Do you think labour will actually implement 20% vat on school fees?

[labpit]

We have two in Year 7 and year 10 and I am not sure what we will do if this happens. It is a certainty do you think?

I think it will be gradual if they do OP so you’ll probably be fine. It’s children who haven’t yet started who may be impacted.

@Spinachpesto thank you for your reply. What do you mean gradual though? To be honest we are paying on a wing and a prayer as it is so any increase could scupper things

The school DH works for is assuming it is a near certainty and will be immediate.

Labour don't actually have any other policies, do they?

Yep. Absolutely they will. They want the money raised from it to put towards struggling state schools.

Theyve got my vote🗳️

I think they've nailed their colours to the mast too firmly, so have to impose VAT

But it might not be at 20%. At least not to begin with (frog boiling)

I’ve heard if they do that, they might have to refund a load of tax previously paid on capital projects.

Fingers crossed!

I have read lots of mixed things and nothing conclusive, just masses of debate on it

@BringItOnxxx 😂 thanks!

Can you link where you've come across this? I thought that tax was due at the rate of the time, and that retrospective changes never happened

Well the policy is doing a great job of giving the illusion of evening things up. Stops everyone talking about why state schools are in such a dire state and have been bled of adequate funding despite having the highest tax take in 70 years.
Instead, its diverted attention away from this issue and instead has parent vs parent, as if the VAT break is the reason the state system is on its knees.

I don't entirely agree that all non state schools have the 20% vat. But I hope they crack down on the charitable status they use to protect themselves. The vast majority are not charitable.

If they do this as I understand it they will have to add vat onto other things like ballet, swimming, football lessons etc so I don’t think it’s as clear cut as adding on 20% to school fees. As I understand it they cannot take charitable status off public schools either without changing the constitution so it might happen but it will impact all children who do extras

I don’t think they should - I know a lot of people who would not be able to afford the increase in fees & would have to take their children out - thus putting more pressure on the state school system.

Also, in our area a lot of the private schools let local state schools use their facilities eg using their track on sports day / using their hall for theatre productions etc

i totally appreciate that private school is a privilege but I think it would be really short sighted to whack a whole load of tax on fee paying families.

It is interesting hearing views and opinions on it but I was really posting to see if there was anything out there I had missed as to whether it was or wasn’t going to happen… :)

Not convinced. Suspect they haven’t thought beyond “ get the money , get the populist vote “… in areas like big cities where are the school places
coming from for all those who either cant afford the fees or who’s schools close ?
( these are kids who’s education is being paid for by families , the families who are also still paying taxes for school places they currently are not actually using …)

Yes they will. It's their main focus so will look a shambles if they don't

VAT on school fees will save state schools just as effectively as Brexit saved the NHS.

Yes they will implement it, though I think there will be consequences and legal challenges that haven’t been thought through.

The amount raised will have zero impact on ‘struggling’ state schools. I think I read that labour plan to use the funds to recruit 6500 teachers - good luck with that. What does that equate to less than 2 teachers per secondary school?

Yes I'm sure they will, but perhaps phased in, to avoid a mass Exodus overwhelming state sector

I really hope they don't. It should only happen for new intakes from September onwards.

Everyone assumes that if you've got kids at private school you've got more money than sense. My two DC went to private school from 11-18 and 11-16. I am not rich. I made huge sacrifices to send them there. We had a one week holiday in Wales every year. I drove a clapped out old car. We didn't wear expensive clothes or go out for meals etc. I wanted to give my kids the best chance I could in an area where the local school was rubbish. If they'd upped the fees while mine were there they'd had had to leave. There's no way I could have afforded any more.

Anyone, like me, who has budgeted for school fees shouldn't have to cope with a massive increase. It will affect the children. It would definitely have affected mine.

It's the Brexit bus all over again and the same old divisive politics of pitching people against each other. Politicians know that most people lack critical thinking skills to research the impacts of things like this. It's fairly obvious that the unintended consequences will render it ineffective. But hey, private school is bad and full of posho's innit.

@WellWillWoll I'd say being able to afford (1 or) 2 sets of £12000 per year fees makes anyone pretty rich. That's a £25000 salary completely taken up with paying just fees. Then there's uniform, meals, clubs and trips.

Most people already pay VAT on extra curriculars like ballet, music lessons and swimming -- unless specifically run as a charity. Groups like Scouts and Guides have charitable status, but are clearly charities.

Well access to private school already affects the children of parents who would never in a million years be able to send them. No matter how many sacrifices they make. So I guess your kids would be in their position.