Parents of SEND children fight private school tax hike

Parents have said they are working seven-day weeks to pay for private schools that support their children’s special educational needs as they challenge the government’s tax on fees.

- BRYONY GOOCH

Families gathered at the Royal Courts of Justice ahead of a High Court hearing yesterday to challenge the government’s decisions to impose 20 per cent VAT on private school costs.

Nearly 20 families and several faith schools were part of the effort to bring legal action against the Treasury, as they claimed the new VAT on fees is discriminatory and a breach of human rights law.

The Education Not Taxation campaign argues that Special educational needs and disability (SEND) children have been disproportionately affected by this tax hike.

One mother, Leanne Gunn, said she’ll be forced to work all her life in order to afford her son Charlie’s fees, adding: “There is no other option for him.” The self-employed accountant’s son was diagnosed at age two with transverse myelitis, a rare neurological condition caused by inflammation of the spinal cord, which means he uses a wheelchair and experiences sensory problems such as hearing loss.

Ms Gunn has said her son couldn’t access education in a larger class size and is “flourishing” at his school. Already, she starts work at 5am and doesn’t finish until just before midnight in order to pay the fees.

She said the education tax “just means that I'm gonna be working seven days a week until forever.

“I work really long hours as it is and for Charlie, there is no other option for him. We don't have another state option”, she continued.