VAT on private school fees has not caused pupil exodus, says Bridget Phillipson
Summary
The UK government added a 20% VAT tax to private school fees starting in 2025. Recent data shows this tax has not caused many students to leave private schools for state schools. Applications to state schools have actually decreased slightly, and most families still get their top school choices.Key Facts
- VAT of 20% was added to private school fees in England from the start of 2025.
- New data shows no large movement of pupils from private to state schools since the tax began.
- Overall applications for state primary and secondary schools have slightly dropped this year.
- Nearly 85% of families got their first choice of secondary school, a higher rate than in 2024 and 2025.
- Some London areas with many private school students saw no increase in public school applications.
- The number of pupils in independent schools fell by 3.8% in England, but the number of private schools increased by 41.
- VAT on private school fees is expected to raise £1.8 billion annually by 2029-30.
- The raised money is planned to hire 6,500 more teachers, though some doubt remain about meeting this goal.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.