If you are anti private school are you also anti tutoring?

[WWGD]

Putting aside the obvious - that a tutor is about £2k a year and private school about £25k a year…

My kids are state educated. Many of our friends are surprised by this as they go private, but our objection is political as much as financial. We just don’t believe it is right to buy that level of privilege and opportunity. We’d also rather spend that money on holidays etc.

dd has asked for a tutor in subjects she is struggling with. I have arranged this. But this too is buying privilege and opportunity. Though not the networking and prestige.

I am comfortable with my decisions. I am just wondering whether people who are anti private school for political reasons also think tutoring is beyond the pale?

I was going to put this in aibu but actually am interested in people’s views rather than being flamed.

Yes - I am serious.

So fuck the children in independent schools because they don't matter? Fuck them.

FYI exemptions are not "tax breaks". The court told Labour not to use that because its a slogan, not a fact. UK is now only country in the world to tax education without also offering tax incentives to use independent schools. We are now ideologically behind Nigeria where only 20% of girls get a secondary education 👏👏👏

Do you like the "subsidies" you get on a daily basis?

What utter tosh, none of us pay in to directly take out. That is why childless people don’t get a discount in their taxes because they aren’t using the education system.

Private schools remain charities (well, some of them). Taking away charity status was never seriously on the table as it is far too complicated. VAT is entirely separate.

Where did you get that from?

I've no problem with independent schools operating under the same terms as any other business that provides luxury services and neither have I problem with people paying for those services if they want them.

Have you been into any independent schools? Most of them really aren't providing a luxury service. I would say the one my child goes to is just providing the level of service all children ought to have. Things like teachers answering parental emails if they have a legitimate concern rather than just ignoring them, pupils not being made to line up shouted at and given constant detentions and having a science teacher. That type of thing.

A lot of issues in state schools are caused by underfunding. There are other problems as well. But none of them are caused by private schools

I pay for private tutoring to address the weaknesses of the state system, and hopefully, my children will achieve good grades, making the state school feel proud of itself. I'm doing my part to make the state look good.

This…is so bizarre tho? It’s like someone doping at the Olympics and claiming it makes their country look like winners.

VAT isn't a luxury tax

The whole point of exemption is because most of the world goes education as a merit good, no matter how or where it is delivered. That's why its illegal to tax education in the EU and why it couldn't happen prior to Brexit.

They are education charities ie not for profit. They aren't business like Tesco.

So this goes back to the UK being the only country which taxes the education of children without also giving tax relief to take burden off the state. At least you own that though, you own that you are happy for the education of children and children with SEND to be taxed. That does say more about you as a person though.

FYI independent schools have always paid their taxes and VAT. This is a new tax on parents on the education of children.

No, independent schools have not always paid VAT; previously, they were exempt from charging VAT on their fees. A change was implemented starting January 1, 2025, when a 20% VAT rate was applied to tuition and boarding fees for pupils aged 4 to 18.

Prior to January 2025:
The supply of education by independent schools was exempt from VAT, meaning they did not charge it on their fees.

January 1, 2025, onwards:
VAT is now applied to education and boarding services provided by private schools. This change includes fees for pupils aged between 4 and 18.

Yes, I taught in one for a while and they are most definitely a luxury.

I didn't say VAT is a luxury tax, rather that there aren't any other luxury goods or services that are VAT exempt.

Surely the most obvious parallel is private healthcare, where VAT is generally not applied?

I think VAT should be payable on private health care

She clearly means that if the school, say, paid for an order of new classroom chairs or something they would pay VAT on what they purchased. As the end purchaser they were paying all the taxes they were obliged to pay.

The recent changes require the school to add VAT to their own fees.

I think VAT should be payable on private health care.

That will be a great help to the already overstretched NHS.

How would extra tax raised not help the NHS?

How would extra tax raised not help the NHS?

I suppose it would depend on how much tax was raised. Private medicine and health insurance is already expensive and 20% extra would put it beyond the reach of a lot of people who would instead use the already overwhelmed NHS.

Er caviar, boat moorings?

That comment just shows you don't understand VAT. It is a sales tax, nothing to do with luxury.

No, independent schools have always paid VAT. This is a new tax on the educational services for children. Schools don't pay this new tax, they collect it on behalf of the government.

It is a tax on the education of children, adults are exempt. That sits OK with you though?

You have no clue what you're talking about.

You know any VAT raised (and at this point it's pennies) isn't going to state schools? It's going on housing.

The following are VAT exempt and many people would view them as lucury:

• charity events eg galas
• antiques
• gambling or lottery tickets
• financial services, investments and insurance
• garages, parking spaces and houseboat moorings

property, land and buildings

So basically you are saying that you think antiques are less luxury than children's education.

This is why this country is fucked, we value gambling over education!

This. My ds has a scholarship and while I pay fees that are massive for me, they are less than some families spent of sports club membership.

Other families take their dcs skiing every year, have sports coaching, horse riding, buy cars for their children, pay their university fees, but because I scrape together the money to pay for somewhere safe and quiet for my ds to do his GCSEs, somehow that is wrong. 😳

I think every loving parent does what they believe to be the best for their child, and there is nothing wrong with that. Your dd is struggling, she has asked for help. What sort of parent would you be if you turned your back?

I wouldn't politicise my children, I would do what's best for them.

Because that way of thinking has worked so exceptionally well with private schools you would like to move additional patients and expense onto the NHS?