As part of Keir Starmer’s new financial plan he's set his sights on the private education sector, with a view to taxing them less like a charity, and more like a business . This would bring the rest of the UK more in line with the Scottish education system, which stripped private schools of some charitable exemptions from business rates, with exceptions being made for schools solely educating disabled students and those with additional support needs. The proposed tax increase has caused an outcry from both politicians and many parents paying for private education , but a survey of the Scottish public by Savanta found 16% opposed the proposed taxation, 24% had no opinions about it, and 52% said they would be in favour.
Within the manifesto put forward by Labour, they made a commitment that the additional revenue generated by enforcing business rates and VAT would be put directly into the public school system, helping to redress the discrepancy between the average fee spent on a student in private education (£15,200 per year) and the yearly amount afforded to each state-educated student (£8,000). Labour have predicted raising £1.7billion from the scheme, adding that £150million of this money would be invested specifically in the Scottish public school system, money which is sorely needed right now, however the revenue ends up being generated.
On paper, the reasons parents give for choosing private schools for their children make perfect sense, and reflect a natural desire.