To think that people who agree with VAT on private school fees but not on university fees, are hypocrites?

[Blanket601]

If Labour add VAT to private school fees, they should also add VAT to university fees. Or no VAT on either. The principle and rule, should be the same.

Why is only private school education being platformed. I think we all know why.

I’m getting sick of this attitude. No one pays VAT on education at the moment. It costs £7k per year to educate each state school pupil so that’s a huge amount that private school parents are saving the Government. Many state school parents are not even paying enough tax to fund their own DC’s education, never mind someone else’s DCs. They are certainly not subsidising private schools!

Essential for what?

Hope that people don’t just vote Labour for this policy though! It’s such a gimmick. I’d like to think the average Labour voter has more sense…and will base their vote on Labour’s whole manifesto.

For me, it won’t be this policy that I decide on. It’s because labour refuses to recognise me as a woman.

I’ve never voted Tory in my life. Still that doesn’t stop people making vapid generalisations.

Bang on, I don't believe any of these.

Yes it's because the people paying private school fees are taxpayers who have the income to do so, whereas people attending university are often not.

All children are our future. Even if my child does not attend a private school, I do not resent others doing so. Those children may be my future doctor when they are older. Removing privileges to bring some people down speaks of jealousy. Implore the private schools to help and demonstrate their charitable state by all means, perhaps even make them semi state but enforcing 25% places state places funded by the state. Anything to keep them open and contributing to our education system.

Lots of people don't care about private health care because we know that it reduced the burden on the NHS.

This. Education benefits society. No VAT

Reclaiming VAT is something everything VAT registered business does. Why would you expect private schools to be any different? The ability to reclaim VAT is why this policy will have a far more detrimental impact on the smaller, less elitist schools such as the small private school near me which is full of children that were previously in state schools who couldn’t meet their needs due to autism, dyslexia etc. This policy is not affecting Eton or its parents.

Thanks for the reply. I still don't quite understand what you mean though. When you say the burden is transferred to the taxpayer and talk about subsidies it sounds as if you're saying that some of the cost of private education is being paid by the state but I'm not sure how that works.

I can obviously see the argument that putting a new tax on education either gets a bigger overall tax pot or allows reduction of other taxes (assuming it does actually raise money overall) but not the subsidy point.

You ae really worried OP about vat on school fees.
But most people support this absurd financial support of private schools ending. You can carry on using private schools, but you do not get the tax breaks any longer for the fees.

@Mia85

Can you see that if your rich neighbour lives tax-free, then you are effectively subsidising their lifestyle?

Sure, but that's not the case here. Private schools are paying lots of NI, VAT, employing lots of people who pay income tax etc. Private school parents will be paying the same tax as everyone else.

I'm not sure how you calculate that they are paying the 'wrong' amount so that it amounts to a subsidy. You might argue they should pay more but that's a bit different.

How though? First they are not living tax free, they're paying income tax. Also they are spending loads of money which goes into the economy. Most of the fees they pay go directly to teachers, who are just earning a living.

How is not paying VAT on education affecting anyone or burdening anyone? Their income tax pays for state education but they don't use it. How is it costing anyone anything?

I'm sure the previous poster knows that many private schools are selective.

Her point was that to compare them to universities, all children, not just those with families able to pay, would be able to go to them if they met the academic requirements, with the government covering the fees upfront and the student paying them back when their earnings are high enough.

In fact to make them more akin to universities, they would have to operate contextual offers, meaning those from disadvantaged backgrounds would have a lower standard to meet in order to gain admission.

Yes the very idea that it’s those paying private school fees who are a financial drain on the rest of society is pretty funny.

@Mia85

Not quite.

A private education is exempt from VAT.

Also services relating to it such as boarding accommodation are also exempt.

Private schools are a business, selling a service only the well-off can afford.

They should be liable to the same VAT that everyone else pays.

As far as I'm concerned, private education is an unnecessary luxury, so it makes sense to charge VAT. People can still get an education at state schools instead - just with not-so-fancy facilities.

People can't get a degree level education without going to university, so it isn't a luxury in the same way, and shouldn't be subject to VAT. There isn't a free-but-less-luxurious alternative. This seems pretty obvious, so I'm not really sure why private school parents like to draw the comparison. It smacks of desperation.

I agree. Time for this tax break to end.

They should be liable to the same VAT that everyone else pays. I think this is a misunderstanding. A lot of people seem to think private schools don't currently pay VAT but they do pay it at exactly the same rate as everyone else. They don't have a special exemption. In fact it's state schools who (quite reasonably) have the special exemption because they can claim VAT back and private schools can't.

Why should our doctors come from private schools?

@Mia85 so if they already pay vat at the full rate what is the issue?
Answer - they don't

And people who talk about inequality are always accused of jealousy. It is such a playground insult. You are just jeaaloous.
No we are against inequality.

What percentage of parents who currently send their children to a state school, would send their children to a private school , if they could afford it?