Allow a play date where mum unapologetically supports children’s education tax

[GigglyOrange]

Just this really, our local independent prep school closed due to the education tax earlier this year and has caused absolute chaos for lots of families, including my own. My dd (6) has been invited for a play date with a girl she seems very friendly with and who seems very sweet, but I’ve since found out from another parent that the mum is an ‘unapologetic education taxer’. My instinct is to cancel the play date, AIBU?

I'll disagree with you and just add that I think that statement is often true for those staying in the state sector.

After that last comment I’m hoping it is.

Im out
Except to say

OP if you don’t really know this parent, which it seems you don’t, you shouldn’t leave your child with them
Always get to know the adults who you leave them with for a play date

No guarantee but odds are better.

How did you get that from the comments?!!! YABVU

Nigel Farage was a parent at one of ours
so
Enough said 😵‍💫

I know one isn't allowed to troll hunt so I expect my post will be deleted.

Well done OP - you've kept this up well.

So just checking, YOU are personally taxed? You have tax that you pay directly as a customer of a private school business? You are billed for tx by HMRC?

OR does the school charge fees, have to pay tax on those fees and pass that cost to you the business customer?

Yes and some people didn’t get on with it and lost their houses. Same is happening with schools. The bond market spooking was a bungle, not a deliberate act to hurt a proportion of the population.

Can you explain what you meant about alcohol abuse and smoking being likely in the home of your daughter’s friend’s parent?

And I imagine Rupert Lowe's parents were just as lovely as he is, when they sent him to the Dragon School then Radley.
I expect his schools are very proud...

Can I just say that YES the view is that education benefits ALL of society. Therefore there was a move away from depending on charities to provide that and a move towards state mandated availablity of education for everyone not just those deemed worthy by charities.

Private schools benefit the children who attend only, the money they make come from the families of those children, they provide a service, paid for and befitted from by only the service users. That's a business, not a charity.

The private school tax is not a deliberate attempt to hurt a subsection of the population. It’s an attempt to make things fairer for the majority of kids (over 90%) who don’t attend private schools.

When ours were at indi we paid the tax portion into a different account of the school who passed it onto HMRC.

Up until 2025 your children and mine also had the option of tax free non tax payer funded education

This is nonsense. Up to 2025, the vast majority of parents couldn't afford 'tax free non tax payer funded education' aka private education. All that's happened is that more parents now can't afford it.

Can you give me the highlights on how it does that ?

So the school billed you for services, had you pay that services in 2 separate portions then paid their business tax on your payment to HMRC. The business was charged business tax on the money you paid them to use the service the provided you. That's not you being taxed.

You really think the government thought “who should we upset today”….main character syndrome much?

Sure. But first, tell me what you meant by your alcohol abuse comment.

They still had the right. Agree with you more can’t afford it now and will be tax payer funded. I think that was the aim for some reason.

What did I comment?

Good God. What does the OP think the consequences of Inviting such a child would be on a play date? Does she think the mum would have a Damascene reconsideration of her tax policy perspective if her daughter was a pariah?

I prefer dry wine over sweet but my neighbour likes gin and supports NASA. Should we still allow them to participate in the community charity boot sale???

YABU everyone supports NASA
YANBU dry wine no cake for them

In response to @Sooose’s comment, do you not remember you said:
Well exactly, also I would imagine that alcohol abuse/smoking would be likely in the home.

You said in your OP that your DD is 6.

This VAT change came in last year. 1st Jan 2025.

So in that time the school has closed, DD is now at a state school etc ?

When did the school close ?

No I think they had quite a clear list already prepared, generally people who don’t vote Labour. I haven’t seen the full list but I think it was:
Privately educated children
Pensioners
Farmers
’rich’ people
business owners
landlords
people using salary sacrifice
drivers
people who want a job