IT’S NOT A TAX BREAK! Education settings are exempt!

[LaceyLou82]

Fed up of Labour calling the VAT on fees a tax break! Ideologically this is so very unsound, we are talking about providing an education here.

Education is not taxed for a reason, in this country it should be a fundamental right.

As a nation vs the global competition we have this is totally a backwards step.

He could put 10p on income tax and raise billions!!! Foolish policy.

Such a misconception about Private School parents. This is an unfair policy.

The ad hominem attacks are pretty flimsy really, and demonstrate a lack of critical thinking.

They wont apply the VAT rate to SEND schools, mainly because the majority are run by charities and are exempt regardless. And local authorities fund specialist SEND placements, not parents, so it's moot anyway. The SEND thing is just something fee-paying parents like to whack out to try and justify them boosting their own children up to the disadvantage of children from low income charities.

No, it’s got nothing to do with charitable status. VAT is entirely separate. Around half of private schools aren’t charities.

Starmer is a barrister and was director of Public Prosecutions I suspect he knows his way round the legalities.

VAT is not a luxury tax. Cake and caviar aren’t subject to VAT for example. Our energy bills and toilet paper are, however.

He seemed to think that removing charitable status would mean that the VAT status would change until a few months ago when he dropped the policy.

They only ever intended to remove the VAT and business rates perks, saying charitable status was used more as shorthand for the policy.

How many y private schools have you been round recently?

It isn't just the 7%. There are plenty who disagree.

It really wasn’t. It’s quite clear they had no idea what charitable status entailed. Half of schools don’t even have charitable status. They’re backtracking because they don’t want to admit that they didn’t understand the position of charitable status and private schools.

Well, self employed fee paying parents could always reduce their prices and send their kids to a free, state school??

He hasn’t got a clue. Tax lawyers are clever.

Education is absolutely a fundamental right… private education is not.

Education is a right but not everyone has the same right of access to private education. If we all had the same access/right then fair enough but we don’t and therefore private education is a privilege and not a right.

Fees are not £15k you can’t get secondary education for £15k anywhere I know of.

also I have two kids in private school so it’s not a matter of finding an extra £250 a month sadly.

Am really thinking we need MNHQ to provide a separate thread for all the Private school parents, so I can hide it.

Another thread, another day, same people special pleading that we protect their privilege, or else.

If people haven't seen this, there are one or two threads in another section where private school parents have encouraged each other to apply for state places, even if they don't need them, in order to cause extra pressure on the system.

On another, we are asked to please understand that someone who is currently spending over 43k on the education of two children, just simply won't be able to find 500 flex in their budget to cover this raise, they even give the budget, 2,500 for bills/everything (not a lot in London) else after mortgage and school fees, plus 500 to save.

There is the cautionary tale of the family of two doctors, with 4 children, who are living in a very modest house with the children sharing rooms, whilst they spend nearly half a million quid on their high school education, because they value education highly, like migrant families apparently.

These people and many others in the private system just couldn't possibly afford the VAT increase of 15% ( which is what the IFS predict it will be). There is no flex in the budgets for these very ordinary folk on middle incomes who are making huge sacrifices ( because they value education you see).

Then there are the threats on other threads, there will be a mass migration that will swamp state schools and undermine the education of every other child ( this won't happen to any extent). They will buy up houses in the best catchment areas and this will mean poorer children won't get to go the best school's cause the prices in will have been driven up ( won't happen, they live in these areas anyway). They will reduce their hours and pay less income tax ( fine, whatever floats your boat, but that impact will be minor, someone else will do the work you aren't taking on). They will leave the country ( don't let the door hit you on the way out, but most people wildly over estimate their geographic mobility of Labour and the ease at which this can be done).

And on and on it goes, thread after thread, day after day, it IS fun to debate them, but sometimes they get rather nasty and start personal attacks.

I suppose people could hide the thread if it bothers them so much?

This is a public forum. People can post what they want (within reason).

If you were foolish enough to sign your kids up to private school when you couldn’t comfortably afford it then more fool you, VAT is a tax on luxury goods and services, I don’t want to pay more tax so you can benefit from private education when state education is available.

@SoupChicken

"If you were foolish enough to sign your kids up to private school when you couldn’t comfortably afford it then more fool you."

No, no, no. Don't you see? They are virtuous, they pay tax and save the government money by not educating their children at the state school, so therefore they need these special privileges. The reason for this is of course is that they are very pious, striving to be able to afford these thing by making huge sacrifices ( of course implying that the rest of us could do this and are not).

Don't get me started on the number that are able to afford private education for multiple children but live in terrible areas with sink schools.

Some statistics to back up these statements would be good, they don’t match up to my experience teaching in state and private schools and with many friends and family members also in both.

Suck it up buttercups, the rest of us do not care.

Fees at two highly regarded schools near me. Excellent exam
results etc.

A colleague of mine once said to me "are you happy with xxx school for your son? I mean he's not going to be a captain of industry if he goes there. He won't make any connections or get in with the right people."

Not sure what incredible connections she was going to get by sending her son to one of the lesser known private schools but that was exactly her thinking.

I just thought she was an insufferable snob.

This. I just don't fucking care. Maybe when your kids have to go to state schools you can use all your mid management skills to campaign for more funding for state schools so your kids don't have to suffer any more than they need to.