VAT on private school fees not caused exodus to state sector, says Bridget Phillipson

Bridget Phillipson says critics who said putting VAT on private school fees would cause mass closures were wrong. Photograph: WIktor Szymanowicz/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

Adding VAT to private school fees has failed to trigger an exodus of pupils into the state sector despite widespread speculation that it would, the education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has said.

The Labour government applied 20% VAT to private school fees from the start of 2025. They had previously been exempt from the tax. Newly published admissions data for England showed there had been no influx towards state schools since then.