Shortly after Labour came to power, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the addition of VAT on private school fees on 29 July 2024, which caught parents by surprise as many people predicted it would not come into effect halfway through a school year. However, it was later revealed it would begin from 1 January 2025 to the amazement of many.

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said on X (formerly Twitter) on 29 December: ‘Aspirational families want brilliant schools. We will invest the money raised from ending tax breaks to drive up standards in state schools across our country.’

VAT increases to fees is predicted to raise £1.5bn in 2025 alone, raising to £1.9bn a year by the end of this parliament, with the additional revenue to be put towards funding for extra teachers across the country.