Tax on school fees

[CheekyUser]

of course it won’t affect the really wealthy but we have three kids at private school and we are now going to withdraw them all. We will see them through the remainder of this school year and from September we have secured places at local state schools. When the alternative is free why would we carry on drawing down on our mortgage and sacrificing holidays and be taxed for doing so. Let the state pay.

Because in this case the OP has announced it, believing there'd be interest in her choices

I would be very happy with this.

I don't think any government would implement it though, because the government is currently benefitting from a lovely subsidy from private school parents, which they won't want to give up.

Despite Labour gaslighting the population about private school being a tax break. Why on earth does anyone believe that crap? A minutes thought shows that it's nonsense. When people stop taking up a subsidy/tax break, the government ends up with more money. When a parent moves from private to state, the government ends up with less money. Illustrating that the subsidy flows from indy parents to the state.

I was actually OK with just not taking up DD's state education funding, and paying that entirely myself.

I'm not OK with a stupid, financially illiterate policy which is specifically designed to harm my DC - because it's seen as 'unfair' for her to get a good education - and will actually make everyone in the UK worse off as well. I will never forgive that.

I have nothing to add to this but it's outrageous the number of people who are offended that you have three children at private school.

This wasn't a personal attack on any of you - or your financial circumstances - as far as I'm aware??

If you have three kids at private school you are very wealthy indeed. You can't fund three kids' school fees by sacrificing holidays unless you were previously spending astronomical amounts on holidays.

We paid for my DD to go to private school. The school carpark at pick up time is full of the most expensive cars you can imagine and most of the kids travel first class and stay in the best hotels or their parents second homes when on holiday. And then there's the amazing houses they live in. I got fed up listening to rich people moaning about VAT.

Not outraged that they're at private school. I have plenty of friends who did the same. It's the whingeing people don't like. If you've afforded fees can afford to put three kids through private school then good on you - and it's u likely in this case that it's VAT alone that will be the problem for OP.

Haha @AngelsWithSilverWings when we were looking at private schools (which we decided our kids didn't need in the end) we were amazed at the cars in the queue for the open day. None of the proverbial old bangers of MN lore

@nervouslandlord I'd be whinging too. Perhaps OP is looking for others in a similar situation opposed to people who can't relate but are irrationally annoyed.

@SecretToryVoter I agree - I'd keep the youngest at current school until sixth form

When the alternative is free why would we carry on drawing down on our mortgage and sacrificing holidays

Beats me why you didn't think of that years ago - you'd have saved hundreds of thousands, paid off your mortgage and had some phenomenal holidays!

I got fed up listening to rich people moaning about VAT.

Yeah, not as fed up as we are at paying extra tax for a stupid policy from a financially illiterate government which will actually end up with everyone in the UK worse off... and then undoubtedly with Labour charging us yet more taxes to fix their fuck up and/or having worse public services.

I voted Labour to get the corrupt Tories out and if that means I have to pay VAT on my DD's school fees and some of my DD's school friends have to start travelling in economy on their holidays or be driven to school in a Ford rather than the Lamborghini SUV. I think I can live happily with my decision.

Maybe if they also switch their hot tubs off or stop heating their swimming pools they will save enough to cover the extra tax and help improve the environment at the same time.

I've honestly no sympathy.

It's wrong, I think, to describe it as a "tax break" without explaining that across the whole of the EU there is no taxation for fees in nurseries, schools and universities as a matter of principle.

When we were in the EU, sales tax could not be added. Was that a "tax break" or was it simply part of the EU sales tax model? Are other exempt items - or indeed those that fall within the scope of the tax but are zero rated or have a rate lower than standard - also "breaks" for particular consumers? Or is it recognition that some things should not be taxed?

I prefer the EU principles on that - or perhaps I'm just thoroughly used to them and never like change.

OK, enjoy living in a poorer UK with fewer opportunities for all.

Reducing everyone's standard of living certainly is a way to help the environment.

It certainly won't only be swimming pools and holidays though. That's the thing with damaging the economy: it harms everyone, rich and poor.

I wish I had a Lamborghini SUV, hot tub or swimming pool 🙄. We have none of these things to economise on in the first place.

I get it OP, I would be doing exactly the same in your situation, out of principle.

This policy is exactly like Brexit. Brexit was a Tory infight issue translating eventually to everyone’s problem! This VAT is also a Labour private school hate party infight issue. The Labour Party also deserve for this to be an abysmal failure that blows up in their faces so absolutely, people who can should follow through and put their DCs into state schools instead. The principle being that these politicians deserve to be taught a lesson once and for all.

I have 3 dc and can’t comfortably afford private school so they go to state school. They’re doing well and haven’t turned into criminals so far.

I have a friend moaning about the vat - they have 2 houses so it’s hard to feel any sympathy for their hardship. So unaware how others live but expect sympathy.

So the independent Institute of Fiscal Studies and the Office of Budget Responsibility both are sure that taking away the VAT giveaway on private schools is a substantial net revenue raiser, but I'm sure you're all right, and these people are in fact 'financially illiterate'. Perhaps they didn't go to the very best public schools.

I, for one, am getting a non- monetary flow of utility from you lot shitting your pants on mumsnet about the big nasty state doing redistributive taxation. Yes, let's hope those awful politicians learn a big nasty lesson about taking money from the top decile of earners and spending it on public services. How dare they?

Yes sure shitting on kids with SEND and small private school is the most ingenious move of redistributive taxation in a century!

Can’t wait for this to blow up in their faces and we shall see soon enough who will be shitting their proverbial pants.

Enjoy your warm glow of self-satisfaction @tealpins I'm sure it will make up for the economy tanking over the next year.

Mate, shitting on kids with SEN was the Tories cutting LA funding by a quarter. When you want to put your hand in your pocket to pay for that shortfall, then you can talk about SEN. But I'm afraid it has to be ALL kids with SEN - the poor kids, the normal kids, the 90% of kids - not sensitive little Josh who doesn't qualify for an EHCP but thinks everyone else should sub him a place at an indie.

Erm the alternative was always free?

I'm sure it will really help the 90% to have the state subbing little Josh's education entirely - and possibly the LA subbing his transport as well - instead of his parents paying for it themselves.

You've never subbed a single penny of little Josh's indy education, by the way. Now you'll sub his entire education. <shrugs>

Er no-one subs kids at indy schools. That's sort of the point ie we pay to educate our kids rather than asking the state too. It is parents with kids at state schools who are subsidised by the taxpayer. All kids who move from Indy to state will now be a cost to the taxpayer whereas before they didn't cost the taxpayer anything.

But you haven’t, you’ve secured sixth form
places

Interesting headlines this morning @tealpins 'Reeves needs a Christmas Miracle'

Definitely not shitting myself, by the way. Just frustrated at the sheer stupidity.