Monday 28 November 2022 10:42 PM Keir Starmer's plan to put VAT on fees could lead to mass closures, expert ... trends now
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Up to 200 private schools may be forced to close if Labour scraps their tax breaks.
They are said to be at risk from Keir Starmer’s ‘irresponsible’ policy – affecting around 26,000 pupils.
A further 64,000 children would be forced into the state system because their parents would not be able to pay increased fees.
No 10 backed the tax exemption last night, saying the independent sector played an important role in helping disadvantaged pupils. Private heads said that Labour’s plan was a ‘tax on the aspirations of parents’ because it punished those who had saved up for their children’s education.
Up to 200 private schools may be forced to close if Labour scraps their tax breaks. They are said to be at risk from Keir Starmer’s ‘irresponsible’ policy – affecting around 26,000 pupils
At the weekend, Labour confirmed Sir Keir would retain Jeremy Corbyn’s policy of scrapping the charitable status of private schools, which exempts them from VAT on fees.
Labour says the move would raise £1.7billion for the Treasury – but critics insist it could cost taxpayers £400million a year because the state would have to educate displaced pupils.
Around 15 per cent – 150 to 200 – of 1,300 mainstream private schools would be at risk of closing under the plan, experts believe.
These are mostly smaller, less expensive day schools – and many are single sex.
A number are already operating on a tight budget, so would have to pass on the VAT cost to parents. This would, in turn, price out many families, leading
