Vat on Independent school fees?

[metalblue]

It’s not like school fees haven’t increased way ahead of inflation in recent years. The average cost of private school fees has risen by 20% in real terms since 2010, and by 55% since 2003, even without VAT.

So presumably there will have been plenty of parents who have had to remove their kids from private education over the last decade or two because of the relatively increasing cost.

Where was the outrage at that?

I’ve perhaps got a bit more insight into this particular subject than most, as my son went to private school but had to be moved to a state (boarding) school when my business failed and I went bankrupt fifteen years ago. Serendipitously, he actually benefited enormously from that move and he went from being an average student to an excellent one as a consequence.

The reality was that me and his mum could no longer afford the fees at his previous school and thanks to his mum’s ingenuity and craft she managed to find him a spot elsewhere at an exceptional state school, which he absolutely adored.

I am surrounded professionally by those that have had the benefit of a private education and there are clear advantages in terms of facilities, class sizes and the connections it provides - otherwise why pay all that money? It’s a natural human instinct to want the best for your own child, and I would never criticise anyone for that.

As I’ve said previously, I defend anyone’s right to make that choice but the benefits that education provides is by way of a professional service that people elect to pay for, in order to gain some clear advantage over other children. Much like instructing a lawyer to give you a perceived advantage in litigation. Those professional fees are subject to VAT, just are those of an accountant, and I fail to see how private education should be any different.

It will mean some children missing the cut, which is regrettable, but that is plainly the case now, by way of the foregoing increases in fees, or the cost in any event, which is completely beyond most families. There is no more tragedy in missing that cut, than the opportunities that are missing from many children’s lives every day. Life isn’t fair and never will be, but charging VAT on school fees is a very small step in making our society ever so slightly fairer overall.

Beer duty goes up, some pubs will close as a consequence. It’s a shame on an individual level, but there will always be cases of particular hardship when it comes to the implementation broad taxation policy. This is no different.

I just don’t see how VAT passes the ECHR plurality of choice test.

Explicitly impairing the existence of private schools is incompatible with article 2. The only argument I see that needs to be won by the private schools is VAT may cause schools to close.

I suppose Labour could a) withdraw us from the ECHR to get it through or b) lose the case with good grace and a few words about how we tried dear comrades. I’m inclined to think (b) was their plan all along.

 

[metalblue]

Completely agree and I don’t think people should underestimate the importance of the emotional and social growth of a child as part of that overall education.

The other aspect is what people want it to lead to. A lot where I went were privately educated in order to try and get into the grammar school. When it got to the 11 plus, the private school effectively did tutoring to ensure the pupils could pass it. As soon as they got to the grammar school, plenty couldn’t cope as they’d essentially fudged the academic attainment part of it and ended up not getting decent qualifications as as soon as you were left behind in a subject, that was it.

They’d have been much better off either remaining in private or switching to the state.

Social justice doesn’t trump the preservation of the democratic society

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

I just don’t see how VAT passes the ECHR plurality of choice test.

Explicitly impairing the existence of private schools is incompatible with article 2. The only argument I see that needs to be won by the private schools is VAT may cause schools to close.

Just as an economic downturn, or an increase in regulation could.

It’s not explicitly impairing the existence of private schools - it’s simply requiring them to pay tax as (presumably) mandated by statute.

 

[metalblue]

Just as an economic downturn, or an increase in regulation could.

It’s not explicitly impairing the existence of private schools - it’s simply requiring them to pay tax as (presumably) mandated by statute.

The argument will be specific government policy may deny the right to access a pre existing school thus is incompatible with A2 of ECHR. It’s strange in the sense that right is only given to those who can afford it but the right for private schools to exist is guaranteed under ECHR - for the 93% it guarantees the right to an effective education.

The key is pre existing and the governments defence would have to be that VAT does not present a risk to any existing school which I can’t see how they can successfully argue that.

I guess we will get a sense of how the government really feels about the policy and the strength of their case when it gets to the High Court. I’d not be surprised if the government withdraws at that point which would tell us they had no real belief in it.