Starting this year, fees at private schools across London have shot up because the government added a 20% VAT (that’s our sales tax) onto tuition. For a school that cost £20,000 a year, the bill just jumped by £4,000—instantly. That’s like suddenly paying for a small car every year just to keep your kid in the same classroom.
Many families simply can’t afford that. And when they can’t, they pull their children out, the schools lose cash, and some of those fancy old buildings with the green playing fields are now closing their gates for good.
A ripple effect bigger than you’d think
You might be thinking, “Great, less tax loopholes for the rich—who cares?” But here’s the twist: when those private schools close, they don’t just vanish quietly. The kids who leave them don’t disappear either—they head straight to your local state school, often with a bang.
Imagine Liam, a cheerful ten-year-old whose fancy school is shutting down. Next term, Liam joins the class of your neighbor’s daughter, Sarah. Suddenly Sarah’s school has twenty more kids than expected, but the same number of teachers and desks. The school’s budget—already stretched like old elastic—has to cover new books, extra chairs, and maybe a portakabin classroom.
