ( I think the term then ) . I am thankful DC is through school now - it is hard. & to @CurlewKate point - News - better paid jobs aren't a ten a penny & increases in fees I know are onerous.

For every grammar school there would have been at least two or three secondary moderns. (Grammar schools educated about the top 20% at 11+)

If the funding for them had been consistently better, then the system as a whole might have lasted longer