Skip to main content
Site logo

Main navigation

  • About
  • News
  • Campaigns
  • Surgeries
  • Policy and Campaign Responses
  • Contact
Site logo

Richard Raises Concerns Over VAT Policy Impact on Bedford Borough Schools

  • Tweet
Friday, 4 October, 2024
  • Local News
Child writing in school

Richard has written to the Secretary of State for Education to raise Bedford Borough Council's concerns about the proposed removal of independent schools from current VAT exemptions for educational organisations. This policy is being advanced without a proper assessment of its impact on local state schools.

With 12.6% of local pupils attending independent schools—nearly double the national average—Bedford Borough could face a significant strain on its state school system. Current estimates suggest that between 138 and 322 additional pupils may need places in state schools, where vacancy rates are already below the recommended national minimum following an increase in net migration to Bedford Borough.

Richard has posed questions about how the Department for Education plans to support councils like Bedford Borough, which will be disproportionately affected by this policy should it be implemented. Local families and schools need clarity on how the government intends to address the potential shortfall in school places and funding.

You can read the letter here.

Attachments

Attachment Size
Letter to SoS for Education re Education Tax (235.34 KB) 235.34 KB

You may also be interested in

VAT on Private School Fees

Currently, all schools are exempt from VAT as they are considered eligible bodies under the Education Act. According to the VAT Act 1994, the provision of education or vocational training by an eligible body, along with closely related goods and services, is VAT-exempt.
Richard Fuller MP with Cllr Adam Zerny and Beds MPs

Richard signs joint letter to Angela Rayner with Cllr Adam Zerny & Blake Stephenson MP calling for better infrastructure support for Central Bedfordshire

Friday, 27 June, 2025
Richard recently met with Central Bedfordshire Council leader, Cllr Adam Zerny, and fellow Bedfordshire MPs to discuss the scale of housing development that has taken place across the county in recent years and how the necessary infrastructure to support this growth has fallen far short of required

News

  • Podcast

Show only

  • Articles
  • Local News
  • Newsletters
  • Opinions
  • Reports
  • Senedd News
  • Speeches
  • Speeches in Parliament
  • Westminster News

Richard Fuller MP North Bedfordshire

Footer

  • About RSS
  • Accessibility
  • Cookies
  • Privacy
  • About Richard
  • In Parliament
ConservativesPromoted by Katherine Arnold on behalf of Richard Fuller both at NBCA, Biggleswade Conservative Club, St Andrews Street, Biggleswade SG18 8BA
Copyright 2025 Richard Fuller MP North Bedfordshire. All rights reserved.
Powered by Bluetree