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What will happen when VAT is added to private school fees?

BBC
Summary
Nutrition label

82% Informative

From January next year , private schools will no longer be exempt from paying 20% VAT .

The 80% business rate discount will also be removed for schools in England and Wales that operate as charities.

Edinburgh has one of the highest concentrations of privately educated children in the UK .

George Heriot's School , the inspiration for Harry Potter's Harry Potter school, is in the crosshairs of the tax hike.

In 2021 , figures showed that school fees had grown 20% beyond inflation since 2009 .

But student numbers have not diminished as a result of the rise in fees.

An ongoing decline in birth rates means there will be fewer children who need to fill school places.

The IFS estimates the policy will generate an extra 1.3 to 1.5bn for the UK government.

George Heriot's School was founded in 17th century to provide for some of Edinburgh ’s poorest children.

Mrs Gibson said a “pain point where people will not be able to afford to go beyond” will arrive with the fee increase.

VR Score

86

Informative language

84

Neutral language

72

Article tone

informal

Language

English

Language complexity

42

Offensive language

not offensive

Hate speech

not hateful

Attention-grabbing headline

not detected

Known propaganda techniques

not detected

Time-value

short-lived

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