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...

This is not going to stop me voting for labour!

Heaven forbid that we might one day be governed by people who went to normal schools, had friends from all sorts of socio-economic backgrounds, experienced real competition in sports or academics, and have some empathy for people who aren’t exactly
like them.

I assume you think the same when nurseries put their fees up 10% and parents complain? ‘If they can find £1500 per month for childcare, why is an additional £150 a problem? I don’t understand why they can’t just suck it up?’

🤦‍♀️ You understand why nursery fees aren’t the same as private school?

Envy as clearly displayed on this thread is so sad. And we don't send DC privately.

Everyone chooses to spend their money differently. I have friends who send their child privately for a variety of reasons.

But to answer your question op, there's no way it could come in by September

Nobody is asking anyone to feel sorry for them- just pointing out that everyone seems happy to create a bigger class divide!

But it only seems an issue that some people are now on the wrong side now of the class divide & it’s unjust in their eyes.

In reality what will we do - buy another home right next to the outstanding state school and reduce my hours so I'm not paying 45% tax, move abroad - not sure, but realistically it won't actually benefit anyone.

Why are you stressing then as you have a solution? Also is the above really worth it to avoid paying VAT? Stamp duty for a flat near me would be 40k plus for a second property.

Chin up, maybe the Tories will
win…

Hahahahaha major typo. I do not have children of school age let alone in independent school. I work for a charity and couldn’t pay even a fraction of the fees in “our local” school (which is what I should have said). But I do acknowledge that they’re a major employer in the area and employ a wide variety of people (cleaners to accountants to nurses to of course teachers).

The spite and envy is dripping off the pages. How sad.

Theres no way they’ll get it done for September OP, but I’d plan for the term after in your position.

You're not understanding the point. I don't even disagree with VAT on fees in theory - my point is that practically speaking it won't benefit anyone.

my point is that practically speaking it won't benefit anyone.

Then you agree with me as I already said I don’t think it will make much difference. It’s an easy win as I said.

No chance of it happening that quickly - physically, logistically, legally impossible even if they actually mean it and before you take into account assorted appeals/court action/whatever that'll happen to try and prevent it happening or at least delay it even further.

I reckon that the earliest it could take effect would be nearer Autumn 2026 than 2025.

You know what is sad? The number of vulnerable people who have been treated like absolute dirt by this government.

Do you not think that it’s about time government policies targeted the people who can actually afford to pay for them, instead of wilfully making rich people even richer?

Wise up. OP -
how about you ask the company that charges you, not the randoms on the internet who will have all sorts of theories?

So no one is allowed nice things if others can’t afford them? How mean-spirited.

What’s the win? There are no winners with this policy. Everyone ends up worse off to some degree.

Not the same, but the same logic applies. The other poster was saying ‘if you can afford £17k, why not £21k. Surely if you can afford £17k another few thousand makes no difference.’ The same logic applies to nursery fees, no? And as someone else pointed out, mortgages.

i mean, of course it doesn’t. The majority of people cannot afford an extra few thousand at a few months notice, for anything.

Who do you think are the people who pay all the taxes?

What’s the win? There are no winners with this policy. Everyone ends up worse off to some degree.

Soundbite to differentiate labour vs Tories. Lots of people will like this idea.

I mean look how many voted for Brexit when there were no wins there!

Did I say that wasn’t sad? No I didn’t.

I have a friend earning £130k. He pays £50k in tax snd NI. Yes he’s fortunate but how much more do you really think he should pay?

I give up because I don't think they understand the economics of it!

Not the same, but the same logic applies. The other poster was saying ‘if you can afford £17k, why not £21k. Surely if you can afford £17k another few thousand makes no difference.’ The same logic applies to nursery fees, no? And as someone else pointed out, mortgages.

No it’s not the same logic because plenty of people are struggling to afford housing costs and childcare costs in the first place so can’t absorb any increase and parents often need childcare to kept their jobs. Someone who is struggling to afford housing or food and cannot absorb any increase is not the same as someone who chooses private school and can afford 35k but not 40k.

It doesn't do that. I've voted Labour my whole life and whilst I'll never vote Tory, I don't think I can vote Labour either this time.

I give up because I don't think they understand the economics of it!

Dont you understand it’s not about economics but optics? Or were you one of those who believed Brexit would bring in millions?

It doesn't do that. I've voted Labour my whole life and whilst I'll never vote Tory, I don't think I can vote Labour either this time.

Yes, but it’s unlikely the vote will be decided by you but we shall see soon enough.

So people who aren't outraged by a hypothetical policy are either stupid or envious? Well I'm neither. I understand the figures that are flying around (with all sorts of loaded assumptions and agendas behind them). I don't believe them. If it happens, and it may well not happen, I don't think it will have a large scale impact.