Private schools will face legal challenges against the imposition of Labor VAT on private school fees.
The Independent Schools Council (ISC), which represents the majority of UK fee-paying schools, voted yesterday to take legal action against the Government.
The organisation, which represents 1,400 private schools, will allege that the government’s policy is discriminatory, including against children with special educational needs and disabilities.
He has instructed prominent lawyer Lord Panick Casey, who represented Boris Johnson during the Partygate investigation, to fight his case, the BBC revealed.
Private school fees will be subject to VAT from January when Labor ends an exemption for education provision, the Chancellor confirmed yesterday.
The Independent Schools Council (ISC), which represents the majority of UK fee-paying schools, voted yesterday to take legal action against the Government. He has ordered prominent lawyer Lord Panick KC (pictured), who represented Boris Johnson during the Partygate inquiry, to fight his case.
Private school fees will be subject to VAT from January when Labor ends an exemption for education provision, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed yesterday.
The organisation, which represents 1,400 private schools, will allege that the government’s policy is discriminatory, including against children with special educational needs and disabilities. Pictured: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks to members of staff during a visit to Coventry and Warwickshire University Hospitals today.
The ISC requests a judicial review of this policy considering that it violates articles of the European Convention on Human Rights
This will advocate for parents who are unable to find suitable alternatives in the state sector for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
The Office of Budget Responsibility believes the measure would send 35,000 private school children to the state sector.
In an email seen by the BBC, chief executive Julie Robinson said they would “protect the rights of families who choose independent education but are no longer able to do so as a direct result of VAT on their tuition fees.”
“We call on the Government to work with us to reduce the risks of this policy to children, including specialist arts education, low-fee trust schools, girls’ schools and SEND.”
The legal claims will focus on the “right to education” and alleging discriminatory practices against independent schools.
The ISC called on the government to delay its plans and consider the impact on small schools, faith schools and students with special educational needs and disabilities.
Ms Robinson added: ‘We know that tax experts, teaching unions and others have told the government that the January rollout was too rushed and exacerbated many of the problems associated with the policy.
Pictured: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves.
Image: An aerial view of the famous private school in Bryanston, Blandford, Dorset.
‘In our meetings with the government we felt that our points were not taken into account.
‘We want to continue to urge the Government to work with us to reduce political risk as we feel the independent sector has been stereotyped as a homogeneous whole when the reality is that most schools are very small and functioning. Very tight margins.
“The provision of special needs services, specialist education, minority religions and girls’ schools has been put at unnecessary risk, and we believe the Government has a responsibility to all children, including them.”
The government already faces several other legal battles over the policy.
Two-thirds of the cost of the levy will be passed on to parents, which could lead to a six per cent drop in student enrolments, budget watchdog OBR said.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has confirmed the policy will be introduced from January and will raise around £1.7bn a year by 2030.
