Surcharge was a Labour party manifesto commitment at the 2024 general election
The high court has dismissed a wave of legal challenges against adding VAT to private school fees in the UK, saying that the government’s decision was a rare example of Brexit freedoms.
The judges noted that adding 20% to private school fees would not have been possible under EU law, stating: “This is therefore one respect in which the UK’s exit from the EU has increased the scope of parliament’s freedom to determine policy.”
The addition of VAT to school fees was a Labour party manifesto commitment at the 2024 general election, and first introduced in January. Ministers said the revenue would be used in part to recruit an additional 6,500 teachers for state schools.
The written ruling by Victoria Sharp, Lord Justice Guy Newey and Mr Justice Chamberlain rejected a series of claims brought by parents and schools, seeking to block the VAT addition on grounds including religious freedom, parental choice and special educational needs.
