Nope to labour

[Mrsdeehoang]

I was considering voting for Labour, but their manifesto proposal to change the VAT on private education has made me reconsider. I'm not financially well-off, just about managing, and I took on two jobs to afford the fees for my son’s private grammar school. Despite our efforts, he couldn’t get a place in any of the five local state schools due to oversubscription, and our appeal was unsuccessful. We were instead assigned a school outside our area with a poor Ofsted report. Faced with this choice, I opted to work harder to provide him with a better education privately. The proposed VAT changes would make it even harder for families like mine to manage.

For me, Labour doesn’t seem to understand that not everyone who sends their children to private school is wealthy. I don’t like the Tories either, but I would rather vote for them than for Labour.

So move them to a state school - problem solved - you are paying VAT on a CHOICE

Depends where they are.

In my area and last local authority, they were all packed to the rafters.

Its not so simple as moving them. But you know that.

Yup - I don't have cancer, type 1 diabetes, care needs, dementia, etc but my taxes pay to care for people who do - so meh!

Every school - so when you applied what did they offer you?

You would have a lot more money overall if labour were in power and possibly wouldn’t even have to send your children to private school to get a decent education. Maybe look at the bigger picture

Fuck all, for two years.

All schools said no. Every single one of them

Does that shock you? It shouldn't - plenty of us have been talking about this for YEARS

Yep! All schools in my catchment (4) have no spaces. The council would have to put on transport at their cost to send my kids to another town.

Some areas of the country and over subscribed and private schools are a necessity.

Yawn, yet another example of selfish voting when this country right now is sinking deeper. But just worry about your fees, why don’t you, fuck healthcare, social care, state education, the elderly, the poor, if they don’t affect you never mind eh?

And the CME team? What did they suggest - unless you mean via the EHCP team in which case, as I have said, the system had been broken - under this government - so don't pull the ladder up!

SENDIASS can support with challenging school decision and their are legal routes if your child is out of education for 2 years - it's not just nothing or pay - I am not being a twat I can't imagine how hard it has been but that's why you fight the system - because lost of parents like you can't afford to pay

My council has to do just that. I have to send my 5 year old off for a 45 minute trip in a taxi with practical strangers each morning so she can receive an education.

Because the local mainstream state refused to take her. They are 5 minutes up the road. They claim 50% of SEN children on their registrar but not one single break room.

By the way, I hate this policy, but I do agree state schools need more money. I just think there are better ways to do it. I won't vote Labour, but no way I'm voting Tory either

3 main problems with VAT on education, private education

I'm guessing this is applicable to those who try to obtain a little extra help for their kid/s who may be a bit behind in certain suject/s - they too will be charge VAT

Many parents are working 2 jobs and many hours a week often 6/7 days a week to get better education for kids - not all are "rich"

As a good number of parents wont be able to afford the extra 20% tax - out of the 600k kids in private schools, at least 25% will not carry on going IMO and will increase class sizes of state schools

As is said to many many people on here to get benefits and then say they can't afford things; you must "learn to cut your cloth accordingly" and "why would you put yourself in such a precarious financial position".

Works both ways.

SEndiass told me what I already knew.

I already was far along enough in the process that they couldn't offer any more advice that I had garner from incessant googling over the past two years of being unemployed and at my wits end.

I am once again telling you, if that Starmer git gets into power and steals away the Independent place from my kid, I'm going to have a grudge for life.

To be frank, I would just use the money saved from not sending my child to private school to rent near a really good state school. This would leave the government to deal with the oversubscription issues and taxpayers to fund it.

I’d save a fortune and could instead pay for a weekly tutor. This seems like the best way forward for the average family who is just managing to afford private school fees.

There - Christ ignore my spelling errors - two glasses of wine and a day at an attachment informed conference I am done in - I really don't want to argue with you @SpudleyLass as I understand in your position you really felt you had no other choice but you had a choice, thousands of parents don't have and that needs to change - we need to do better for all our kids.

Agree. Paying for private schooling is paying for private schooling.

To be quite honest I give no fucks that you have to pay more for private education. There's a lot wrong with Labour atm but putting VAT on school fees is not one of them.

Wealthy parents are not going to subscribe to state schools, come on. This is a scare tactic. If you can't afford private school (like me) then don't send them, vote for a party who is going to invest in state schools and start addressing the poverty gap in our country.

You're not an average family if you can afford public school fees and yabu for not posting this in the GE topic

What a huge upheaval though! Take away your kids from all their friends and move house just to make a point?! 🤔

Nobody cares, this policy is definitely coming in, but it's dangerous, it will in time hit all the people that think it's great, but it'll be too late.

Because they don't give a shit about them, so long as Bertram can stay at Farlington.

I believe you do have good intentions. I don't dislike you.

But its not so simple as ''just challenge the system''.

My family is now in debt. I am not well mentally - I have lashed out and lost so many social relationships.

I am literally at death's door.

If fucking Starmer gets in and threatens because he refuses, btw, to talk about how his policy will affect EHCPs, our school, then it may be game over for me.

People think I'm being melodramatic. I'm really not. I'm so angry and afraid for my daughter.

Fuck Tory. Fuck Labour.

There's nothing average about the family who can afford private school fees.