How soon might a Labour Government put 20% VAT tax on private school fees?

[jennylamb1]

That really. Given that an election date has been declared for July, how soon might a Labour Government set their first budget?

@Underparmummy "I do not recognise that last sentence at all. I have seen them be 100% (many Ukrainians but also UK families). Normally they are linked to a 'talent' of some sort."

The last time I checked, I think that around 2% of private school pupils received 100% bursaries.

It’s a good school with a large catchment with a very mixed socioeconomic demographic. Small sixth form as most Yr 11 leavers go to sixth form colleges (many for vocational subjects) and apprenticeships.

As an in year applicant, it was what was available, everywhere else was full with waiting lists that we’d be at the bottom of.

I don’t dislike private schools, I just think they should be treated like the businesses that they actually are.

Edit: I’ll also add that it’s a school that appears on the contextual lists for university admissions.

@hamsterno1 "@Barbadossunset by most people's standards, I am both rich and posh.

I just have a problem with people claiming altruism and social inclusion where there is none."

Me too.

I didn’t say you were criticising my choice, I asked what you would do. Let me reframe that; what would you do if your DC were failed by your local state school and you had to move your DC to a private school but could no longer the fees due to this policy. What would you do?

Going back to the original question of how soon labour might add VAT to school fees, I think that they would not do it until September 2025. This would give parents who can't afford the increase time to get out. It is too late for September 2024 to leave and moving kids mid-year is very difficult. Some people really won't be able to afford the increase and they would need time to get an exit plan together. A state school in a good area or a cheaper private school.
It is an interesting question whether the expensive private schools for the very rich will receive no impact. It is possible that some people at the more expensive private schools might move to the cheaper private schools.
Also for all those London parents on here-there is an increasing population of students in all years where I live. Not everyone lives in London!

The prep school in our village does fuck all. It even has its own Beavers and Cubs group in their 'forest school' so the children don't have to mix with the locals in the scout hut.

Hamster there are plenty of posts on mn saying how awful, entitled, snobbish etc private school children are and under no circumstances do they want their children mixing with these awful kids. Maybe parents in your village feel the same about about the private school cubs and beavers.

Labour have made a firm commitment to get on with it as soon as possible - think we may see a mid year emergency fee rise, so if you can’t afford to gamble, apply for a state place now.

don’t either I can’t see any hope this isn’t going to be slapped in by mid September for all years with immediate effect.

It’s one of their 6 key first things pledges - do not stick your head in the sand if this affects your family.

It's an interesting narrative, isn't it? All people who are not in favour of private schools live in the catchments of superb, leafy state schools, and all private school supporters live in the catchments of failing, sink comprehensives. Funny, that!

Yes, and a lot of this is just about playing the system, and that system changing.

Everyone who can, and cares about their children's education, will do everything they can.

So those people who opted for state but chose a more expensive house in a good catchment have been shafted by rising mortgage rates and fuel prices.

Those people who opted to private, could now be shafted by this VAT rise.

Those people who paid £100k in school fees only to find it doesn't give them an advantage for Oxbridge claim unfair discrimination.

Each one will think their own situation and change in circumstances is unfair.

A large council is planning on preparing as many state schools as possible for extra admissions for April 2025 (ie summer term onwards).

Which one?

It is, isn’t it?

We are not in a grammar area (deliberate choice) so our academy works hard to cater for as many students of different aptitudes and abilities as possible.

@SabrinaThwaite I thought people from Grange Spinny usually went to the Cathedral School?🤣

Kent

Alas, my lips are sealed ...

Not true, I live in an area which has one of the best state schools in the whole country😀

Same as if you child was being failed by a state school and you couldn’t afford private education at all. Like thousands of parents under this government.

That’s not true at all. No grammars here. A couple of very large state schools, one of which I went to. Quite rough, struggling because of the Government slashing funding to the bone. I am hugely in favour of this policy.

hamsterno1 · Today 12:17
@Barbadossunset by most people's standards, I am both rich and posh.

I’m poor and common. A pity, but there we are.

It has made me change my vote (and my husband, and all of our family, extended family etc). Already made poorer by the tories, now even poorer with Labour 🤷‍♀️. My DSD suffered mental health issues at her state school and left by mutual consent - and no alternative schools have availability - so we will have to find the 5k 🤷‍♀️. Sucks if they do it but they already lost us by saying they will do it.

@Ppejfhfhrhhfhf I wasn't being entirely serious-it's just that's how it looks on here sometimes!

You live in one of the most developed countries in the world. The only excuse to be poor here is if you have a serious illness or looking after a family member who has a disability.

@WorkingMumLDN "You live in one of the most developed countries in the world. The only excuse to be poor here is if you have a serious illness or looking after a family member who has a disability."

Oops-I think you said the quiet bit out loud. And I think you forgot that many people with serious illnesses can also work. I think you might need to go back to the office for reprogramming.

It seems strange, and more than a little distasteful, to come on to a thread where many parents of kids with SN have shared concerns and difficulties with mockery based on stereotypes which clearly have nothing to do with that real life situation.
if you must find targets for your less pleasant instincts, can I gently suggest that this particular group is not the best choice.