Originally Posted by Paul (Post 36180066)

.... and this is related to tax rises how ?

Originally Posted by nffc (Post 36180043)

As far as I understand the last Government did ensure that the shadow cabinet was given access to all the budget forecasts, financial info etc.


Ms Reeves was shadow chancellor before the election so her department would have been made aware of the actual situation long before they were in power.


It's simply mendacious for them to suggest they did not know the full picture and totally immoral for them to campaign on the basis that they would not be increasing these taxes, and then to do so - or announce plans to do so - within a month of winning the election.


I'm sure that when Mr Starmer (or Sir or whatever he wants to be) was in opposition and there were issues with fuel due to external factors such as the lockdowns his party wanted more of, harder, longer, earlier, and the situation in the Ukraine, where there was a genuine inflation issue after the pandemic etc, and the Government brought in support measures such as the fuel allowances and extended them so more people didn't have the choice whether to heat or eat, this was something he was in favour of and was probably campaigning for. Now the boot is on the other foot he's now seeing he has to pay for it as well as the other things he's promised and now can't afford it.


I'm also pretty certain the plan to remove the VAT exemption on independent school fees is going to cause mayhem, some parents will not be able to afford this (at school there was plenty of parents who were not well off and they went without so the kids could get the education), and so the kids will have to move into the state sector, if this happens to enough or too many kids in one school this could cause more kids to be displaced if the schools have to close. So more places needed in state schools, more teachers needed and they won't be getting as much VAT... Also, with this one, the big irony is that EU rules prevent taxation of childrens' education, so literally they can only do this because of the Brexit Sir Keir is wanting to overturn...

Originally Posted by Mr K (Post 36180081)

I'm pretty sure the VAT on private schools will have little affect. Those can that can afford it will think nothing of paying a bit more to stop their darlings mixing with the riff raff. The schools will absorb some it anyway if they want to remain competitive. Surely better to use the money to put into the state system, raise standards so there no need for private schools, other than snobbery.

The winter fuel allowance was absurd to fund for well off pensioners, as was funding their tv licences. We can't afford it, and shouldn't have been exempt just because they probably. vote Tory.

Definitely right to keep it for the less well off on Pension credit. An effort needs to made to ensure those that qualify claim. There are billions in all unclaimed benefits folks should be getting, the DWP don't seem worried about that or make any effort to reach them.

Originally Posted by nomadking (Post 36180085)

Those just above the Pension Credit threshold will be badly affected.

Originally Posted by Taf (Post 36180089)

It's old folk on modest pensions who'll fund pay rises for the public sector.

Originally Posted by Mr K (Post 36180081)

I'm pretty sure the VAT on private schools will have little affect. Those can that can afford it will think nothing of paying a bit more to stop their darlings mixing with the riff raff. The schools will absorb some it anyway if they want to remain competitive. Surely better to use the money to put into the state system, raise standards so there no need for private schools, other than snobbery.

Originally Posted by Mr K (Post 36180088)

£200 will barely cover 1 month in winter its not that significant. .

Originally Posted by Mr K (Post 36180090)

Fair enough, it's the public sector the pensioners rely on most, and their wages have decreased in real terms for over a decade. Pensioners triple lock has been at the expense of everyone else. They need to remember 'we're all in it together' as the 'great' man once said.

Originally Posted by Paul (Post 36180066)

.... and this is related to tax rises how ?

Originally Posted by Mr K (Post 36180081)

I'm pretty sure the VAT on private schools will have little affect. Those can that can afford it will think nothing of paying a bit more to stop their darlings mixing with the riff raff. The schools will absorb some it anyway if they want to remain competitive. Surely better to use the money to put into the state system, raise standards so there no need for private schools, other than snobbery.

Originally Posted by mrmistoffelees (Post 36180096)

I would have to ask why more pensioners who are complaining about this didn’t invest in private pensions?

Originally Posted by nffc (Post 36180126)

That will be the case for some schools and some parents but not all of them.

Plenty of kids in private schools are not from rich backgrounds but either on scholarships or bursaries or the parents just go without so that the kids can go to the schools.

It won't be the filthy rich kids who lose out, but those from less affluent backgrounds for whom 20% extra on fees would be too much and which the schools might not be able to help with, or might not be able to afford.

If you have parents who are paying 20k a year for the school place and there's about 100 kids in the year then each year (times 7 for a secondary school) makes the school £2 million a year, meaning overall fees coming in for this would be 14 million a year. Then you see that 20% VAT on top of those doesn't go to the school it goes to the Government so the school's income is the same. If let's say 10 kids in each year decide they can't afford it and have to drop out into a state school that's then 90 kids in 7 years so 12.6m income, which the school then loses 1.4m from its budget. Enough kids leaving means the school will have to make budget cuts or put the fees up more.

If the school in the above example with 700 pupils closes that's 700 pupils which need a place somewhere else. And 14m worth of VAT they don't get at all, unless they can get into another school.

This won't cause issues with the rich oversubscribed schools like Eton and Harrow but the smaller ones will certainly feel the impact. How much depends on how many people decide they can't afford the higher costs and how much support they get.

But it seems a bit idealistic to suggest they might be able to use the VAT to get extra teachers because where are these teachers going to come from?

Originally Posted by Damien (Post 36180135)

Given how the state pension is financed it's a good idea to assume you're unlikely to get it or it'll be much reduced by the time you reach retirement age if you're under 50 so I do operate on that basis with my finances.

If I get it then it's a bonus.