VAT Impact Report: What was Promised. What Happened.

Hi All,

When Ministers introduced VAT on private school fees, they assured parents, schools and Parliament that disruption would be limited, the impact would be modest and relatively few pupils would leave the sector.

We were told concerns about school closures and wider consequences were exaggerated.

Eighteen months on, enough evidence now exists to test those claims.

The Education Not Taxation campaign, a volunteer group of parents driven by mission not money, analysed Government evidence to assess the damage this tax has caused.

You can see the damage for yourself in our new report, titled:

What Has Promised. What Happened: VAT on School Fees

This report compares the forecasts used to justify the policy with the outcomes that have actually followed.

The findings are stark.

The reduction in mainstream independent school pupils has already exceeded the Government’s long-term forecast.

Large school closures are running substantially above historic levels.

Estimated state-sector costs derived using the Government’s own assumptions now exceed the Government’s projected peak.

The central forecast underpinning the policy did not match reality. Everything else follows from that.

No sensible government taxes education. It’s time this policy was reconsidered.  

You can read the report for yourself here.

 We now ask for your help.  Please contact your MP, of whichever party, to urge them to call for the repeal of this tax.  We all want great schools, but taxing education won't get us there.  We need a policy that builds schools up, not tear them down.  

We have created three templates to help you get started (but please amend to reflect your own situation):
1. MPs who opposed VAT
2. MPs who supported VAT
3. MPs who have an unknown position on VAT
You can find your MP here.

If you want to support this fight in other ways, take a look at our "How Can I Help?" page for more information. 

Thank you all for your continued support in this fight.  The tide is turning, and that's because of you.   It will take longer than hoped, but we will prevail.  

The Government got the tax they wanted, but they also laid the groundwork for a new relationship between parents and schools that will strengthen choice for all.   We fight for that day.

Best regards,

Tony Perry
Founder, Education Not Taxation