Why do people think parents who pay for private education are enormously wealthy?

[SheineOn]

Is this just the stereotype?

I went to a school that cost 18k a year (15 years ago). It’s now 24k a year.

There were wealthy people there. But also many ‘normal’ people. At least 40% fell into that category. People who lived on estates, drove modest cars, skipped holidays and ate cheaply.

They made a choice to spend their money on private education. For context, two of my closest friends have dc in private. They live off 450 a month after paying fees. They are not high earners.

Not everyone has endless wealth. Some are just happy to make the sacrifice. I find it strange people don’t seem to get that and makes me wonder how lacking in knowledge you must be to have that view of the private sector.

Most people don't have £2000 a month spare. It's not that they're spending it on holidays, they just do not have it after essential bills are paid.

You say you know of someone living on £450 a month after fees. I don't believe it is possible to do that in the UK unless you have no housing costs and live within walking distance of everywhere you need to be. My mortgage alone is more than that, and I live in a cheap flat in a low cost of living area.

You are either being disingenuous or having gone to a private school has given you a highly distorted version of normality.

Just out of interest OP, what do you think the average wage is?

My understanding of the average wage in the UK means that it would be literally impossible to afford £24k/year on that wage. But correct me if I'm wrong.

Exactly. You're comparatively wealthy if you can manage your finances to pay the fees.

I think your idea of an ‘average wage’ might be way off OP.

According to this article, average wage is £35k, so no, £24k per annum would not be an option.

https://www.forbes.com/uk/advisor/business/average-uk-salary-by-age/#:~:text=The%2520latest%2520government%2520data%2520(published,tax%2520salary%2520of%2520%C2%A335%252C464.

This

Your friends can’t afford it, they sound like mugs frankly.

£450 a month to live on? Yeah right. No mortgage or rent? Food? Clothing? Car costs?

I’m sorry, but that’s just not true. The median HOUSEHOLD wage in this country is something like £35k before tax. People cannot afford to pay £24k fees out of £35k pre tax. The average person cannot send their kids to private school.

I am a Labour voter but oppose the VAT on school fees, but posts like this don’t help the argument!!

@frankentall yes I agree with that. But again, it’s not endless wealth that pays the fees, it’s often huge sacrifice

There are a vast number of people for whom “making the choice” to spend 24k a year on something (bear in mind that’s the take home pay from a 35k a year job) is just not something they can even contemplate.

having that choice makes you wealthy by comparison.

Median household income in 2022 was £38000. So when you say less than average, you mean less than that?

Again, what are the sacrifices? I'm genuinely interested to know.

If you are in a position to be able to “choose to sacrifice” something in order to pay for school fees - and assuming that is not your mortgage, rent or other basic living costs- you ARE in a privileged position. The majority of people are not able to make that choice.

@modgepodge my BIL is on 44k and pays all of his daughter’s 19k a year fees. It can be done

I think these days most ppl who send 2 DC to private schools are pretty well off.

Either a couple both earning £100 to £150k each or 1 earning a shed load.

The Labour party has had this on the agenda for when they came into power since at least 2017. If you haven't considered what this might look like in advance of enrolling your child in private or saved up in advance knowing this could happen or accepted you couldn't afford it, then you have done your children a huge disservice.

@NewUser1111 i agree. But that doesn’t equal vast wealth like people seem to assume

2 x income family of 35K each could afford private school if outside London/SE and with lower cost housing because they would probably be eligible for a bursary covering a substantial amount of fees.

2 x income family. 1 of 35K and 1 of 60K could easily afford it in the same situation of location + housing as they would still likely be eligible for contribution to fees.

So what do we class as wealthy?

So your BIL is earning more than the average earning and pays lower fees than you gave as an example of what a supposedly typical family might have to pay.

What did your parents get for their £18k? Serious question.

How are your friends living off £450 a month? No mortgage or rent to pay? No bills?

Anyone who can afford £24k a year is better off than most.

Except Labour have never looked to be in with a chance until last year.
Do people start budgeting for something that has no chance of happening, 7 years in advance?
Did people start budgeting for mortgage rares to rise 7 years before they did?

Well of course I don’t assume all are “endlessly wealthy”, but I do assume they are wealthy, because if you can afford 24k plus a year just on school fees then that’s what you are!

@MagnetCarHair yep, a good idea to have more saved as back up

You do know average pay is around 30k? And taking home around 21k

so I’m not entirely convinced someone on that could make the choice to spend 24 on private school…