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.

But that would people in their place like Labour want. Personally I'd go with the dog tax.

I think its probably more a case of their children might go to university, whereas they don't go to private school. As know too well Labour supporters only like to spend other peoples money.

I’m so sick of this whining. I say that as someone who was forced to pay £14K for private surgery last year, or wait housebound for three years for the same operation by the same surgeon on the NHS.

The country is on its arse. Money has to be raised from somewhere. Taxes have got to rise. We’ve just got to suck it up.

It was never £2B from education tax. Here are Treasury figures and as 3-4% have already left you can see we are already under 1B. Plus the figures don't take into account the cost to the state of now education those 16K pupils

We are all going to be paying when reform get in.

Yes but taxing food when people already can’t afford to feed themselves is not the way to go about it.

How long did it take until the LEA agreed to pay for specialist private? If mainstream private would have been the most appropriate setting - as it is for so many ASD kids - would the LEA have paid for that? How long would that have taken? What would you have done in the interim?

Mainstream was never an option. My children can only cope in specialist settings. EHCP took about 7 months in total.

Food should be subject to VAT and benefits should increased accordingly. Zero rating food is handing a tax cut to the wealthy. It’s a very poorly targeted tax exemption.

Actually I think something like a dog tax would be a great idea. Pets are the definition of “non-essential”, so easy to avoid the tax if you don’t want to pay or can’t afford the tax.

No we need to cut spending.
I manage a multi million budget. If I run over budget I can't ask for more money, I have to make cuts. That's how the real world works.
If I was continously over budget and in deficit I would be sacked.
The UK debt is enormous and Labour are increasing it. They've also increase the cost of servicing that debt.
Rausing taxes over cutting spending is a choice.
Out of work benefits are highest they've ever been.

Exactly.

Do you want to introduce a tax on breathing next?

Essential food items should be zero rated. No issue with increasing / putting VAT on luxury food, but the basics shouldn’t be taxed.

VAT isn't a luxury tax

and yes, my LA pays for those with EHCP who can only cope in a smaller mainstream independent setting if the needs are such, that a big state mainstream school is not suitable. I have a few friends in this situation.

Shussssssh! whispers - Don't give Rachel any ideas!!!!

And when people can no longer feed themselves? Then what?

They'll vote reform and we can put an end to this shit show?

Any of the countries who recently introduce VAT tax food. the UK VAT on food exemptions take the piss. Have you read the Jaffa cakes tax cease? Or the M&S tea cakes? Or the Pringles case? The zero rating of food legislation is a national joke. Far easier to scrap the lot and compensate those who really need the money.

So you want to fuck the country over even more, and end the NHS, to get what you want? Reform will be infinitely worse

I think it's true for a lot of parents choosing private education - keep the plebs away from their PFBs (and later borns). Obviously that isn't the case for those whose children can't cope with 30 in a class and need the attention smaller class sizes can provide. But would people be prepared to pay more tax for smaller classes and more teachers in the state sector? Nope. Thought not.

But it's not the case for private healthcare - people use it because they feel there is no option. And as a pp said, because it's included with their jobs.

Let's just tax the life out of every living soul and business and see how how long we can sustain the welfare bill? That sounds fun.

I'd like a dog tax so that councils can reinstate their dog wardens. The revenue should be ring fenced for that purpose though so councils can't just waste it on other things.

The money is going on things that won't make life better for the people paying the tax. It's hard to justify that beyond a certain point.

When is this budget?! This gov is a shambles. Pretty sure we are going to end up on UC by the end of their term (small business owners).