Legal Battle Looms over VAT on Private Schools: Parent’s Fight for Special Needs Education

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The UK government is facing a legal challenge from Alexis Quinn, a mother whose daughter, Addison, has special educational needs (SEN). Alexis claims that the Labour government’s decision to introduce VAT on private school fees violates her human rights, as it threatens her ability to afford the necessary education for her child.

 

From January, the Labour government plans to remove the VAT exemption and business rates relief on private schools, a move designed to generate funds for 6,500 new teachers in the state sector. However, for parents like Alexis, who rely on private schooling to meet the specific needs of their children, this policy could have devastating consequences.

 

Addison, who has autism, was denied an education health care plan (EHCP) by her local council. Without this crucial support, Alexis found herself in a difficult position. “Addison would tear up every morning. And I felt awful. I was dragging her to a school that she couldn't access because of her autistic needs,” she explained. Frustrated and desperate, Alexis decided to enroll her daughter in a private school, a significant financial burden that she undertook out of necessity. “It's a huge financial commitment. I'm living at home with my parents. It's not easy,” she admitted.

 

Her decision to move Addison to a private school wasn’t about luxury but survival. The state sector, she felt, was unable to meet her daughter's needs. “The state of the state sector isn’t okay for any child,” Alexis added, noting that her son is still in the state system.

 

Addison’s previous experiences in state education were challenging. Reflecting on her time there, she described a chaotic environment that made learning difficult: “I kept on getting distracted by everything, because everyone just like yelling and getting annoyed with each other... I used to get really upset when everyone was talking so Maths and English and all the other subjects [were] really hard.”

 

For Alexis, the decision to take the government to court stems from a belief that children with special educational needs should not have to choose between no education or a failing state system. “Schools are under-resourced. They're in deficit. The government must fund the state sector, but it’s wrong to do that at the expense of children. This policy is flawed,” she said.

 

Alexis’ concerns are shared by others in the education sector. Daniel Hood, headteacher of St Joseph’s Preparatory School, which is set to close in December due to financial pressures, echoed her sentiments. “St Joseph’s is a family school, and we strive to do the best for every single one of our pupils. We’re not an elite private school. We don’t make any profit, and we provide an alternative for parents who aren’t able to get what they need in the state sector,” he explained.

 

While the VAT policy is intended to redirect funds to public services, including education, it risks leaving behind a vulnerable group of students, particularly those with special needs. Approximately 111,000 special educational needs and disabled (SEND) pupils are currently in private schools, but fewer than 8,000 have an EHCP. For parents like Alexis, this raises serious concerns about the accessibility and quality of education for their children.

 

Not everyone opposes the policy, however. Francis Green, Professor of Work and Education Economics at University College London, supports the government's plans. “There are many more state school parents who are struggling to make ends meet for all sorts of reasons. Anything which will bring more money and resources into the state school system, in my view, is to be supported,” he told Sky News.

 

The government argues that the VAT revenue will help fund public services, including state education. Yet for families like Alexis Quinn’s, the added cost threatens to push them into a financial and educational crisis. As the legal battle unfolds, the broader debate over how to balance the needs of the state education system with the unique challenges faced by special needs students continues.

 

Based on a report from Sky News 2024-10-07