VAT on school fees - High Court Challenge.

[EverythingAllatOnceAllTheTime]

Labour’s plan to impose VAT on private school fees in January faces a High Court legal challenge over claims it breaches human rights law.

Lawyers have written to HM Treasury arguing the policy discriminates against special needs children and has threatened court action if it is not dropped.

Showtime…

If you think education for our Sen kids is a luxury then you have a very twisted opinion on the world and there is no helping you.

Nobody wants you to apologise or feel guilty, simply to recognise that private education is a luxury and that luxury needs to be taxed accordingly. People have different reasons for wanting private education but none of those reasons make it no longer a luxury.

Human rights my arse. Anything can be challenged in the courts and if you pay enough you'll always find a lawyer who will do the work.

Well, yes, lots of parents do have to spend a lot of time advocating for their children. I understand how difficult that is, and I sympathise. But I am concerned about the children who don't have parents that are able to advocate for them.

To be clear, I'm not demanding that you should put in hours of unpaid work to fight for the needs of children other than your own. I'm merely saying that, if you expect anyone to take this seriously as a human rights issue, then you cannot only focus on the "human rights" of children from wealthy families. Human rights, by their very definition, apply equally to all.

And yet you weren’t calling for the imposition of VAT when you own children were in PS?

Why was that?

I have reported your post. Whilst I understand that this topic illicit strong opinions to suggest that the child in this case mental health issues have been caused by her parent is absolutely disgraceful.

As a PP has said EHCP are routinely turned down forcing parents to tribunal where the success rate is over 90%

PIP applications are also routinely turned down - are you suggesting that this is because all
the claimants are ‘making it up’ too or do you think their might be something wrong with the system itself

Nice try.
Private education is a luxury, regardless of why you choose to use it, simply because it isn't an option open to every person. There are many SEN who don't have the luxury of accessing private education.

It wasn’t a luxury! It was a necessity! When the state system provides for ALL children, then yes call it a luxury!

Perhaps because it wasn't about to become actual policy then?

VAT stands for Value Added Tax. It is not a tax on luxuries. Just because a tax exempts essentials, doesn't mean it's a tax on luxuries (it has lots of anomalies too - Jaffa Cakes have no VAT).

Things that are seen as essential but are otherwise value added are zero rated not exempt - education, print books (not e-books), healthcare... and there are no other large economies with VAT on education as far as I know.

Errm... why did you not used the money you spent on your darlings' PS to buy loads of piss-pots for those poor families if you care that much? 🤔

"Better than thou" attitudes are not physically repulsive but still...

Private education is a luxury.
It is a luxury because it is an option open only to those who can afford it, regardless of how much it would benefit their child.

Absolutely. No issue with this.
What I do object to is people with children who don’t have GENUINE special needs (and I have met many in my time with kids at private school claiming all sorts) thinking they should be exempt from VAT.

Absolutely, the whole country must be held accountable for this, and those with the broadest shoulders (I include myself in this) must pay more tax into the system so that the needs of all children can be adequately met. VAT on private school fees is one tiny part of that jigsaw but other taxes need to be raised as well. I hope that the Labour government will find the courage to do this.

Actually I always said I didn’t particularly understand why vat was not chargeable, and that I would support its introduction. This conversation has been going on politically for many years, you know. But no I didn’t start a petition demanding it. Much as I would be bird happy for my income tax to be raised to help public services out of the hole the Conservative Party has dropped them into, but am not calling for a 70% tax rate either.

neither very difficult to understand. Except perhaps for you?

Look, regardless of opinions on privilege, fairness, etc - VAT on private education is only useful if it actually raises enough money to improve state schools!

There's lots of analysis showing that it will, in fact cost the taxpayers money. Here's an example.
https://www.taxpayersalliance.com/analysisvatonprivateschoolscouldendupcostingtaxpayers

People arguing that something 'should' be taxes just because it's a luxury are ignoring the fact that most others don't cost the government money. If a Gucci handbag is too expensive, people just won't buy one. They don't need to provide another handbag.

All these parents are actually saving the state sector money with private education. This is a fact, not emotion.

See I have a son, without SEN, who attended his local maintained state school. He had a great time and just left with excellent GCSEs. It was ofsted good and sits about national average

I feel so privileged to have this available to me without spending a penny.

I am not the one objecting to paying VAT?
I also am very well aware that my own children were extremely privileged to have been afforded a private education and I certainly would not expect special treatment to fund what was my choice!! That is the issue. The expectation that money that could be going to help actual children in need isn’t there because wealthy parents are objecting to paying VAT on a luxury item.

Thank you it’s been a long road and st the moment I’m feeling a bit emotional about it all, we never thought we’d be in this position.

leep going, keep fighting, good things will happen.

Try living in Kent with an SEN child and then tell me you're choosing for your child not to be state educated.

www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/amp/kcc-misses-targets-for-key-services-as-complaints-rise-299605/

It is obvious that their strategy is to manage SEN out of the state system and into private provision in the neighbouring counties (or no provision) while the state schools (including most of England's remaining grammars) keep those Outstanding designations. It will be interesting to see what difference the change to Ofsted might make.

Everyone in the UK should have access to education, so in that regard you're not privileged.
We all have privilege in some ways though, and need to recognise that.

Private schools will continue to exist regardless of this policy. Parents will still use them. There won’t be this mass influx to the state system 🙄.
Because at the end of the day- most private school parents don’t want their kids mixing with poorer kids in stage schools!! It is the elephant in the room but never the less it is there!! Everyone is just to polite to admit it!!

We started off in state (as did many in my DD's cohort) so I have no issue mixing with "poorer kids" - people always assume some sort of huge snobbery! I grew up in poverty so I'd be an even bigger hypocrite!

Because it's not about children with SEN for these people. They're just a convenient excuse.

You are wrong. In state schools we are already seeing doubled numbers from private at key entry points.

Probably only in areas with high population, but it's happening.