Election Promises

ronib

What is happening to special needs pupils in private schools where parents can’t afford increased school fees? Does the local authority pay the bill if no alternative suitable State provision is available? Now that is an improvement if it happens.

As I understand it, those pupils will be exempt from VAT. Can you be more explicit about the range of learning difficulties / physical disabilities that you think might be better served in the private sector and why?

There is a lot of wishful thinking on this thread.

Labour have had 14 years to make workable plans, now in power they are floundering like fish out of water. They are lazy and dictatorial and will be targeting those with not much further use to society, such as pensioners, the disabled, those who will not work and the less-able

They don`t care, all the time filling their own boots. Their own mps will be out of jobs in 5 years, on the scrapheap

Mamie I was hoping someone who had worked in education could explain. Are you sure that special education is considered vat exempt? Do you have proof please?

Out of interest I checked the provision for children with profound and complex special needs in one of the LAs I worked in. As far as I can see the LA special schools I knew well have continued to develop and flourish. The LA states that it will use independent specialist provision if places are not available in its schools.
It hardly needs saying that this is a subject that should not be the focus of political point scoring.

Mamie but is vat charged?

I found this:
The government has confirmed that where pupils are placed in a private school because their needs cannot be met in the state sector, and they have their places funded by their Local Authority, a devolved government, or a non-departmental public body, their funder will be compensated for the VAT they incur on these pupils’ fees.

petra

The only thing I’m disappointed about is that I thought (in my naivety) he would have people around him who had an insight into the lives of people on a low income.
When the WFA was put on the table I’d hoped that at least a few grey suits might have said whoa, hang on a minute,Kier, this won’t go down very well
Obviously a few did, but not enough.

It is a good idea in principle but the cut off point is too low, I am hoping it will be raised to a more just amount in the October budget.

Mamie I thought EHCP alone qualifies for vat exemption? Only one third of special needs hold EHCP as I understand it.

In the independent sector, the ISC is currently requesting a vat exemption for pupils who receive SEN support, but who do not, for one reason or another, have an EHCP.

ronib

Mamie I thought EHCP alone qualifies for vat exemption? Only one third of special needs hold EHCP as I understand it.

It looks as if ECHP will be required, but as far as I know we have not seen the legislation yet.

Oops sorry, that's the Independent Schools Council.
I guess the trouble is that, although it shouldn't do, this could lead to abuse with schools claiming to be "special" schools.

escaped I am more concerned for pupils without EHCP. Feels a bit like another pension credit moment? Young lives are involved here.

What we have to acknowledge is that a larger number than average of private school children do actually hold an EHCP, precisely because these are the kids of the pushy, well-educated, well-off persistent parents who can afford to pay for private assessments, and therefore get their EHCP processed quickly.

ronib

escaped I am more concerned for pupils without EHCP. Feels a bit like another pension credit moment? Young lives are involved here.

There is no doubt that the ECHP system is under stress and needs much better funding, but not every child who has SEN automatically needs an ECHP. If a child has minor difficulties with learning or behaviour (for example) then this can be helped or overcome by effective support and teaching in the school.
The problem is also that successive funding cuts have hit support services such as Educational Psychologists, Advisory Teachers, Specialist Teaching Assistants, Speech and Language specialists etc etc. It never has been something that can be solved with a quick fix.

ronib

Has anyone a solution for parents who struggle to find the fees for children in special needs at private schools? Do you think the State should be educating all children including special needs? Or does the State only have adequate resources for high iq special needs children?

I have a solution.

It's called living within your means.

karmalady

There is a lot of wishful thinking on this thread.

Labour have had 14 years to make workable plans, now in power they are floundering like fish out of water. They are lazy and dictatorial and will be targeting those with not much further use to society, such as pensioners, the disabled, those who will not work and the less-able

They don`t care, all the time filling their own boots. Their own mps will be out of jobs in 5 years, on the scrapheap

Yes, not only a dissapointment that they're targetting low-hanging fruit but that it's being done with such viciousness.

So the people held responsible for the fabled 22billion "Black Hole" are pensioners, the disabled, the long-term sick?

What a callous bunch of I'm Alright Jacks!

I fervently wish they'll be out on their arses well before their 5 year tenancy is up.

MissA what are you meaning? I don’t know how any government can penalise families with children who have special needs?
This has to be morally wrong?

educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/09/06/vat-private-schools-everything-you-need-to-know/

I'm not sure governments behave decently towards anyone in these circumstances. Otherwise Labour wouldn't have introduced VAT on school fees until the new academic year, at least giving parents time to complete the school year.
But as said before, it was a foregone conclusion.

The above explains things.
The point being that if people choose private education and have no local authority statement to confirm that it is necessary, then they will be liable for paying the fees.

MissA you don’t know anything at all about individual circumstances. Neither it seems does this government. Two thirds of recognised special needs will not be eligible for vat exemption. At the moment unless the government wakes up. Unlikely isn’t it?

If they have a statement confirming that it is necessary for their child to attend a private school, in order for their needs to be met, they will be exempt.

ronib

MissA you don’t know anything at all about individual circumstances. Neither it seems does this government. Two thirds of recognised special needs will not be eligible for vat exemption. At the moment unless the government wakes up. Unlikely isn’t it?

Is that because the local authority has decided that private education isn't necessary for some children with EHCPs? In that case, the reasoning behind recommendations for private education needs to be looked at.

I'm assuming, though I'm no longer in touch, that at a normal independent school, the VAT exemption is only on the special needs provision, and not on the remainder of the school fees.

MissAdventure

If they have a statement confirming that it is necessary for their child to attend a private school, in order for their needs to be met, they will be exempt.

Exactly! Some parents of children with EHCPs decide to send their children to private schools, despite its not being deemed necessary. Maybe ronib could confirm where she found the claim that affects two thirds of pupils with special needs because I doubt that it's true.