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?

@Startinganew32 it’s not a great education. We spend 300 a month on extra tuition. I’d love for her to be in private.

So these people who can afford school fees plus a couple of holidays a year are to be pitied?

Your ‘pull up the ladder Jack’ attitude is really unpleasant.

When it comes to vat yep they are, I fail to understand why private school fees were ever exempt in the first place, it should always have been taxed and it’s shocking that they’ve got away with it for so long.

This.

When we were considering private school for DS, it certainly wasn't because we thought he was 'too good for the state system'. Almost the opposite. We knew he'd disappear under the radar in a class of 30+, so a guaranteed smaller class size in a private school would've helped him not fall too far behind.

It’s jealousy, always. If I can’t have it, why should you?

Demonstrated by Bridget Phillipson herself, in her ongoing rhetoric and her X post last night

@ThisTimeNextWeekDavid not really? Just don’t want my child to be responsible for another’s behaviour?

As someone who doesnt have kids of school age and who went to state school, I don't understand why Labour have decided to do this.
More kids will end up going to state school presumably? So the state will have to fund each pupil to the tune of approx £7.5 per pupil.
Surely the amount raised in VAT will be negligible - are foreign children studying here exempt from the VAT hike?
If Private school no longer have charitable status (will they?) presumably they will not have to provide services to the local population I.e playing fields and swimming pools?

Totally agree!

Such a naive view. The biggest net contributors to state education are those who use private schools.

This policy will end up reducing the subsidy your state educated children are receiving from the private sector.

The fact you erroneously mention VAT being linked to luxury purchases suggests you don’t have a strong grasp of the issue.

There are lots of services that people pay for through their taxes but don't ever use. Should everyone tot up the cost of services they haven't used and apply for a rebate?

@geeenuoe make it whatever luxury you like. It's still a luxury.

I notice that you didn't comment on the house, which is actually a more straightforward comparison. I need to live somewhere: I choose how much I spend on that based on my own earnings. I pay more tax on the house that has more space etc. Similarly, people need to educate their children...

This post must be the one of the most tone deaf I’d read so far.

If it’s so much of a struggle then they can’t afford it. So doing it in the first place is a very misguided decision. Certainly extremely misguided when the continuity of their child’s education is at risk.

but do people in general not understand that some families re mortgage their homes to pay these fees

They have a home to remortgage? And a lender satisfied they can take on the extra capital? This already puts them squarely in an incredibly fortunate position. So to complain about it out loud is a tone deaf thing to do. Only 50% of the adults in this country own their own home, let alone then have enough in their home to remortgage it to the extent of fees and then have the income to top off actually living.

This is precisely why it comes across as sheer tone-deaf whingeing.

Is it basically because they don’t personally know people paying this so accept the media narrative that it’s the mega rich only?

I know people (personally, friends and family) who can comfortably afford the fees and the increase and others touting the ‘sacrificial’ narrative. So no – nothing to do with the media.

Absolutely shocking yes!!! Tony and Gordon should have taxed them under the last Labour government!

they have got away with their luxury tax free for far too long!

Charging VAT on private schools will result in squat all difference to the children in poverty. This is an
ideological fight only. Nothing will change.

It’s not the average family though. It’s only the top 7%.

I really agree with the last bit of this
I’m almost starting to wonder if Labour did this deliberately- got people so distracted thinking about parents who are sending their children to private schools having to pay VAT and gloating about it, that we’re not paying proper attention to the shit show that is currently state education for the rest of the children - if they do or do not pay VAT it will have no appreciable impact on what’s on offer for children in state schools
we need to start shouting as loudly about that

Can you expand on this? How are those who use private schools the biggest bet contributors to state schools?

This is slightly insulting, you’re insinuating that only parents who choose private school care about their child’s education? I care very much about my children’s education and could afford private school but my kids go to a normal state school and are taught the values of trying hard and applying themselves, I don’t think they’d perform any better at a private school than state because I raise my child with the right mindset of you get out what you put in. No idea why people who clearly can’t afford private school bleat on about it being the better option, as if the parents who actively chose state school are peasants. And yes I know people who teach at private schools and the general consensus is the kids are very entitled…strange that, can’t think where they get it from.

Less money in private schools equals more money in state schools, which equals more resources for the wider population. Can’t be a bad thing.

You are being very unreasonable and are not in the real world. There are families out there who cannot afford to eat never mind have two holidays.

It’s not. But if a large majority of children have supportive families and behave in ways conducive to a good classroom atmosphere, then they are the dominant influence. Everyone then benefits.
I have worked in schools in deprived areas and in wealthier areas and the difference is there.

On the other hand, why do you despair that some people think that it’s better to benefit all children with nice things for their school, instead of spending huge sums on ensuring your own kids, and only yours, obtain a massive social and economic advantage over the rest of society?

There are a fair number of parents who really don’t value education in the same way. Even a small minority of parents is sufficient to derail the education for others. I’m happy to pay to avoid such disruption. I’m paying to avoid a small minority not the larger majority in state schools.