Excessive VAT on Pilot Training

CrazyClum

We all know the cost of Pilot Training is excessive as it enters you into a great career in a short span of time. However the fees levied on a form of education for young people is excessive.

Average commerical training now stands at £70,000, of which a whopping 17.5% of this goes to Mr Darling at No11. This works out at a huge £10,400 with NO help at all from the government.

Yes, we could go in the RAF, but that's not an area I really want to get into, and at the moment it is really over subscribed.

Do we not all agree that ALL forms of education should be VAT & Duty free?

System

Only in your dreams could you class pilot training as education. BTW VAT is only £10,400

Lokolo

!!!!!! wrote: »

Only in your dreams could you class pilot training as education. BTW VAT is only £10,400

I make it £12,250 too. How did you get £10,400?

The_One_Who

Aren't most trainee pilots sponsored by airlines? I've only known a couple of people to do it (others went the RAF route), but they were sponsored.

timnicebutdim_2

Lokolo wrote: »

I make it £12,250 too. How did you get £10,400?

If gross is £70000 (which represents 117.5% of the net), to work out VAT:

70000/117.5*17.5 = £10425.53

or (70000/47)*7

12250 would be 17.5% of 117.5% IFYSWIM

Taiko

Come on Lokolo, you're slacking on the VAT calcs!

Lokolo

Taiko wrote: »

Come on Lokolo, you're slacking on the VAT calcs!

Haha I feel so ashamed. Hope your pizza was nice

CrazyClum

It is classed as a skill. Your telling me you don't class training to be skill much like being a plumber or a builder is?

Oh gosh, my maths there was TERRIBLE, back to the drawing board :rotfl:

BUT ... all I am saying is that that amount going to the Government is simply idiotic. It is excessive to pay £10,000 of VAT just to follow your dream.

The problem now with the sponsorship is that it doesn't exist in our current climate. Yes, it exists marginally with Flybe but they are asking for A* passes in THREE subjects at A-Level - myself with my A's & B's.

As for the RAF, they are so over-subscribed since the collapse of airlines and the shedding of pilots by airlines that I have been informed they would not be adding to their pool.

MrsManda

CrazyClum wrote: »

It is classed as a skill. Your telling me you don't class training to be skill much like being a plumber or a builder is?

The difference is the economy needs plumbers, if there was a shortage of commerical pilots, there'd be more schemes to help people who want to train to be one.

CrazyClum wrote: »

As for the RAF, they are so over-subscribed since the collapse of airlines and the shedding of pilots by airlines that I have been informed they would not be adding to their pool.

Which surely means there's no demand for new commerical pilots and thus why would the Government pay to let people train to qualify as one?

timnicebutdim_2

CrazyClum wrote: »

It is excessive to pay £10,000 of VAT just to follow your dream.

Agreed, it does seem silly.... given that education is exempt from VAT why not training which adds value to the economy? They'd soon claw it all back through income tax from high earners who have done such training! I'm determined to understand the VAT system one day!

SlinkyFISH_2

Apply for a pilot career through the Navy? Not many people know that the Navy does everything, for example the Navy Marine Commandos are considered the some of the elite troops of our country.
Sorry sorry.. I've just applied to the Mavy myself as a medical assistant, soon to do the all knowing psychometric/medical/fitness tests (HMS Raleigh here I come!), and now I consider myself a know-it-all cause I read through a few booklets and watched a few DVDs
Its worth looking into though if you haven't already, they pay for all your tuition at UK piloting schools across the country and also give grants.