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.

@Tandora so 44k is now wealthy?!

This

So he’s on £9k more than the average household then? this doesn’t support your argument.

Mmm so they have 450 a month to cover mortgage/rent, and bills and food and leisure?
Or just 450 after bills and rent/mortgage?
if the latter then I presume they earn above the average to have that much left after tax and essential bills/rent.
i agree with you there is some element of choice and it is possible to live in a thrifty way/not take holidays etc and do private school instead, but only once your family income is a certain level above average and in my view it’s a wealthy income…! (although I guess it depends what you view as wealthy)
i think it can come across as very naive and also patronising to folks who do get by on the low/average wage and have no hope of sending kids to private school and are often the best at budgeting!

No it doesn’t necessarily equate to vast wealth but it does mean that people in this position are in the privileged minority. We have one of the most unequal societies in the western world. Many people have next to nothing. So the endless whining about this private school debate is tedious.

So he’s on above average pay.

£44k a year is what about £2300 after tax, less £1500 ish for school fees. So £800 a month for all living costs? My arse.

what’s the point in posting this, do you think your brother deserves a medal for his stupidity?

@Singlemumtoadog i thought it was 37k. Agree it’s impossible if you earn less than the actual fees.

It’s roughly 1/3 higher than average. I wouldn’t count it as wealthy to be fair.

Another thread about this? Really?

It's amazing that so many posters and their children have access to the best education money can buy but still can't make their case with evidence and data.

What are the average earnings of parents who send their children to fee paying schools? How does this vary between expensive public schools and local, cheaper private schools?

What % of private school attendees have parents on lower or average incomes?

It's completely pointless having this conversation without the stats.

FWIW I live in a place where a 6 figure salary is typical and I hardly know anyone who has sent their children to fee paying schools - including a friend who went to Eton.

Just because the £44k is technically covering the £19k fees, that doesn't mean your BIL can afford it. He almost certainly can't (unless he is mortgage free, stellar pension, house deposit for DD tucked away. In which case, he is wealthy just not via income).

@DownWithThisKindOfThing he doesn’t consider it to be stupid. That’s why he’s doing it. I’m just sick of hearing about the wealthy people in private…. They’re often not.

I actually think the opposite - you do have to be fairly well off now to afford private school compared to the 80s when I went.

My mum was STHM and Dad worked in education as a lecturer. Probably earning £30k. He put both of us through private school but our fees were about £1k per term, if that. I went to school with lots of 'normal' people.

Fees increases have far outstripped inflation - my situation just wouldn't be possible now.

OP, your post won't help. There are some people who have an unreasonable loathing of anyone using the private school system regardless of how or why.

My ds goes to an independent school on a 50% maths scholarship. I'm a single mum on a very average salary. Every penny I have go to school fees. My only night out in the last year was the works Christmas party, I haven't been abroad since before ds started at the school 5 years ago, never have a take-away or a bottle of wine. My DS was desperate to take up the scholarship so I've pared back everything I can to make it possible for him. I made a decision on how I choose to spend my very average salary and my savings.

If I spent it on a family holiday in the sun, manicures, a weekly PizzaExpress and a trampoline for the garden, that would be ok, but because I chose to give my ds what he badly wanted, that makes me elitist and evil 🙄

So he’s living entirely off the 11k he has left?
not a chance…

The take home pay on 44K is 34k. Minus 19k fees, leaves 15k a year for your BIL to live on. Is he mortgage/rent free? (In which case he is privileged). I’d love to see how your BIL and child live on 15k a year with average housing costs.

Yes Op please tell me these sacrifices so I can rebudget

Right. Who or what is paying for his housing? There must be some wealth in the form of capital here (or another household income perhaps?)

You are not gathering 24K for school fees by cancelling netflix and using the air fryer rather than the oven.

Yeah if you don't pay for the 20K holiday, buy a couple less pairs louboutins and forego your gucci handbag then perhaps.

What is your average salary?

He’s not doing it though

either you’re lying, or he has other income, or the household does…

Do you know what "average" is? Please lay out the budget for us, if you still think it's possible.

Waiting for OP to tell us that BIL has no mortgage because his parents gave him a house/he won the lottery.

No one on 44k could pay £19k of fees and pay market rent/morthage/bills.

And is he the only earner supporting his family? Ie no other parent - or assets to support him? (Including owning a house outright or low mortgage)
i sent my child to a good nursery. I’m a single parent. Decent income. I used my savings each month to top up….

So he takes home about £2.8k a month after tax, NI and auto enrolment minimum.

Out of that he pays £1.5k a month just on school fees.

He’s either in a ridiculously cheap part of the country, renting a 2 bed flat and walking everywhere or that’s not all their income because it would be pretty impossible To survive on that these days, in most parts of the country.