Father Speaks Out Against VAT on Private School Fees
A father has bravely shared the struggles faced by parents who are forced to pay an additional 20 percent VAT on private school fees, particularly when circumstances prevent them from transitioning their children to state schools. His daughter was hospitalized for an extended period last year due to a rare brain condition, requiring significant support that made changing her school placement unfeasible.
The father, who wishes to remain anonymous, explained that while they had managed to afford the private school fees, the added VAT burden rendered it all but impossible. He found himself in a stressful negotiation with the local authority regarding his daughter’s educational support, advocating for recognition that families like his are not in a position to choose private education and should, therefore, be exempt from the VAT increase.
The difficulties began when the father was summoned to his daughter’s private school to discuss concerning changes in her behavior. Previously a well-behaved child who was distressed by any trouble, her situation took a serious turn in January last year when she began experiencing epileptic fits and exhibiting unusual behavior. He recounted, “We were in and out of the hospital for two-and-a-half weeks, and they couldn’t determine what was wrong. They suggested it might be a mental health issue, but she was losing coordination, and we feared she might have an epileptic fit at the top of the stairs. Eventually, I called the hospital and said, ‘This can’t continue; I think her life is at risk.’”
After much distress, the family was transferred to Bristol Hospital, where a neurological specialist diagnosed her with a serious brain illness. The 15-year-old spent eight months in the hospital, including time in intensive care, while her father, a former public servant, stayed at a nearby Ronald McDonald House, a charity that offers accommodations to families with children in the hospital.
“My wife is a teacher,” he added, “and every weekend, she would put the dog in kennels on Friday night and make the three-hour drive to us. She would then return on Sunday evenings.”
Eventually, signs of improvement emerged. When his daughter first emerged from intensive care, she was unable to walk, talk, or feed herself. However, by August, she was allowed to come home on weekends, prompting the family to explore options for her return to full-time schooling and the familiar environment of her previous school.
They applied for an EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan), a legal document that delineates a child’s needs and the necessary additional support that the local authority must provide. Although the family felt they had made a significant sacrifice to pay the private school fees prior to their daughter’s medical crisis, they believed they were entitled to request that the state cover the costs due to her heightened needs. Parents can advocate for a private school placement on the EHCP if they can demonstrate that it meets their child’s requirements and does not constitute ‘unreasonable public expenditure.’ However, if the local authority believes a state school can adequately address the child’s educational needs, they may deny the request for a private school placement.
The negotiations with the local authority concluded with the parents still responsible for the £16,000 annual fees, plus an additional £3,000 VAT charge that has been in effect since January 1 of this year. The local authority is providing funding for a teaching assistant to support their daughter at her school. Although the family has resigned themselves to paying her school fees—especially as she is about to take her GCSEs and is expected to transition to a state college afterward—they believe that it is unjust to impose VAT on top of their already significant financial burden, particularly given that their daughter’s needs necessitated her continued enrollment in a private school.
The father remarked, “We consulted with her psychiatrists, and they affirmed that she needed to return to the same private school for her emotional well-being.” He further explained, “She had just eight months left in year 11. We could not uproot her after everything she had endured and send her to a different school. We had to prioritize her mental well-being and health. The impact of changing schools would have been absolutely disastrous.”
Beyond the emotional toll this experience has taken on the family, the financial strain has also been substantial, particularly as the father is now retired. “It’s been a struggle financially,” he admitted. “We have been fortunate that relatives have lent us money for this year.”
The family incurred around £80 weekly for fuel to travel to Bristol and back, plus £45 each weekend for kennel expenses. They also faced an additional £130 per week for meals and drinks while at the hospital.
Now, they wish to raise awareness of their situation with their local MP, hoping to assist others facing similar challenges. They argue that parents who are not choosing private education voluntarily should be exempt from the additional VAT charge. “My motivation for reaching out to my MP is that the system is placing families in a position where they must pay for school fees and VAT on top of it. We will get through this, but others may face much longer struggles.”
The family approached Jayne Kirkham, MP for Truro and Falmouth, who expressed empathy for their predicament. “She took on our case, even though she supports the addition of VAT to school fees. She showed genuine understanding; I had a 30-minute meeting with her, even though I was only scheduled for 15 minutes. I was emotional and in tears, passionately expressing my concerns.”
Ms. Kirkham subsequently wrote a letter to the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson, outlining the family’s situation and concerns. In response, they received a generic letter from Stephen Morgan, MP, Minister for Early Education, which merely reiterated the government’s justification for the VAT on school fees.
“I could have smashed my head against a wall upon receiving that letter,” the father expressed. “I was filled with anger and frustration. It felt heartless. It seemed either he hadn’t read Jayne Kirkham’s letter and passed it along to someone else, or he did read it and simply didn’t care.”
Looking to the future, the family is focused on helping their daughter prepare for her GCSE exams this summer. “She had been predicted 10 GCSEs with grades of sevens, eights, and nines; now she’s down to five. Due to her brain condition, my daughter will never be the person she once was. She is improving, but there is some permanent damage,” he lamented.
The plan is for her to attend a local sixth form college. “It will be a new experience for her, but she has had a year to adjust and develop a routine. Each day signifies progress, but she still feels anxious in unfamiliar environments.”
While it may be too late to change their circumstances, the father has witnessed others in similar situations during his daughter’s hospital stay. “The government needs to understand the real impact of their policies and decisions,” he concluded.
A government spokesperson responded, “Pupils with the most acute needs will not be affected by this policy. Ending tax breaks on private schools will help generate additional funds to eliminate barriers to opportunity and support the 94 percent of pupils attending state schools to flourish, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). We have made it clear that the students who may change schools because of these changes represent less than 0.1 percent of pupils, and we are confident that the state sector will be able to accommodate them.”
