What changes will you need to make for the VAT increase?

[36plus3]

Because contrary to what a lot of Mumsnet think, we're not all "really rich". The kids are already on scholarships which helps a bit.

To be able to afford the VAT increase I am going to increase my working days from 4 to 5.

Anyone else having to make big changes to afford it?

My SIL and family are giving up their annual ski holiday.

(I’m not joking btw!).

We were making quite chunky pension overpayments and payments into savings for university and will just drop these a bit. We didn't move the children to private till we could afford it comfortably, as it didn't feel fair to send them to private if it would mean our finances were precarious.

My brother's giving up his football season ticket and acting like it's the world's biggest sacrifice I think his wifr oscillates being pleased he will be around more to help and fed up of the moaning.

I have got a couple of close friends who are changing from working part time to working full time

In fairness we have a couple of outstanding state schools near us advertising they have spaces in quite a lot of year groups so I dont think the pressures are universal.

None of my friends with children at private school are indicating they might have to move back to state.

I’ve posted similar elsewhere but there are two private schools in my area, there are 5 state secondaries only one of which is over subscribed, and plenty of spaces in primary - in fact some smaller primaries under threat of closure due to falling numbers. My region will definitely be able to absorb any children moving to state.

My Dsis is moving her younger DS to grammar school. Fortunately he’s Y6 and got a place.

It’ll now cost the government approx. £50,000 to educate my nephew - a cost it could have saved and left a school place open for someone else.

Dsis will also go part time from September as no longer needs to pay two lots of school fees, so will be paying a lot less tax.

I am not sure Labour have truly thought through the ramifications of this policy.

We’re moving. We are going to buy a less expensive house to live in and buy another buy to let.

None of these are hardships we are
just amending the budget.

We always intended to stick with state, but both available schools here (one “Outstanding”)have the workhouse / military / silence / joyless thing going on and very limited arts. So we sent daughter to an independent school from Y8 and it’s been a great fit for her. VAT on top of 30K a year means we will find a state option for sixth form, but catchment isn’t such a factor then and so there are more options. Older brothers thrived in boys’ state option so we were lucky there. VAT addition making fees too tricky has an upside for us in that the financial need to move back to state education means I’ll be able to dramatically cut my working hours and take more care of my health.

Many parents in the UK are struggling to feed their families and can't afford any luxuries at all. Maybe they don't have the time to be clever and think about the children in private schools.
You don't do yourself any favours being snide and rude about people who just maybe have different priorities to you.

But they have time to think about how their predicament is due to those better off than them in their own mind?

Unfortunately this policy does nothing to address those problems though. It’s a shame that not one of the main parties has any firm plans of how to improve the standard of living for hard working families.

I thought this was going to be a chat about changes people are making not just people sniping at each other , we've got heaps of those already

I understand that.
I was just annoyed at the tone of the PP.

Some of the changes posters are making sound like they will actually improve everybody's life.

It is not just private school parents who may have to make changes, it also applies to state school parents. Youngest is far less likely to get into the same grammars as siblings went to due to the increased competition. So what do we do now? Do we now have to pay up? Or do we tutor once she is at the local school? How do we now make sure they all get the same opportunities? Do we move abroad for a few years. I am not sending her to a rubbish school. I can get a great salary in Dubai for a few years or even Frankfurt or Paris and do private school there at a cheaper price.
I am also looking at foreign options now because uni fees here are likely to increase. I do not want this kind of pressure of debt/high housing costs on my DCs. They are all high achievers and speak 3 languages.

I am going to have to quit my job and hopefully find something closer to home. DD boards and I am a single mum. I've had a lot of stick on here because she boards but I really do feel she is happier with her friends and clubs than being here alone with me - only child. It also meant I could work in a job I love and feel alive again after years of being a SAHM and having all the responsibility.
It feels like I've just found my feet after years of ignoring myself and putting her first and I'm being hit over the head for getting above my station by a party I really wanted to vote for. I know they'll get in but it feels like dd and I are being punished for trying to make a bad situation better. I'm already shopping in Aldi and have an old car, don't go abroad. There's nothing we can save on.

I don't know if she will get into the grammar here either, as she is dyslexic, but she doesn't really want to go because the girls in her primary were very nasty because she wasn't having tutoring and was dyslexic. Because we are in a grammar area the other options are dire. We literally have charities giving out leaflets about teens with knives on the high street because of the behaviour in them... It is a very scary time but I can't really plan because we still don't know when it will take effect. School hasn't mentioned mitigating it, so I am fearing the worst which would be a 10k increase pa for us, which is impossible.

100% this!! So many posters like the sound of their own voice too much to bother reading the title of the thread and responding to that. So tedious, when as you say there are dozens of threads on the wider topic, or people could start their own.

To answer OP’s question (radical, I know!!) we are very very lucky that the grandparents have given us the money to put our two kids (currently in state primary) through independent secondary. We factored in VAT and annual increases, though hubby and I are both in professional jobs with decent salaries so at a stretch could have covered it ourselves.

My parents both worked in state education (MFL teacher and FE college lecturer then principal) for virtually their whole careers. It was their experiences of working in state education that led them to prioritise private secondary education for my sibling and me, and now our children. Neither was from a wealthy background themselves. But I do appreciate how lucky we are.

A lesson for me to read the thread before posting. I'm sure I've been ripped to shreds by the posters who dominate these boards.

*We are looking at state schools. We will leave dc 1 in private until secondary level, which is the next sensible transition point.

There is a big age gap between dc. Dc2 will go into state from the off.

We will move to be on the catchment for our chosen schools. We have a fair idea where that is most likely and are looking already.

I will cut my hours significantly. Partly for more time at home, but Partly to facilitate lots more extracurricular activities.*

Sounds like you'll be in a much better position - did you consider making this move anyway?

Oh and to answer for me!

If the school I was considering for DS (currently at state primary) does put the full 20% on their fees it will put it out of my reach so will go state and may move house to facilitate this.

I'd be surprised if they do though they have a huge amount of reserves and are already (I assume) charging what they think the market will bear.

yeah, removing 3 bright kids from this country will surely help those poor and struggling...

Just make sure to vote Labour, this is brilliant policy they'll introduce ASAP

It’s 4 bright healthy kids with 3 passports each now (so happy I managed to get those) and language skills. Many other countries will be happy to have them as they will pay a lot of tax in the future. I am encouraging them to go somewhere where they will be valued and get something back from society and can have a family and a home too.

Your children are very lucky indeed to have three passports, I dearly wish my children had the opportunities those passports will bring them.

Hi @RespiceFinemKarma you know there are state boarding school options?

https://www.ukboardingschools.com/advice/the-state-boarding-schools-association/

Also, knife crime happens in the poshest of schools as well.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-68945489

@Kendodd - lots of people have found some Irish ancestry and then encouraged their parents to get it first and then managed to. Is there really nothing on either side of your family you could tap into?
We even have family in the US so green card sponsoring might also be an option. Uni there is too expensive but you can do law here and then easily convert to the New York bar. For bright talented people there will always be some options. Look into it. The world will be fighting for the young & bright, our Governments have their heads in the sand.

I've looked into every option for EU passports for my children - no go.
My eldest did look at Harvard as an option for uni, it actually could have worked out cheaper than Oxbridge, depending on household income, because of the big scholarships they give. She decided against it though and wanted to stay nearer to home.
Edited to add, my kids are all at state schools.