Labour Intends To Add 20% Vat To Private School Fees ...

[naomi24]

... which will put private schooling out of reach of many parents, resulting in an added burden to the already over-crowded classrooms in state schools.   Similarly, they say they are against private health care which also alleviates the burden on the State system.  Nevertheless, Mr Starmer would rather his loved ones suffer than use it.   So the question is when 'going private' means that people take responsibility for themselves it follows that the State has less to cope with, so what's so bad about it?

[bhg481]

Atheist - great in theory but you have to remember that very rich people employ the services of an accountant who is able to prove that they are as poor as a church mouse.

[Old_Geezer]

If further building is needed it can be started when the issue arises or when it is anticipated. (Preferably not using dodgy concrete.) If it takes a while to achieve then class sizes can temporarily increase. Classes of 36, 37, 38 were the norm when I was of school age. (I get the impression that, if there is more than one pupil in a class these days, that's an abuse of their human rights, and utterly unacceptable.)

[gulliver1]

The Tories are still going to get the Biggest Election hammering in history on july 4th. If Starmer  says he is going to add 20% vat on private school fees or not. Nothing to see here. 😎

[naomi24]

Gulliver, stick to the topic please.

[sandyRoe]

Is the hope that all children could go to schools where they'd get a fair crack of the whip when it comes to education, a laughing matter?

[gulliver1]

15.39 The topic of this thread is about vat on private school fees.My reply @ 15.36 is about vat on private school fees.

[naomi24]

Gulliver, I'm not arguing with you.  This is not about anyone taking a hammering except parents of children at private schools. Behave.

[Hymie]

I’m all in favour of hammering wealthy parents who choose to send their children to private schools – then maybe the poor could have VAT free toiletries (toothpaste, toilet rolls etc).

[naomi24]

Hymie, why do you think everyone who pays for their children's education is wealthy?

[Ellipsis]

Because they can pay for their children's education.

 

Adding 20% to their fees will add very much less than 20% to the overall cost of their children's education. It's just a tax break, there is no principle involved. A principle would be "No private education", but changing the tax rate ... that's just a policy.

[davebro3]

What if ALL the parents with kids at private schools said "We won't pay - you'll have to find places in the public sector".

The education system would go into meltdown & instead of extra revenue the exchequer would have a much bigger bill!  

[ladybirder]

I went to a private school but my parents weren't wealthy.  My brother and I were split up as parents wanted one child each!!!  Mother wanted her baby and Dad wanted me but my stepmother hated me because she said he loved me more than he loved her (he did).  So he sent me to boarding school because he never really had a choice, not because he was rich.

[Cloverjo]

My son went to a private school. I am not wealthy. Nor were the families of his friends. 

I am a Labour supporter, but I think the VAT is a bad idea. It's not the Eton/Bullingdon types who will feel hammered. It's the people like me, and their children who will struggle. 

[Cloverjo]

And a very good school will likely be closed, with the kids having to find space elsewhere

[naomi24]

Private education is currently tax free.  Adding 20% tax will force many to send their children to state school.  The reason many parents can 'afford' to privately educate their children is because they forego things that other parents take for granted - like foreign holidays, new clothes and nice cars.  You may think they're  rich but they're  not.  They just have different priories and prioritise their income differently.

[Ellipsis]

Be sensible ... the tax break basically subsidises private schools and it's a luxury, not a necessity ...

If your school fees are £8K a term at present, then the total bill for your kid's education including expenses probably adds up to at least £30K. Adding VAT to the fees adds another £4800 to the bill. If some people can afford £30K and can't afford £34.8K, then they will become no worse off than those people who can afford £25K but can't afford £30K.

[Hymie]

Although my parents may have hated me, they weren’t wealthy enough to send me away to a private school and so had to put up with me – such is the price of poverty..

[davebro3]

//a term//

How many terms in a child's school life?

[davebro3]

//Although my parents may have hated me//

I'm pretty sure they did!

[davebro3]

ps. Not all private schools are boarding schools....