Doubts grow over Labour’s VAT plan for private schools

[Blanketyre]

Article in the Observer here:
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/oct/05/doubts-grow-over-labours-vat-plan-for-private-schools

I must say they've gone very quiet on it.

Exactly. The majority of wealthy parents choose state so they should be contributing if we are basing the VAT policy on wealth

State school parents with children not on free school meals could pay 20% of £7000 towards their local school and the system would be rolling in money. An immediate cash boost of £20 billion?….nah just tax the parents who don’t use the state system.

The parents do make financial donations as do the grandparents. It's an old school in a village, so grandparents actually attended as did parents, there's a great fondness. Grandparents built sheds, laid grass, dug flowerbeds and a pond. All gone now because the education authority flogged it off to developers who built flats and leased some for a co-op.

The new housing estates don't have that history yet so we don't see them donating, there's no emotional connection.

You should be careful, if Bridget is reading this …you’ll be getting a 20% tax on those donations going forwards. It sounds like the last thing that would help this school would be the local prep closing and 150 children all joining next year.

I’m not sure giving money to a state school is that easy.
Our kids went to our lovely village primary before going to a private secondary.
We wanted to give the school some money at the end of our time there, but the headteacher said it would just be taken by the county’s school funds and wouldn’t go to them directly which was a shame.

Daft system. Paying for you child’s education should be encouraged not discouraged.

Darling, you don't really expect us all to believe that the vast majority of indie parents choose private school for their kids only because they are selflessly avoiding burdening the state, do you?

As if it isn't, in the vast majority of cases, about buying or perpetuating privilege. There's nothing intrinsically wrong with that; just own it and I for one would respect you more.

Saving the taxpayer money by not using the state system is not the reason parents choose private school, but the fact of the matter is that it does save the taxpayer money.

As if it isn't, in the vast majority of cases, about buying or perpetuating privilege.

Or just trying to give their children the same great education that a few lucky people can access via the state by reason of their postcode. In some areas of the country, the only option to access a wide variety of subjects, great sports offerings or an academically challenging school is to pay for it. Some families can access that through the state, but very many can’t.

I used to pay £100 per child voluntarily to the school actually and I think a fair few parents did donate

Not every parent is invested in their child's education, and yet every child has the right to that education. Including yours.

Hard disagree about encouragement to pay for education in local state school, eg by paying for new bus or whatever. That is what happens in US colleges and it ends up with a system of corruption where parents pay for their child to gain a place they haven't earned on merit, or to avoid an exclusion or to get graded higher.

The money must come from taxation and not direct donations that could end up buying favour.

That was per month so over £1K per child per year at least you know it’s going to the school then

Heavens. was that per week or per term? Or per year?

Per month

cross post. Good for you. Did that go direct to the school? didnthey have to divert it to a local authority pot? did you have a say about where it went?

Yes direct to school. There was an option called ‘school fund’ on parent pay and everything donated on there went directly to your child’s class facilities and supported school trips for those that couldn’t afford it

Of course not, it’s obviously parents choosing the best education options for their children. Otherwise they’d just bundle them in the nearest state. Nether the less, it does also ‘unburden’ the state, so win win.

I meant education across the board, it shouldn’t be discouraged by taxation or bureaucracy.

We give to my son’s state school via a monthly direct debit. The money definitely stays with them. They also set up funds to pay for specific projects. So, for example,
the sixth form block, new sports hall and a mini bus have all been funded by parental donations and donations from former pupils.

Really, those donations should be taxed and the tax given to other schools where your children don’t go. This is because of reasons

No, we do gift aid so the school claims tax back on it and gets more money! However, I know what you mean as I also have a DC at a private school!

It all sounds entirely too sensible, I’m sure Phillipson or Reeves will want to work their magic on this eventually.

When people don’t have a strong argument they revert to insulting the other person like calling them ‘Darling’ in a condescending way.

You might feel superior for a brief moment, but everyone reading your post is thinking there goes someone of weak character that rather than put a logical argument forward is getting their kicks out of being insulting.

Despite this post it does actually take some state burden away

That’s why a few other countries do rebates and we’re now the outlier taxing education

Giving money to state schools is a good thing.

I’m struggling to understand the logic though. A state school parent can give a school money, to help improve that school. They are not taxed on that. In fact they can claim tax relief on that amount, if they are higher rate taxpayers. Multi millionaires can claim relief. Any money a private school parent pays to their school will be hit with a 20% tax charge though. So the government are ok with money being paid to improve some schools and put towards things like sports facilities, annd encourage that, but yet are now telling private schools and parents that they have to pay tax and should cut back on their sports facilities.

Thank you @WowSpeechless and as @Another76543 @EasternStandard and @Mrsbabbecho have pointed out - my motivation (which was actually to do with a pretty awful experience at state which I'm not going into) has nothing to do with the fact of the matter that I am not burdening the state. Dress it up however you like and it still results in the same consequence. But don't worry, I am definitely burdening the state for secondary if that makes you feel better.