Local school leaders believe up to a third of parents will withdraw their children from private schools if VAT is added to school fees. And fears are growing that this exodus will overwhelm top local state schools.
Labour has announced that it plans to immediately slap VAT on school fees if elected at the General Election which must happen before January 2025.
“Local school leaders have told me they fear Labour’s VAT hike will force up to a third of parents to withdraw their children from local independent schools, said Nigel Gardner, who was educated at Aldwickbury and then St Albans School.
“This is an ideological policy that will punish local parents who sacrifice so much to pay for their children’s education, and increase pressure on our over-subscribed top local state schools.”
Independent education is believed to be the single biggest private sector employer in the new Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency. Concerns are also growing about the knock-on effects such an exodus will have on our local economy.
With over 600 people employed in Berkhamsted alone by private schools, the knock-on economic effects on our town will be disastrous.
“This Labour tax raid will hit swathes of local families – whether their children are at state or private schools – and damage our local economy.”