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?

Because I don't think it's useful to consider what things your taxes pay for like this. It's like when people moan that their taxes pay for people to sit around on benefits. It also pays for people's cancer treatment. I mean some people don't have kids at all and their taxes will also be helping to pay for our education system.

If it helps imagine that your taxes are the taxes which are paying for the NHS rather than my children's school place

Unfortunately though the government have said that the VAT will be used to fund these changes in state education - it'stheir only source of extra funding. You could pay tax on a benefit in kind?

In my situation, my dh will be paying more tax than a parent on benefits who is in the same school as my dc. I don't feel that we're paying for their child's school place....

Again...so? People pay different amounts of tax based on their income and what they do with their money. If it is so upsetting and makes you angry, make a different choice.

@Comedycook you just cannot answer why you’re ok with people paying for state education three times over (and not using it), while you have a ‘fairly decent standard of living’ and pay one time over. I get it. You can’t answer it. Meanwhile, we will ensure our child actually does have a decent education and make the associated sacrifice for that.

Because they don't have to . It's a choice.

Don't like it ... don't do it..

My view on it is that it is an unfair system which will have unintended consequences. That said, it doesn't massively impact me because I paid fees in advance some time ago and the plan is to then switch to grammar school for secondary. I can still have a view on whether it is a fair tax though.

My dc have a great education and their schools are brilliant. When I say we would be on the breadline...I mean literally wouldn't have a penny left if we used private education....so what? I'm freeloading because I want to eat food and heat my home and have a decent standard of living. Please.

If the government were denying your DC an education, I'd take your point...but you are free to use state education.

Taxes by their very nature are unfair.

If income tax is 40% on a certain salary, it's 40% whether you have ten kids or no children. That's what you pay if you use the NHS or don't use the NHS. Someone on that tax threshold may be using state education and the NHS every week. Another person might never go to the doctor's and never have a child. Constantly trying to weigh up what you pay with what you use is futile.

@Comedycook but you are in agreement with imposing it? Whilst benefiting yourself and living your decent lifestyle? You won’t actually engage sensibly with this, simply saying ‘it’s a choice’ is trying to remove yourself from your personal involvement. You won’t explain why you are not donating to your school because it’s uncomfortable isn’t it? You don’t value education as much as those paying for it and that’s fine. But…Just own it.

'And it’s ’its’… if you’re at all interested in being educated.'

You are just being rude and obnoxious now.

Also, please explain again how some parents are being asked to pay three times over for this poster's child's place in school.

Having children who are state educated does not mean 'keeping your money and free loading off others'. Are you saying that the 91% of parents who choose state education for their children are all freeloaders?

What puts you off state so much? She can have a decent education at many state schools or is it more you would rather she mix with undesirables?

I mean I value eating and living in a decent home more than I value private education.

I went to a private school from age 4-18. Dh didn't. He's much more successful than me. I don't believe private school is all it's cracked up to be nor do I believe that it is a guarantee of future success. I certainly don't believe that it's worth my dc going without other things in life.

I don't care whether the government implement this policy or not really. Overall I probably think it's a good thing. Like a lot of people I struggle to have much sympathy with those affected.

@geeenuoe the public arseholes who were running the country were coasting on their old school ties - do you really think there is any objective justification for 60% of the previous cabinet to go to the same two or three schools? I can't think of a bigger bunch of freeloaders.

You are attempting buy privilege, and at the very least you could have the good grace not to whine in public about paying tax on that, and criticise the other 93% parents who use the state sector.

Yes and if you increase my 45% tax to 50% then I'm OK with that. I am not ok with other wealthy people not contributing too.

Just because we don't pay for it doesn't mean we don't value it. What gives you that idea? I push my seven year old to read every night and do her homework as well as pursuing sporting activities that she excels at. Most parents are the same.

@thepariscrimefiles people moving to expensive catchment areas, keeping their money to live how they wish, while fee paying parents pay vat to subsidise those parents’ children in a state school is morally repugnant. People paying fees are saving state schools a place already. Yet you want more but aren’t prepared to contribute more yourself, the users of these schools, to make it better? I wonder where the money would come from if it turns out that only 1% of people can afford private schools? Where will you try and take money from next to fund the state sector?

@Comedycook ok, so you don’t value it. Great. Good for you. Stop trying to take more from people who DO value it. And if you feel the state sector needs more financial input, make some sacrifices yourself from your already decent standard of living. Could even downsize like two of the families I know from our local prep. You prefer a nice house to education though… as long as someone else is funding your state school.

Thing is, moving to a more expensive house means that you may more tax.

You pay more in stamp duty, council tax, arguably also the VAT on the extra fuel to heat it.

So making that choice does increase your tax bill and as a result is funding state schools.

I mean I could downsize to an ex council two bed flat and sleep in the living room and eat value bread, stop driving my car and get the bus and send my kids to private school. I don't want to do that though. If that means I don't value education, then so be it.

According to the IFS, private schools have raised their fees by 20% since 2010 and numbers of pupils remained stable. There was no outcry about this. Private schools could absorb the VAT increase and not pass the increase onto the parents, but they are choosing not to do this.

You talk as though parents who send their children to private school are selfless saints who are not doing it to give their own children an advantage but to selflessly donate their taxes to state schools. Just reading the posts of private school parents on this thread makes it very clear that this is not the case. They all begrudge their taxes being used to support state school children.

Your child is currently state educated so is it different when your child's education is being subsidised by the taxes of private school parents? Are you making a fee contribution to your child's state school to make it better?

The key word there is "choice". Obvious some parents don't have a choice and some do. Parents, if they do have the ability to chose a type of education they should be able to without being penalised. We aren't a communist country (yet..)

We have had no holidays for 3 years, we eat out probably once every 3 months and we have a joint income of 45k. So tell me where I squander and where I can save to send my child to private school, while still paying my £850 mortgage, £160 council tax, childcare fees, all other bills etc...... we only run one car between us and have to work it out for work etc......

Even if we had no mortgage we couldn't afford private fees on our take home pay so we have to slum it in the amazing local school. We do pay for 1 hour a week tutoring for our dyslexic child as we can't afford anymore than that, but according to you I shouldn't probably do that as it's "squandering" our money when she is only in the local state school.

Paying tax isn't being penalised.

I pay VAT on plenty of things I choose to buy over others.

It's a regressive tax added on education. A tax that is not added by any other country in Europe. It is a penalty.