Private schools have had “ample time to prepare” for Labour’s tax raid, the Education Secretary said this morning. 

Bridget Phillipson signalled the Government’s plan to impose VAT on private school fees will be rolled out earlier than planned. 

It had been thought the change would take effect in September next year but Labour is now believed to be targeting a start date in January. 

There are fears the tax raid, which Labour wants to use to pay for 6,500 new teachers in the state sector, will spark a pupil exodus as some parents are priced out. 

Asked if parents should be planning for the VAT raid in January, Ms Phillipson told Times Radio: “Schools should be planning for the introduction of this change which we first set out in 2021. We have been clear about our position on this for some time. We do want to move as quickly as we can.”

Asked again if it would be January, she said: “We want to move as quickly as we can on this. As I say, Rachel Reeves will set out the exact timescale. 

“But we first set out this policy in 2021 so I do think schools have had ample time to prepare and my priority is about making sure that we deliver a better education, more teachers and more mental health support in our state schools where 93 per cent of our children will be.” 

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