Labour Party 2024 manifesto's pledge

Labour will end the VAT exemption and business rates relief for private schools to invest in our state schools.

Made in Labour's 2024 general election manifesto, before the election that formed the 2024 to 2026 Starmer Labour government.

Made 2024-06-13 · Where it was made · archived copy · Speaker's own words, quoted

What the official figures show

Pupils in independent schools in England, January 2024 (baseline)

593000pupils

2026-10-23 · Department for Education, Schools, pupils and their characteristics · receipt

Pupils in independent schools in England, January 2026 (latest)

560300pupils

2026-10-23 · Department for Education, Schools, pupils and their characteristics · receipt

VAT standard rate (applies to private school fees from 1 January 2025), October 2026 (latest)

20%

2026-10-23 · HM Revenue and Customs (GOV.UK) · receipt

These figures are repeated from their sources and update automatically. We don't say whether the pledge has been kept.