Election - how soon for VAT on school fees?

[Labtastic]

So I see we're likely to have an election in early July. Obviously that spells the end of the godawful tories which is great, but also hastens the incoming VAT on school fees which, for us, is bad. We are one of those families that no one believes exists who stretch ourselves with school fees, and are going to be very pushed for an extra 20%.

Question is - do we think Labour can make this happen in time for September? It'll be our DC's last year of fee paid education and was hoping the timeline for VAT coming in would be stretched out a bit...

Actually if 5% of private DC leave for state it will cost the taxpayer £200 million per year. If 10% leave then it will cost the taxpayer £400 million per year.

@twistyizzy where is this data from? Although my point was state schools have spaces and funding projections are lower than previous yrs due to headcount’s which still stands.

I think you need to take your own advice tbh.

Kids going to private school has nothing to do with how shite state schools are. Purposely wanting to make chilldren who go private lives worse just because your child is in a shite school is just spite and envy.

Check you’re own emotions

It’s not unusual for fees to have increased 8% a year for the last 2 years because of inflation. These fee increases, plus the cost of living, plus the addition of another 20% means that it most definitely becomes unaffordable for many.

As an example, assume fees were £15k 2 years ago. With 2 years of 8% increases means that those fees are now £17,500. Add the VAT on, that’s now £21k. The VAT becomes the tipping point.

I am interested how quickly this will go through. My son has an ehcp and is at an independent special school. There wasnt a state school that could support him and until this place came up, he was out of education entirely. I am aware they said there might be SEN exemptions but its nerve-racking each year when you have an annual review and they decide whether or not to continue the placement. I hope the LA doesnt make a knee jerk reaction.

I hope it isnt rushed through so any changes are worded carefully and any unintended consequences dont happen.

Im against the concept of taxing education anway, in line with the EU but this SEN exemption is particularly personal for me.

Oh take a breath? Is this about your invoices and the bloody buses or the SEN kids? There are a shit ton of SEN kids in normal schools, your know that, right? And in specialist schools?
I’m sure they’ll all be fine. Even if mummy and daddy might have to ‘strive’ a bit more.

I’ve just had to sit in an appeal in front of a panel to get my dd in to state secondary school. The school was full and she wasn’t allocated a space because she’s not in a feeder school, doesn’t have SEN, isn’t in care, and no siblings there.

They will do it because it's one of the few policies that they have that separate them from Conservatives. Rachel Reeves has gone on record saying it will be implemented early once Labour are into power.

I don’t think they will be able to pass the Bill through Parliament quickly enough for it to be in place by September. I also wonder if they will arrange it so that it’s tapered in some way. I think there are many families in your situation and they may take into account the impact on those children, and their local schools, if the kids have to suddenly be removed from their current schools.

I didn’t say they did. The issue is more money and funding- I believe private schools should pay vat. This isn’t a vendetta against private schools- I went to one.

If I wanted something I couldn't afford I would have to save like crazy to afford it, including paying the tax. Why shouldn't you? (Generic you). Why do you think you are entitled to a tax break on what YOU desire, but others don't get that break on the things they desire.

This isn't about envy or sticking it to the rich, it's about fairness.

@Another76543 I don’t agree based on my experience.

As an example, assume fees were £15k 2 years ago. With 2 years of 8% increases means that those fees are now £17,500. Add the VAT on, that’s now £21k. The VAT becomes the tipping point.

I don’t understand how the additional 3.5k makes it completely unaffordable but the 17.5k doesn’t. Yes it may be the tipping point for renovations, saving more, retiring early, holidays etc but I don’t think it will impact the majority.

They will, because it’s massively popular.

I’m not bitter or upset my child is in a state school at all.

It’s a sad indictment of the average Labour voter that the Labour leadership thinks people will be ill-informed enough to think that this policy is in anyway transformational.

Even if it raised the sums they claim it constitutes 0.001% of the total UK tax revenue.

It doesn’t say much about Labour’s economic ability and integrity if they are pushing this as a policy of significance. It says even less about the voters who have lapped it all up.

Dark times are ahead for the UK.

@Ritadidsomethingbad your personal anecdote doesn’t prove the article wrong though does it?

So you're happy to make private schools even more elite and the divide greater. Good for you.

This policy is supported by jealousy alone and not by wanting to create equality. Inequality will ALWAYS exist. Poverty needs addressing sure and inequalities in basic needs and rights need addressing. But upping school fees isn't going to help that significantly. Just makes the rich further away from the normal. Which helps no one.

I say this as someone who isn't a crazy high earner and who doesnt send DC to private school.

That’s £7k per year just in VAT for 2 children. A lot of private school parents don’t have a spare £7k a year splashing around.

Dark times are ahead for the UK.

Or, just maybe it will be an end to all the fat cats getting fatter. God forbid there should be any kind of level playing field for the less fortunate(!)

It’s a sad indictment of the average Labour voter that the Labour leadership thinks people will be ill-informed enough to think that this policy is in anyway transformational.

I don’t think it will raise much money either but it’s popular and an easy win. The vast majority of the population aren’t going to feel sorry for private school families . Why should they?

So true it's just plain nasty and they don't know circumstances. They won't be so chuffed when their own kids can't get a place and the state school is stacked.

That’s £7k per year just in VAT for 2 children. A lot of private school parents don’t have a spare £7k a year splashing around.

But they have 35k spare for it?

Each pupil costs the state on average 8K per year. There are over 500,000 DC at private schools. If 5% leave that means that 25000 will need state education at a cost of £200 million.

Getting rid of privately educated, privileged sociopaths whose only concern is protecting their money, and position, and that of their mates can only be good for the majority.

So you're happy to make private schools even more elite and the divide greater. Good for you.

So it was fine when they were a bit less elite but now you’re priced out others should be protesting that it’s unfair?

*If I wanted something I couldn't afford I would have to save like crazy to afford it, including paying the tax. Why shouldn't you? (Generic you). Why do you think you are entitled to a tax break on what YOU desire, but others don't get that break on the things they desire.

This isn't about envy or sticking it to the rich, it's about fairness.*

You're assuming we DIDN'T save like crazy - we bloody did! I don't assume we should get a tax break - I just didn't plan for a tax to be levied on something that has never ever been vatable before! I don't think that's that wild is it?!