Private schools and unions call for pause on VAT plan

An unlikely alliance of independent schools, trade unions and tax experts are heaping pressure on Rachel Reeves to delay a tax raid on private education.

- DAVID MADDOX

Fears are growing that if the government goes ahead with its plans to introduce VAT on school fees in the middle of the school year, it will cause job losses and put children’s education in chaos.

It comes as the government has insisted that it will stick with the plans, which were included in the Labour manifesto before the election, to help fund an extra 6,500 new teachers at state schools.

Reports over the weekend suggested that there had been a wobble on the issue, similar to what happened with the plan to tackle so-called non-doms, because it appeared that imposing VAT on private education would not raise as much money as previously thought. Details are expected to be confirmed in the Budget on 30 October.