To think putting vat on private healthcare when many people use it because the NHS won't treat them is monstrously cruel

[DervlaGlass]

I know so many people who have had to pay for cancer diagnostics or new joints because they couldn't obtain care from the NHS. Not rich people - people who have to take out bank loans to fund it.

What is wrong with labour.

Do you want some vinegar to go with that chip on your shoulder?

Don't be so silly making sweeping generalisations. Most parents with SEN kids in private school are scraping every penny together to send them there because they've been let down badly by mainstream schools. Believe me they would love to not have the constant stress of trying to make sure they have enough to cover the bill so their kids can stay in school.

You clearly don’t know many people who use private schools 🙄

After the private schools VAT it would not surprise me. Let’s not pretend it is not Labour Party politics. If they do not do if because they are up to their neck in shit on their performance so far.

Wes Streeting has said this morning that they are not going to charge VAT on private healthcare.

He is not the Chancellor.

They wouldn’t send the health secretary out to categorically deny something if they weren’t sure. They’d stick with “well I’ll let the chancellor speak for herself” and the classic “I’m not going to write the budget for you here on the news”.

Who pays for private health insurance out of their own pocket? Everyone I know has it as part of their salary and ends up paying tax on a largely useless benefit (every imaginable condition appears to be ‘pre-existing’ so they never seem to payout and you end up
going NHS anyway).

Nor is he a complete idiot who goes around guaranteeing things without any idea

Exactly! It would be pretty fucking perfect if the state wants to educate my child, but they couldn’t suitably safeguard them so we pay for private. And they have the cheek to charge us VAT on that!!!

in my opinion the NHS funding model needs to be binned and we need to use the same system as any other EU country to ensure every member of the UK public gets the excellent healthcare my private provider (paid by my employer) gives me.

I'm pretty sure they would. Did you see the footage of Lisa Mandy doing different TV interviews throughout the morning with different contradicting versions of the message at each as Starmer was trying to decide what immigration policy to follow.

Most kids in private education aren't those with SEN. Also, if the child has an EHCP/attends a special school, the LA will fund the bill. It's not primarily about children with SEN.

I put £400 on a credit card to see a consultant privately because I was referred for an urgent gynae appt in March and I am still waiting. My gp refused to prescribe the medication prescribed as it is a private prescription, so I had to add that to the card. It will take me months and months to pay it off.
The consultant is part of the same team I would see under the nhs anyway.
I was in a terrible state and in pain.
The whole situation is outrageous.

Most people I know pay for private healthcare as they can't take the pain any more, can't cope with not being able see (and therefore not leave the house) or have exhausted the NHS possibilities. Nothing to do with elitism.
There are also people who pay so they take less time off work and can keep their businesses going and keep people employed.

Freedom from pain and working for a living aren't luxuries.

I'm not saying he doesn't believe it. It just don't think he would know. How can he if the Chancellor has no idea what she will do to pay for her spending.

Like that time they sent out the the safeguarding minister to say there'd be no grooming gang enquiry?

You are very lucky that nobody in your family has (yet) faced nhs treatment denial for something serious.

Or when they send nearly everyone out to say the Deputy Prime Minister had the full backing of the PM, or when all the Ministers had to say that the US ambassador had the full backing of the PM. These days a minister saying some categorically won't happen, is pretty much a prediction for the future.

In some countries you wont get medication for obesity because in the majority of cases it can be reversed by changing lifestyle and eating habits

I mean - are you surprised? It’s Labour. What else did you think they would do - they tax, it’s what they do. But you know - give them a chance, they’re different, they’re for the people, they are who the people voted for etc etc etc. 🥴

Tell me you’ve never actually looked at this process without telling me you e never looked at this process. You are LAUGHABLY ill informed on this!!!

Putting VAT on private schools was a silly, ideological thing to do - it hasn't raised much money and it's just caused more resentment. Labour need the wealthy middle class vote. Putting VAT on private health would be similar.

We do need to extend VAT, though - I'd like to see a much higher level VAT on luxury digital services, e.g. Netflix, Amazon, Apple, etc. alongside increased business rates for these companies and a reduction in employer-NI for genuine UK based bricks and mortar companies.

Here's Reeves saying she wouldn't back track on wfa cuts.

https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/reeves-starmer-not-budging-winter-fuel-despite-threatened-labour-rebellion?utm_source=chatgpt.com

It would be very odd for the health minister to be saying this weeks before the budget, if they’re going to introduce it.

That’s unfair. I pay for both because a) I can afford it and b) I felt they were the best options for my both my childrens’ education and also my health when I needed surgery for something which had a long NHS waiting-list.

It doesn’t mean I look down on anyone who can’t afford them.

If this is being considered they’re mad. They’ve lost it pretty much.