AIBU to reconsider a long friendship over support for education tax?

[CoconutRumcake]

A close friend of over 15 years last night unashamedly said she supported the children’s education tax. To put this in context, she is godmother to my ds and has seen first hand what damage this has done to children and families as well as her own sister losing her job when the school closed. She had maybe drank too much and has apologised over text this morning, but I really can’t shake the feeling that I don’t want to be around her.
AIBU -try and move past it
YANBU -it’s run it’s time

This. It’s not an “education tax” 🤣. It’s the removal of fake charity status which was a tax dodge. She’s also entitled to her opinion. The world doesn’t revolve around you and your families education preference

It's a real wake-up call, isn't it?

One of the "opportunities" offered was a cruise in the Caribbean for girls from 4th form upwards. It cost more than my family's monthly income. And the annual school skiing trip was almost as bad.

I was never bullied, but my peers were astonished that we didn't have a phone at home; I think I might have been the only one in my year that didn't have a phone. I never dared admit that we'd lived in a flat with an outdoor toilet and no bathroom until a few months earlier when the council rehoused us!

We pay circa £90k income tax annually to help fund schooling and 3 kids at independent schools saved £24k year for the tax payer in state schooling. Other than that I don’t spend much time thinking about it, I think I do my bit although seemingly it’s not enough for those who simply live off the tax payer.

Actually I send my kids to private school and could afford the 20% hike and I'm not bitching about it. I think it was a reasonable decision to close that loophole and I sucked it up. If your private school closed, why don't you just send them to another private one? I have no issue with private school and I believe the VAT decision was a fair one. Private schools are businesses at the end of the day. If they don't operate accordingly, they go out of business as your school did. Plenty of other private schools around - or can you not afford them and that's why you are bitching so much?

You're saying the same thing, private schools were exempt from the 20% VAT on the guise that they were like charitable organizations and this exemption has now been removed. You're making it sound like there's new tax created for private schools, there isn't, it's the same 20% VAT which for a while now private schools were exempt.

And yes there's reason to question why private schools skills were exempt, they are for profit and not charitable organizations.

Aren’t you please that you got the opportunity? Wouldn’t you want other children to also get similar opportunities?

Oh OP, sorry you’re not as well off as you thought you were.

If the household finances can’t suck up an uplift on a non-essential that’s a you problem.

Where do you get this from? It has nothing to do with charitable status. Children’s education has always been tax free, now it’s not. It’s just a fact.

You understand, OP is just being emotional and trying to spin it. You're referring to the same thing the removal of the VAT exemption for private school tuition fees.

Private schools were exempt from VAT because in the EU it is unlawful to add VAT to education. Of course with Brexit anything is allowed now 😣

Haven't read the whole thread, Didn't you post the exact thing just a few weeks ago? If you don't want to be friends with someone don't. I think she may well be relieved....

The schools don't have to charge the parents VAT.

Why were private schools exempt from VAT? Do your research and come back to explain to us

Thanks for the links. I see that @CoconutRumcake has name changed from GigglyOrange

I read the link that the OP posted and it states very clearly that local authority maintained schools, city technology colleges, sixth form colleges, academies and free schools are outside the scope of VAT. So, I don't know why she keeps insisting that it is a children's education tax.

It is purely and simply a tax on private education, which affects around 7% of children, not all children.

TBH VAT on private education and private education in general is not a hill I would die on to lose a friendship. I am a grown up and accept that other people hold different view from me.

No you mean rightist loon, the left don't agree with private education.

I think you’ll find a lot of people in the UK have the same view as your “ex” friend. Maybe your circle is very small and all in the same boat and all think the same - calling everyone who has a different option thick is well…. I can’t think of the right word here.

if you were a net tax payer, you’d understand

Is your argument that you pay a lot of income tax, so you should be exempt from VAT?

Unfortunately the results of that type of mentality are evident across the country, it’s quite sad.

the type of mentality that understands that it’s ’might have’ not ‘might of’? That isn’t even a typo, it’s a complete ignorance of the English language. One can learn that at state school.

If you find someone you get along with who you genuinely share every belief with then you would be a rare and lucky person imo. Most relationships like that are either in the honeymoon period, or lovebombing, or someone is either a doormat or a good diplomat.
Deciding not to talk about it is the way to go. Agree to disagree and move on. Of course if she insists on talking about it that's different and you should drift apart.

Household income of ~£300k? You could still afford private school if you wanted to. Consider downsizing or dropping a holiday.

I absolutely am a net taxpayer, don’t know where you got the idea I wasn’t. Also have a child in the house that attends a fee paying school. So by your own metrics, I’m pretty well-placed on this topic.

Oh dear. True colours showing and all that. Or more dropped in deliberately provocative opinions.
Well it worked. I engaged for over half an hour with the sun shining outside. Me bad.
They're good. MN, give them a bonus😂

Assuming you’re not taking this piss, this unthinking sub-Thatcherite tunnel vision nonsense is exactly the problem. The world exists outside of what suits you.

Children’s education has always been tax free, now it’s not. It’s just a fact.

@CoconutRumcake stop spouting bollocks. Approximately 93% of children's education is tax free.

And if you are paying £90k a year in tax any sympathy anyone might have had for you will be completely lost. You seem to be incredibly tone deaf and are completely lacking in social awareness.

You need to step out of your extremely privileged bubble.

And, it is might HAVE not might of.