Kier starmer! He hates strivers!

[Bucketheadbucketbum]

He wants to introduce a policy to put up the cost of school fees 10 to 15%. This is a tax on hard-working parents! We slave away cutting cots everywhere living hand to mouth to try and improve our childrens future . Live in an average house average area 1 shit car no holidays work like a dog to get our kids through. We are easing the burden on the state system by choosing independent schools. We're not sending them to Eton paid by our trust fund! Why does he want to punish strivers! Tax the energy companies! So disappointed. We need a new political party. What's the point in trying to better your future.

It's not all that disruptive. Hardly anyone goes to private school and the country needs more money.

If I can pay tax on my fuel and energy, you can pay tax on your private lessons.

We are 100% not the only ones sacrificing a tonne to send our kids to a private school and I don't understand the vitriol of some posters. Again, what would you prefer we prioritise??

Private schools are businesses not charities, so should be taxed accordingly.

I'm not against private schools & my dc may end up in one for secondary. However I think the charitable status is silly. And the narrative that private = good, state = bad is wrong, it very much depends on the school.

@Bucketheadbucketbum do you know how much private school fees have on average reason over the past 12 years?

Has that rise seen a dramatic drop in the numbers of pupils at private schools?

My 2nd DD would thrive in a school with smaller classes etc, a nicer environment.

She has sen and I'm not convinced any local school would support her at all..we can't afford private at all.
It's a shame state can't support our needs.

We need a private system. We need more variety of school not less.

OP as PP have stated as you know. He is not suggesting putting fees up but rather remove charitable status. It’s up to the schools whether they pass this onto the fee paying parents or not.

How have they ever been considered a charity in the 1st place ?

Also, I understand Michael Gove supported this and a review of VAT exemption was even mentioned in the Conservative manifesto of 2017 ?

Good to know your views though OP that only you and the other 5% of population are strivers. Nice…

I’m not a striver at all - I like to do the bare minimum. You sound like a massive twit.

However, my DS went to a private school because he’s neurodiverse so I wouldn’t have been happy with this either. That doesn’t mean that I don’t agree with it - just that it would have been rubbish for me.

SparklyMistleToes

Can you provide a source for that figure. I don’t believe it.

Most of the parents at the private school we used for a while could easily absorb the cost. A few might have to cut out a holiday or two or drive a cheaper car but most would have no problem. I very much doubt there will be that many need to leave the private sector.

The fact is that these schools are NOT charities. Most of the parents I knew there agreed. Sending your kids to private school is a luxury. It’s pretty unbelievable they have been allowed to have charitable status all these years but I guess those that make those decisions probably use state schools the most.

People who send their children to state school also work hard and have aspiration for their children. There is no reason why private schools should have charitable status. And no reason why fees should be exempt of VAT.
Keir Starmer is not against aspiration or people striving. He is just against unfairness.

Yes because obviously us lazy lot with dc in state schools aren’t working hard enough.

I do wonder if there’s a point you have so much money you’re completely oblivious to reality?

They blatantly have charitable status in order to dodge tax. Pony up, poshos.

Hardly surprising since labour abolished state grammar schools, thus preventing bright working class kids having the chance of a top class education
Labour government: keep everyone on their arses

YABU.
VAT should be applied to school fees. I say this as someone with a child in private school. It should be done gradually over a number of years so that both parents and schools can adapt and there is no sudden exodus of pupils to accommodate.

Can you explain why private schools should have charity status?

Also you complain that this policy will make private schools more elitist but then keep accusing people of being envious.

Believe it: amp.lbc.co.uk/news/keir-starmer-scrap-charitable-status-for-private-schools-to-fund-catch-up/

It's all over the news. A quick google will show this

Oh please not more of the "hard working parents" bullshit.

Nobody, and I mean nobody, works harder than many of the poorest paid people in society. Cleaners, hospital HCAs, community care workers, retail staff to name a few.

Raising private school fees is no more punishing hard working parents than putting up the price of a loaf of bread.

I think it is reasonable to demand better state education for our children. The gap between the state and private schools is massive. Like a black hole.

I am not a professional educator, and I am not able to support my child without having a tutor. I want my child to have options, unfortunately that’s impossible in the current state system.

If private schools are properly taxed, then every pence should directly go to state schools. I still cannot believe assistant teachers are leaving their jobs to work in retail. That’s unacceptable.

Exactly. I'd bloody love a state grammar option

labour want a race to the bottom. They are anti aspiration

It’s a luxury item and should be subject to VAT except where it is funded places for children with special needs. Some special schools are charities most others are businesses with charitable status.

At a push, and because it’s so devisive with the Daily Mail whipping up right wing froth, I’d be pragmatic and offer a tax break on the equivalent of the average state school child’s funding to offset the argument that taxes were already paid to support state schools. So tax free personal allowance increase of £3,500 annually for fee paying parents as well as removing charitable status. All non-uniform required items for fee paying schools (sports wear etc) should be subject to VAT too.

I have nothing against private schools or those who choose to direct their funds to that service as an investment in their childrens education. But it is not a charity - it is a business, it is administered as one and charges for its services so I think it should be taxed as one.

I went to state grammar but since learned how those who didn’t get in age 11 got a poor sub standard education offer. That’s not equal opportunities for all.

Really, OP, just work a bit harder or get a slightly better job, and you'll be perfectly able to afford the fees. Doesn't seem hard to me.

I went to private school and I do not recognise this narrative of all the parents having one old car, normal jobs and no holidays because they just want to better their kids lives. 99% of families I was at school with were very wealthy (my parents included). I loathed it and think my parents wasted every penny they spent. Private schools are business and should be taxed accordingly.

It depends on the school. My dd’s school, I agree. The one, my dd’s friends attend, it would be a struggle for a fair few parents. The fees for both schools are a very similar amount btw. Entry level. The difference is the demographics due to location. I had no idea before dd went to this school and if this were on the cards a couple of years ago, I think we would have hesitated more. She’s only been at private for just over a year and is Yr10. Dd was not getting on at her former state school. As with dd and a few of her friend of parents decide to send their children part way through secondary. These parents are not rolling in it and would be affected. As would many parents, who wish to send their children for years 7-11. Plenty of these people are living in small 3 bed terraced or semis worth 300k or so.