General Election 2024

Who got your vote?

  • Labour

    Votes: 147 54.2%
  • Conservative

    Votes: 5 1.8%
  • Lib Dem

    Votes: 25 9.2%
  • Green

    Votes: 48 17.7%
  • Reform

    Votes: 11 4.1%
  • SNP

    Votes: 5 1.8%
  • Plaid Cymru

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Independent

    Votes: 8 3.0%
  • UK resident but not voting

    Votes: 18 6.6%
  • Spoiled my ballot

    Votes: 3 1.1%

  • Total voters
    271
  • Poll closed .
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I’m making the shift. First time I’m not voting Labour. Their Palestine policy has been shocking. Plus my kids go to private school and the 20% VAT is shocking.

Please explain why being charged 20% Vat is shocking.
And why should your children education be subsised by those with children in state schools.
 
The Lib Dems are predicted to pick up just 5% of the vote and lose votes there. No chance they swing that seat this point, I doubt they're even targeting the seat.

Tory then. Regardless, it isn't going Labour.
 
Please explain why being charged 20% Vat is shocking.
And why should your children education be subsised by those with children in state schools.

It's not subsided, you pay for it from your own pocket.

Also, why stop there, let's also start taxing universities and nurseries.
 
I’m making the shift. First time I’m not voting Labour. Their Palestine policy has been shocking. Plus my kids go to private school and the 20% VAT is shocking.

Same reason for me. Have your school said anything? We got an email from our school, not much in it, really just saying they have no clue on how much they will be taxed
 
I genuinely don't believe this is real. Whilst labour is going to have a crushing victory, im starting to worry that polling firms are going to prioritise sensationalism over accuracy. They want to keep getting headlines.


The real question for me is how accurate the polling results are for Reform. I reckon their support is probably underreported.
 
Private schools provide a net relief to the taxpayer to the tune of about £5000 per child that goes to private school per year. Sure around £3000 in VAT isn't paid right now but if that same child was to be educated in public school it would cost £8000 per year.

We got a letter to say that fees would be posted on July 3rd and anyone with the possibility to pay up front should do so as anti-forestalling measures will probably come into place from July 4th when Labour wins power.
 
Please explain why being charged 20% Vat is shocking.
And why should your children education be subsised by those with children in state schools.
It’s not subsidised. There’s no government funding in my kids education. I work my arse off and sacrifice to send my kids to better schools. Now it’s going to be harder to send them there. Education is not a luxury. Like kids clothing, bread and milk. It should not be VATable.

I’m saving the tax payer money sending them there. I’m not a burden on the state.
 
It’s not subsidised. There’s no government funding in my kids education. I work my arse off and sacrifice to send my kids to better schools. Now it’s going to be harder to send them there. Education is not a luxury. Like kids clothing, bread and milk. It should not be VATable.

I’m saving the tax payer money sending them there. I’m not a burden on the state.

Private eduction is.
 
It’s not subsidised. There’s no government funding in my kids education. I work my arse off and sacrifice to send my kids to better schools. Now it’s going to be harder to send them there. Education is not a luxury. Like kids clothing, bread and milk. It should not be VATable.

I’m saving the tax payer money sending them there. I’m not a burden on the state.
It’s a major cultural issue though. As long as private schools exist, politicians and those that lobby them will never give a feck about state schools because none of their kids go to state schools.

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It’s not subsidised. There’s no government funding in my kids education. I work my arse off and sacrifice to send my kids to better schools. Now it’s going to be harder to send them there. Education is not a luxury. Like kids clothing, bread and milk. It should not be VATable.

I’m saving the tax payer money sending them there. I’m not a burden on the state.

Private education perpetuates inequality, bread does not. Private education is the very definition of luxury since the vast, vast majority cannot afford it. Loads of people work hard and sacrifice - this doesn't make you special.
 
@Andy_Cole out of interest did you yourself go to private school? Also if not Labour who are you going to vote for?
 
Private education perpetuates inequality, bread does not. Private education is the very definition of luxury since the vast, vast majority cannot afford it. Loads of people work hard and sacrifice - this doesn't make you special.

Of course a very high proportion of working people can afford private education, they just opt not to as its not a necessity. They pay for their infants to go to nurseries and could continue to do so if they chose, there is not a huge difference in the amount of fees paid, I can go as far as to say there's probably a reduction.
 
By not being charged vat for providing a service. Yes/no.

Errr no, there's a net benefit to the taxpayer to the tune of £5000 per pupil per annum. In fact all experts agree that the impact on of VAT on private school fees will be detrimental to the treasury because they will end up spending more.

Its only a "class war" policy and not designed to actually increase the coffers.
 
Of course a very high proportion of working people can afford private education, they just opt not to as its not a necessity. They pay for their infants to go to nurseries and could continue to do so if they chose, there is not a huge difference in the amount of fees paid, I can go as far as to say there's probably a reduction.
If that's the case there must be a lot of scope for increasing taxes substantially and having first class education and health services for everyone. I'd love to be convinced.
 
Of course a very high proportion of working people can afford private education, they just opt not to as its not a necessity. They pay for their infants to go to nurseries and could continue to do so if they chose, there is not a huge difference in the amount of fees paid, I can go as far as to say there's probably a reduction.

That's a false equivalence. Nurseries include funding and/or tax-free childcare options if you're a low enough earner. Other times, parents put their child in nursery a couple of days a week while working part-time or foist care towards grandparents so that they aren't paying full-term.
 
It’s not subsidised. There’s no government funding in my kids education. I work my arse off and sacrifice to send my kids to better schools. Now it’s going to be harder to send them there. Education is not a luxury. Like kids clothing, bread and milk. It should not be VATable.

I’m saving the tax payer money sending them there. I’m not a burden on the state.

It was a genuine question and you have given a genuine answer which is fair enough.

I would question the point about them being 'better schools'. But clearly you think so.
The point is that the school charges you for providing a service to your children. And it is deemed to be a loophole that they then are not required to pay vat on that charge.
 
Have the Tories got any other strategy other than fearmongering about Labour?
 
Errr no, there's a net benefit to the taxpayer to the tune of £5000 per pupil per annum. In fact all experts agree that the impact on of VAT on private school fees will be detrimental to the treasury because they will end up spending more.

Its only a "class war" policy and not designed to actually increase the coffers.

All experts.. are you sure.
 
Of course a very high proportion of working people can afford private education, they just opt not to as its not a necessity. They pay for their infants to go to nurseries and could continue to do so if they chose, there is not a huge difference in the amount of fees paid, I can go as far as to say there's probably a reduction.

The average cost of private school per term in the UK currently stands at approx £7k a term for day school and £12k per term for boarding school. So 21k and 36k.

A full time nursery place costs around 15k on average and of course,many parents will find other options, like quitting jobs, going less than full time, government subsidies, family and friends etc etc to help reduce this.

The median household income (before tax) in the UK is around £45k. Even in the 9th decile it is around £92k.

I'm struggling to see how a very high proportion of the working population could afford private school fees? Even if you had only 1 kid, an average day private school would take up almost a quarter of a couple in the 9th decile's gross household income?
 
The average cost of private school per term in the UK currently stands at approx £7k a term for day school and £12k per term for boarding school. So 21k and 36k.

A full time nursery place costs around 15k on average and of course,many parents will find other options, like quitting jobs, going less than full time, government subsidies, family and friends etc etc to help reduce this.

The median household income (before tax) in the UK is around £45k. Even in the 9th decile it is around £92k.

I'm struggling to see how a very high proportion of the working population could afford private school fees? Even if you had only 1 kid, an average day private school would take up almost a quarter of a couple in the 9th decile's gross household income?

I have just googled the median average UK wage and it comes out at £28,000 pa or £2,335 per month - February 2024 UK.gov data.
This is relevant because a number of UK households are single parent regarding nursery costs.
 
Parents, or least most parents, don’t actually care about education. What they actually care about is their children’s education.

Understand that and you’ll get why private schools and faith schools exist and always will exist, especially in a country with a comprehensive system. (The latter in particular always makes me laugh)
 
@Andy_Cole out of interest did you yourself go to private school? Also if not Labour who are you going to vote for?
Yes I did, I didn’t have Sky TV growing up, sacrificed a lot.

Jokes aside, my parents did sacrifice and I’m not exactly the usual private school kid. I have been brought it with the attitude of investing in your kids. I was brought up the same way. If that mean a smaller house and minimal luxuries so be it.

My dad was an immigrant who came to the country with £20 sleeping on friends sofas etc. I’m more left, who believes public facilities should be the best although I do have some belief that if you can afford private health, education then save the government money and spend it yourself.

I’m also a huge supporter of the SME Business owner. A sector who have been treated like shit by the tories. Andy Burnham says the right things about this sector but Labour as a whole has put me off this time round.

I do hate the right wing politics as it usually involves racism, or closing doors on the opportunities my dad had when he was allowed in.

I’ll probably vote Lib Dem
 
The VAT on private schools is a though one but I think it's understandable as the ones going there perceive private education as an added value. So yes, tax on value added.

"I'm not receiving anything from the State". Correct. But you're also profiting from a State sponsored policy and regulatory environment that allows private schools to function and thrive.
"I'm not costing anything to the State". Not directly. But private education tends to help perpetuate some social inequalities that are costly to the state in the long run.

Then we can discuss on the fairness of the amount or in the way it's gonna be paid due to the specifics of the service provided. But it being taxed at least holds in principle.
 
The average cost of private school per term in the UK currently stands at approx £7k a term for day school and £12k per term for boarding school. So 21k and 36k.

A full time nursery place costs around 15k on average and of course,many parents will find other options, like quitting jobs, going less than full time, government subsidies, family and friends etc etc to help reduce this.

The median household income (before tax) in the UK is around £45k. Even in the 9th decile it is around £92k.

I'm struggling to see how a very high proportion of the working population could afford private school fees? Even if you had only 1 kid, an average day private school would take up almost a quarter of a couple in the 9th decile's gross household income?

I can only assume he's the infamous 85k Question Time audience member.

We've a private school a few minutes walk from our house and obviously know several families that go there. We actually had ours in their pre-school as the cost wasn't any different. Anyway I'd hazard a guess that most families are in the top 3% of household incomes or they're reliant on grandparents wealth either alive or inherited.

If anyone thinks most people can afford those fees they probably didn't get very good value for money in their own private education.
 
Of course a very high proportion of working people can afford private education, they just opt not to as its not a necessity. They pay for their infants to go to nurseries and could continue to do so if they chose, there is not a huge difference in the amount of fees paid, I can go as far as to say there's probably a reduction.

Nursery is subsidised. 50hrs of nursery is considered full time. If we take subsidies into account the cost of 50hrs a week of nursery is a national average of £120 . At 48 weeks per year this comes out at a cost of about £6k - without subsidies 14k. As a comparison the average cost of private education (day school) is about £16k+ a year. Obviously pre-school is a complete nightmare and actual subsidies are less than advertised, places difficult to come by etc.

At any rate only about 25-30% of kids aged 3-4 attend nursery for 30 hrs a week, let alone 50. 2 years of preschool is easier to save for than 5+ years of private education.

In short, I disagree with everything you wrote.

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Family and childcare trust PDF (page 18).
 
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A full time nursery place costs around 15k on average and of course,many parents will find other options, like quitting jobs, going less than full time, government subsidies, family and friends etc etc to help reduce this.

Help a Norwegian understand this. Is a nursery like a kindergarten, or are we talking as opposed to parental leave, or a 24/7 thing? £15k seems insanely expensive if it's a kindergarten.
 
Help a Norwegian understand this. Is a nursery like a kindergarten, or are we talking as opposed to parental leave, or a 24/7 thing? £15k seems insanely expensive if it's a kindergarten.

Kindergarten. Yes, it is insanely expensive.
 
It is fair to say that no one really enjoys paying taxes.
Governments will always have to look for additional sources of revenue and at some point you are always going to piss off someone or other.

An example is that from next year councils will be able to charge second homes double council tax.
And while some will say that is fair, those people who have worked hard to be able to own a holiday home will no doubt be less than enthusiastic about having to pay double for no extra service. And this isn't even a loophole as is the vat case.

There are many examples of this type of additional taxation burden on a section of society.
And we are never going to all agree. But one thing is for sure. This type of thing is not going to go away.
 
Help a Norwegian understand this. Is a nursery like a kindergarten, or are we talking as opposed to parental leave, or a 24/7 thing? £15k seems insanely expensive if it's a kindergarten.

It is essentially pre school, so yes.
 
It is fair to say that no one really enjoys paying taxes.
Governments will always have to look for additional sources of revenue and at some point you are always going to piss off someone or other.

An example is that from next year councils will be able to charge second homes double council tax.
And while some will say that is fair, those people who have worked hard to be able to own a holiday home will no doubt be less than enthusiastic about having to pay double for no extra service. And this isn't even a loophole as is the vat case.

There are many examples of this type of additional taxation burden on a section of society.
And we are never going to all agree. But one thing is for sure. This type of thing is not going to go away.

It's the framing in bold that I struggle with to be honest. Loads of people work hard without being able to own a single home and those that own two make it harder for the others to own one.
 
It's the framing in bold that I struggle with to be honest. Loads of people work hard without being able to own a single home and those that own two make it harder for the others to own one.

Yes that is a fair point.
Nevertheless, it is a correct statement.
 
Yes I did, I didn’t have Sky TV growing up, sacrificed a lot.

Jokes aside, my parents did sacrifice and I’m not exactly the usual private school kid. I have been brought it with the attitude of investing in your kids. I was brought up the same way. If that mean a smaller house and minimal luxuries so be it.

My dad was an immigrant who came to the country with £20 sleeping on friends sofas etc. I’m more left, who believes public facilities should be the best although I do have some belief that if you can afford private health, education then save the government money and spend it yourself.

I’m also a huge supporter of the SME Business owner. A sector who have been treated like shit by the tories. Andy Burnham says the right things about this sector but Labour as a whole has put me off this time round.

I do hate the right wing politics as it usually involves racism, or closing doors on the opportunities my dad had when he was allowed in.

I’ll probably vote Lib Dem

Will you continue to educate your child privately?
 
That's a false equivalence. Nurseries include funding and/or tax-free childcare options if you're a low enough earner. Other times, parents put their child in nursery a couple of days a week while working part-time or foist care towards grandparents so that they aren't paying full-term.

That was brought in after 2016, before that it was full price.

The average cost of private school per term in the UK currently stands at approx £7k a term for day school and £12k per term for boarding school. So 21k and 36k.

A full time nursery place costs around 15k on average and of course,many parents will find other options, like quitting jobs, going less than full time, government subsidies, family and friends etc etc to help reduce this.

The median household income (before tax) in the UK is around £45k. Even in the 9th decile it is around £92k.

I'm struggling to see how a very high proportion of the working population could afford private school fees? Even if you had only 1 kid, an average day private school would take up almost a quarter of a couple in the 9th decile's gross household income?

We pay about £4k a term as do probably 90% of the other parents who have their kids at independent schools, it's the elite schools that push the price up. Full time nursery was about 15k a year also. Then let's not forget a lot of parents pay for minders to get them from school etc.

If working people chose to sacrifice they would be able to afford it because they do when its a necessity.
 
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