Children with special needs will not be protected during VAT raid on private schools

Parents who pay for shipping children with special needs to private schools will not be protected from Labor’s tax raid, the education secretary has said.

Bridget Phillipson said the government would “draw the line” on exempting pupils from education, health and care plans (ECHP) whose places are funded by local councils.

This means that parents whose local authority does not legally recognize their children’s needs or place them in private education will be forced to cover any increased costs caused by Labor Party’s decision to add VAT to fees.

EHCPs are certificates issued by boards that describe a child’s special needs and set criteria to help schools meet those needs.

They can be used to cover the costs of private education in cases where a child may require additional support due to their circumstances.

No additional protection

Before the election, a Labor Party spokesman said: “Seats funded by education, health and special educational needs plans will not have a higher cost due to VAT.”

On Sunday, Ms Phillipson confirmed the exemption would not apply to children without an ECHP or children who have not been referred to private education but whose parents believe their needs are not being met in the public sector.

Asked whether the Government would offer any additional protection to parents who “pay their own costs” for sending children with special needs to a private school, she said: “Where the children are educated in a private institution under an education, health and care plan ” , then there will be no changes there…

“Because that’s where the need was identified through this process. But we need to draw the line, and this is where we draw it.”