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…

Except it doesn't show that at all.

I think we largely agree on the "what", just not about the "how". Of course, I don't think VAT on private school fees will be the solution to everything - not by a long stretch. But personally, I think it has its place as one part of a much bigger programme of change that needs to happen. As you say, time will tell.

These debates always end up focussing on children with additional needs- but this is not the MAJORITY of children in private schools who could be educated perfectly well in state provision and who the proposals are intended for.

Yes it does. She supports current private school parents being subject to VAT. But isn't willing to make a voluntary tax payment to cover the tax she would have paid for her own privately-educated children.

Lack of clear thinking too.

Well tbh, a lot of work is online these days and even in my day we used a lot library texts (because course books were extremely expensive) or sometimes second or third hand copies.

How did you come to that conclusion? Because I didn’t pay vat when it was not chargeable? Like every other private school parent since private schools began? What does that have to do with anything at all?

It's not about just being 'revenue raising' though. Enough revenue has to be raised in order to actually improve state schools. If it's only a few million example it won't be enough.

Also thinking more broadly, the reason people are anti any form of private education is because it broadens the gap between the have and have nots.

However the state school system doesn't prevent this anyway... As schools are based on catchment. Many parents buy up housing in naice areas close to good schools. That don't have any of the erm 'poors' anyway because they can't afford to live there.

What's the actual aim here?

If we're saying that well, there's a demographic of parents willing to pay, and how can we channel that money to benefit all students, there might be better ways. Maybe have 'part-private' schools where government money is supplemented by parental contribution.

A lot of other countries like Finland and France do this, so you don't have a lot of 'solely for profit no government money ' private schools

You haven’t asked me my view on nursery, university etc fees.

@Janedoe82

"15% won’t switch. Do you know many private school parents?"

The truth is neither you nor I know how many will switch until after 3 or 4 years.

There is another thread currently running by private school parents on how many pupils have switched to state.

What seems to be the trend is that whilst very few pupils will switch going into say Year 11 or into Year 13, however there is around 20 to 25% reduction going into Year 7 which of course represents a 20 to 25% ongoing reduction across future years.

Out of interest would you still support VAT on private school fees even if it cost more to implement than it raised (ie negative tax revenue)?

Yes, this. It's being widely commented on that reception classes are seeing far fewer new starters, for example. Anecdotally, we've gone from two reception classes to one in our small prep this year and we have a big nursery, so that's a class worth of parents who have decided not to continue in the independent sector.

Had VAT been chargeable when my children were at private schools I would have found the money to keep them there- as will happen now.
If they had not yet started it would have boiled down to if I could afford it. I certainly wouldn’t being going to court demanding I shouldn’t have to pay VAT

They WANT a dumb society as it's much easier to govern.
What would happen with the economy is another question, but perhaps we don't need high skills based economy anymore? 🤔

She supports existing private parents paying tax.
She said that she would pay the tax if she was an existing private parent.
There is no suggestion of it being regressively applied.
She is no longer a private parent.
(This all seems fairly obvious).

Edit - apparently is still a private parent and happy to pay (sorry for assuming).

You figure out whether something is good or bad policy by considering all the consequences, not only the consequences you want.

This is a bad policy.

You don't heavily weigh discussion toward a minority group though.

Actually, I am feeling positive.

The chances of Labour running rough-shod over pensioners, parents, children, and whoever else they come for on 30th October (as a ‘highly paid’ couple, you may prove less of a Labour flag-bearer after the budget), is diminishing.

You are welcome.

Suggesting going to university as the only way not to be 'dumb' says a lot really. 😔

And why has everyone assumed I am not continuing to pay school fees so will also be subject to VAT? Honestly, this is just people being cross that there is a private school parent on here who does not object to the imposition of vat on private school fees, doesn’t feel her human rights are in anyway infringed, and has a professionally honed opinion that the litigation will not succeed. It might. Let’s come back when the answer to that is known.

Private school parents, private school children, definitely not ALL of either.

Sorry, I assumed too, but have agreed with your overall points.

You responded to the content of a post by me, which was about my specific scenario, but you didn't respond to the specific scenario but instead responded to the content of the post. Which content was the scenario. But you definitely didn't respond to that scenario!

I'm sure that made sense in your own mind. And given I am not sure your mind has much more to offer me, I'll now leave you to your own chronic lastworditis.

@GoldenCat

"What is the actual aim here?"

Well there are two types of left wing politicians and voters.

Those that want to help and improve the position of the disadvantaged and less well off in society. These people tend to be the considered and quieter ones.

And those that dislike and want to make worse off the advantaged and well off in society. These people tend to be the angry vocal ones.

To be fair, the majority voted for brexit, so IN MY VIEW, we are already achieving the requisite level of dumb.

Nope. I made a general comment in relation to DLA. I know nothing about you, nor want to.