VAT on school fees (you have to read this!)

[EverythingAllatOnceAllTheTime]

Government’s private schools VAT raid ‘could cost taxpayer £1.8bn’

Parents who are forced out of sector are likely to work less or even quit jobs, according to think tank research.

Adam Smith Institute.

😂

“Judging by the number of threads on the secondary education board asking about private schools I don't think the numbers using them are going to drop much any time soon.“

The penny has not hit home yet that you need an income of above 300k and counting for 2 kids for 10 years. In fact, the Labour Party should be protecting people now and advising they seek a financial advisor before going into private schooling. A bit like people in the private sector should be getting far more pensions advice.

Excellent post

@Araminta1003 fir sure they are droning on and Angela rayner off her nut in an ibiza club last week just showed me how unintelligent and unhinged they are

@Parsley1234 I resist very much the narrative that people choose private schools to keep their children away from the "riff raff", but posts like yours do make it hard..

I dont see that at all, although I suppose people look for positive affirmation towards their natural bias…

@EverythingAllatOnceAllTheTime i know I can’t see what I said that would indicate my bias of exclusion of riffraff unless you believe that Rayner is a great DP choice off her nut in Ibiza while the country is preparing for more drone

Where would be acceptable for her to go on holiday in August?

Maybe painting watercolours somewhere in the South Of France?

Admittedly we're not used to seeing our leaders rubbing their holidays in our faces because they've all been safely out of view on the yachts and private islands of their billionaire school mates.

Woman dances in nightclub = unhinged and off her nut?

@Parsley1234 adult career women enjoys a dance in a club to let off a bit of steam = 'off her nut'. She looked like she was having a bit of fun during a short break from the arduous task of running the country.
As @pintofsnakebite says are there a prescribed list of holiday activities? Do you not like to see women dancing and having a good time? I believe there are some regimes around the world where this is strongly discouraged .... Not values & restrictions i'd personally want to encourage.

Crossed posts @Popcorntv - it is certainly a particular way to see women having a bit of fun.

Hey, I can't afford to go to Ibiza, I think we should ban it. It's only for privileged people who have been given DP jobs. It's not fair, I work just as hard as her.

Bet she paid tax on her flight though

But she spent the rest of her holiday money outside the UK. Not very patriotic, and bad for the domestic tax purse!

And?

You're reaching

@Araminta1003 'there is no real black hole' honestly of all the things written on these threads this is what i most sincerely wish was true.
However, it is not true. Im afraid it it is disingenous to suggest anything other than the state of public finances inherited by the current goverment is very poor. Difficult choices need to be made - we might disagree on what they should be, but we cant continue as we are.

Nah, I'm just pointing out that in general it's ridiculous to have opinions on how other people spend their money, especially post tax money (which is what the VAT is). What Rayner does with her money is none of our business. Likewise, what parents (who choose to pay for education) do, is also none of our business. And where does "privilege" end? Rayner is massively massively privileged, from where I'm sitting, but apparently she's ok but some other amorphous mass of parents are not.

I just hate hate hate that we are becoming a country advocating for fewer choices for everyone (education and otherwise... maybe um holidays), policing what people can and cannot do with the fruits of their labour.

@Parsley1234 'how unintelligent and unhinged they are'. Im not precisely sure who the 'they' you refer to in your eloquent post are and whether i am included as a poster who has highlighted some of the reasons why i agree with policy? Unintelligent i might well be. Unhinged - i'd challenge that. Suggesting people with differing views are stupid or mad is not the height of debate.

No one is policing how you spend your money. Just asking you to pay VAT on it.

The discussion is about whether it should attract VAT or not.

I would be able to afford a Range Rover if it were cheaper. Is my free choice restricted?

Also you're pretty opinionated on Angela Rayner's holiday budget.

Just parroting the types of arguments I hear from people against private education/for VAT

I genuinely do not make judgements about people spending money on private education. Parents make a judgement on what is best for their family in their circumstances. I just think it is a purchase that should incur vat.
When people buy sofas, adult clothes, have their boiler repaired, buy a washing machine, get a laptop for their child's school work they incur VAT. It is not a judgement on these choices it is a sales tax.

To posters who disagree with this policy i would refer you to my earlier post about the distribution of the VAT burden (with links). The poorest income segment in the UK pay over 1/4 of their income in indirect taxes (primarily VAT). For upper income levels it is about 10%. Given this context it is very difficult to see why private education a service purchased mainly by those on upper income levels should remain exempt. This isnt about envy or animosity it is about what is considered fair. I get that others may disagree, but i dont think it is fair that a struggling single mum should pay vat to replace a broken washing machine while a more affluent family should not pay vat on school fees.