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.

Jesus if you’re an advert for private school I’m glad mine goes to a state school.

I suggest you work out the yearly cost of mortgage/rent, gas, electricity, council tax, house insurance. Think it would probably be about £25,000 or more. Now that’s excluding food, clothes, car, petrol, presents etc.

Can you not see that if you are in the average pre tax income of £35 grand, you will not be able to afford £24000 per year for school fees???

You really aren’t very bright are you 😂

@Meadowfinch honestly in awe of this. I hope to send our dc and will do the same if we can’t earn more by then. It’s a shame choosing a good education is seen as being evil and elitist.

Even with sacrifices most people don't have a spare £24,000 a year I haven't been on holiday for six years anywhere ,the car my dh ,drives is a mobility car for our disabled child
I dont think people who privately educate their kids are all endlessly wealthy and its their money to do what they like with it but if you have £24 ,000 / year to send your child to a private school you are more privileged than most people.

Gosh - OP you are brave, people are going to take you apart on here! People like to stereotype people. Are we wealthy? Compared to some others sure - of course, but compared to some of our other friends - we are not. Its all relative.

"The latest government data, published in February 2024, shows that the median average UK monthly wage across all industry sectors is £2,334 (that's the equivalent to an annual pre-tax salary of around £28,000 - an increase of 6.4% compared to February 2023)."

I don't think you understand what the average wage is.

Average UK salary is approx 30k gross. Net pay approx £24,700.

People on less than average pay can afford school fees if they just budget carefully enough according to OP.

I think OP should start a thread on how we could all live on £700 per year, in a CoL crisis I think people would appreciate it.

Unless you have another source of cash, it's impossible on significantly more than the actual fees, because you need a place to live, minimal clothing and food too, and these are significant costs, surely you can see that?

I'm still here to discover these sacrifices that we should make that would enable us all to privately educate our children.

So your BIL pays mortgage, bills, food etc out of £800 per month? Unless he lives mortgage or rent Free that is impossible. I smell bullshit or inheritance!

Are you sacrificing food, heating, transport and a roof over your head? That would be a sacrifice.

Op isn’t brave, they’re either lying or incredibly bad at maths…

@fishonabicycle he had a hefty deposit so mortgage repayments are small. Other than that he does very little and hasn’t had a holiday in eight years

This. I knew quite a few people who went to private school when I was young. It was affordable by people not in £££ jobs. I nearly went to one but my parents moved instead, my dad was a van driver and my mum worked in an admin role in an office. They could have afforded the fee for me but would have been a struggle to pay for my sister too.

Now in my circles where people are lawyers, teachers. IT professionals, engineers etc people can’t afford it

Noone thinks it is "endless" wealth for everyone who uses private schools. But if you have £24k+ a year free to spend on either private school or holidays/cars/fancy food you are wealthy, or at least very very comfortable, in many peoples eyes and there is no reason why that disposable income should not be taxed regardless of what you decide to spend it on.

Where would you place "wealthy" OP? In terms of percentiles? Top 10% of households in terms of income? Top 20%?

@WithACatLikeTread Mid 50s.

For context, two of my closest friends have dc in private. They live off 450 a month after paying fees

Are you going to answer the question you've been asked more than once now?

450 - that includes their mortgage/rent/bills/food etc does it? Or do you mean that's what they have left afterwards, as disposable?

Yikes - is there a need to be so rude?!

OP you do realise to have a hefty deposit and a small mortgage does mean your BIL is pretty well off/privileged?

Tell me you are living in privileged cuckoo land without telling me 🙄

We have a modest/average household income and we couldn't in a million years afford to send out kids to private school. Even with numerous sacrifices. We choose to make sacrifices now, to be able to afford holidays - but those holidays would barely cover 1 term for 1 of our kids at a private school! The only other sacrifices left we could make would be to not pay our bills or buy food - I highly doubt that is the kind of 'sacrifices' you are talking about.

If somebody has the amount needed to afford private school for their children, they are wealthy. There's no 'oh but they sacrifice to do it!' about it. Wealthy doesn't have to mean rolling around in cash - but it simply means well off/better off than most average folk/plenty of cash spare after bills. Your average Joe and Joanne couldn't ever dream of affording private school, even if they never went on holiday and sold their left kidney.

OP you really should get your friends to start a thread to give advice on how to live off £450 a month… I would love to hear how a family can pay house costs, bills, food, transport etc

Average pay in 2023 was 35k.

Average boarding fees were 37k so average salary doesn't even cover one child at boarding school,

Average day fees are 21k.

Someone on the average salary might be able to send one child to private day school if they already own their own house etc but they can't afford two.

That is above average although I was expecting you to come out with £100k or something!

Just waiting for the posts which tell people that if they ate less avocado toast they too can send their children to private school.

And so could he afford the fees if he had a standard 10% deposit (like most people!) and the rest on a mortgage?

No? Thought not.

What utter tosh.