Keir Starmer’s Labour Party has caused a lot of anger and confusion. Labour wants to add a tax on private school fees starting in January. This tax would add VAT (Value Added Tax) to parents’ fees for their children’s private education. The plan has upset many, especially families of children with SEND.
Labour plans to make private schools pay VAT. This would mean parents who send their children to private schools must pay more. The idea behind this is to make the education system fairer. Labour believes that this tax would help raise more money for the government. They want to use the funds to support public schools, where most children in the UK go.
Why Is There a Backlash?
Not everyone agrees with Labour’s plan. Some parents and schools are distraught. They think it’s unfair and will make private schools too expensive. The biggest problem is for families with children with SEND. These children sometimes need extra help that many public schools can’t provide. So, some parents choose private schools that offer the proper support.
However, if private school fees go up because of the VAT, some families might need help. They worry they may have to move their kids to public schools, which can’t always meet their needs. This is why the plan upsets many people.
Legal Challenge: Families Fight Back
A law firm called Sinclairslaw is leading a legal challenge against Labour’s tax plan. They are helping a single parent and her daughter, who this new tax would hurt. The legal case says that the tax is unfair to children with SEND. The lawyers argue that this policy goes against human rights laws. They believe every child has the right to an education. No child should face discrimination.
The lawyers say that the VAT tax would make it harder for some children to get the education they need. They argue that moving kids from private to public schools could harm them. Public schools already need help with special needs programs.
How Does This Impact SEND Families?
Many families with SEND children choose private schools. They provide the exceptional support their children need. However, with the new tax, private school fees could become too expensive. This would mean some families would have no choice but to move their children to public schools.
Unfortunately, many UK public schools lack the resources to support SEND children. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the system for helping these children is broken. It can take up to two years for families to get the special paperwork (called an EHCP) they need to receive help. This paperwork would protect most SEND children in private schools from the VAT.
What Could Happen Next?
The legal challenge to Labour’s proposal is still in its infancy. In a letter to the government, Sinclairslaw threatened legal action if the policy remained unchanged. The attorneys will file for a court hearing before the tax’s implementation in January if it is approved in the Budget on October 30.
The legal company is utilising crowdsourcing to fund a fresh challenge after winning a 2022 lawsuit against the government on COVID-19 care facilities. They claim that regular people, not wealthy families from elite schools, pay this legal dispute. Many believe that this is a struggle for educational equity.
Labour’s Response
Labour has stood by its proposal. It is said that children covered by an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) will not be required to pay VAT. Meanwhile, less than 8,000 of the 111,000 SEND students attending private schools have this plan. This implies that there may still be an effect on most SEND families.
Labour has acknowledged that there are issues with the EHCP system and that it needs to be repaired. Families may have to wait years to receive this important documentation. This implies that the tax may take effect for many before they receive the necessary assistance.
Crowdfunding and Public Support
Sinclairslaw has started a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for the lawsuit. Their goal is to ensure that regular households can resist this tax. Rich folks are not attempting to avoid paying extra for this. It concerns safeguarding children who are at risk and require special educational assistance.
The case has a lot of support from people. They think the nation’s most vulnerable youngsters may suffer due to this tax. Some claim it can even prevent kids from receiving the necessary education.
Conclusion
The private school tax idea Keir Starmer and Labour proposed has drawn much criticism. Families worry, particularly those whose children have SEND. They are afraid of what this new tax will do to them. The legal challenge from Sinclairslaw might change everything. Labour might need to reconsider its strategy if the court finds the tax unjust.
Thank you for reading, click the link below to read more of our Politics Articles:
