To think a lot of people who agree with VAT on school fees…

[geeenuoe]

Actually don’t truly understand that to most sending their kids to these schools, it is a massive, massive struggle already.

There seems to be a mentality that if you can afford 20k a year then you’re already comfortable so sod it, you should find more cash now for vat … but do people in general not understand that some families re mortgage their homes to pay these fees? Yes there’s mega wealthy people but there’s many, many more who are not.

On the one hand we hear a good education is a luxury so VAT must be applied, then on the other we are told a good education is a right for all. So… why are we taking away that good education from those who already have it? Why is the focus not on sorting out the state sector properly? We all know the vat won’t fix the state sector. It may help in a tiny way in ad hoc circumstances but there’s so so so much more that needs to be done to state schools to make them ever match what the private sector offers.

I simply don’t get this mentality that those making sacrifices must make more when it comes to bloody education. I say this as someone who can’t afford the fees but if I could I absolutely would… and I also acknowledge that I am unwilling to go to some lengths that others will to pay it. I respect the choice of others to make such sacrifices and have no desire to make it harder and more inaccessible for the masses to access it. Similarly, I know plenty of people driving fancy cars and spending loads on holidays… they’ve chosen that over school fees. And those who have spend loads getting into a postcode of a decent state school… should they be paying enhanced tax on their house purchase?

Why do most people think those who pay schools fees are doing so with great ease? Is it basically because they don’t personally know people paying this so accept the media narrative that it’s the mega rich only?

@MrsSchrute well then why vat if it’s not better?!

FFS, we should be giving ALL kids a top quality education, not sparing a thought for those who've decided to spend their money buying their kids an advantage over the masses. If people overextend themselves to do this, more fool them. I have absolutely no empathy for them, or a desire to make life easier for them.

Because people will pay it!!

@iamtheblcksheep exactly. I honestly cannot imagine wishing to add to a parent’s financial stress when they simply want to give their child a good education. Bizarre mentality.

I wouldn’t really call a couple of holidays a year and private school fees “a massive, massive struggle”.

@MrsSchrute yep.. the mega wealthy. Not the majority. As I said in my OP.

This again. Looks like it might be delayed:

https://amp.theguardian.com/education/2024/oct/05/doubts-grow-over-labours-vat-plan-for-private-schools

VAT has nothing to do with luxury purchases. That is a total myth.

why don't you care about all children and their ability to receive a good education?

This would be the best thing.

I do know parents who have really struggled to send their children to indies. Some remortgage their houses, others work two jobs and this is because the state sector has let their kid down.

Yes I suppose they are lucky they can even dream of affording the fees, even considering the sacrifices they make, but don’t forget these people already pay tax and are alleviating the state of the burden for educating their child.

Maybe all indie parents should indeed be taxed properly - after all maybe they should get a tax rebate for the fact they are saving the state thousands a year by not having the state fund their children’s education? About £6k rebate should do it!

I neither agree nor disagree. It’s pushed private school from a hypothetical stretch to probably impossible for us, but I don’t think it’s the human rights abuse some posters seem to think it is.

You do realise that there are thousands of families that have to make a choice between heating and eating who have never had a holiday. You must live in a middle class and affluent school catchment area

I don't understand this argument. It's totally fair that, say 90% of people can't afford private school, but raise that to 91% and it's an outrage!
Why is it a problem if only the mega wealthy can afford something, but not if only the wealthy can?

@ThisTimeNextWeekDavid I think education should be a priority. I think the state sector in this country is appalling. Of course all children should have a good education. But that doesn’t start with taking a good education away from those who already have it, does it? It starts with working on the schools that really need to improve. Vat won’t solve it.

This. It’s flawed logic to complain that some children will be now be deprived of a high quality education when that is exactly what is happening to the vast majority anyway.

Going to private school is a luxury, that many can never afford. If they pay the VAT and it gets pumped into to the NHS and states schools I can’t complain. What i am more concerned about is where the VAT raised is going to go and making it useful.

No Finnish private schools are allowed to charge fees or make a profit, and are funded by the state apart from a tiny number which can’t issue qualifications - so yes, please!

i have been privy to the conversations of many parents discussing their struggles of sending their child/children to private school

and the vast majority are so out of touch it’s shameful

but for some it simply won’t be affordable anymore

but unfortunately that’s life we can’t always have what we want for ourselves or our children

Perhaps being exempt from VAT could be considered reimbursement for saving the public purse?

The best education possible should be available to all children, not just the few.

School,fees were relatively a lot cheaper compared to incomes, a generation or two ago. So what with vastly increased house prices on top,,they have become that much more a privilege largely of the relatively well off.

When I was a child it was possible to afford a couple of sets of school fees, plus a 4 bed house in a nice SE area, on ONE very ordinary salary. Yes, it meant being pretty skint most of the time, but it was doable.
Nowadays, absolutely no way.

@geeenuoe but that’s the thing isn’t it. It’s not actually top 5, it’s top 10, but even so… do you realise that circa 30k after tax is still a huge amount of money to someone earning 80-100k a year? Can you not see that is a massive stretch?

I really really doubt anyone earning 80-100k is funding private school fees totalling 30k a year unless it’s paid by grandparents.

Tell that to the countless people who kill themselves to send their children with SEN to private schools who now don’t have a clue what they are going to do.

@MrsSchrute the problem is forcing kids to be removed from a place where they are receiving a good education. You know, the education you’re saying everyone should get? How does that start with taking it away from those who already have it? Remember, it’s about all kids. So those in private matter too, right?