VAT on school fees (part 2)
Having said this, the implementation of such a policy most definitely shows a strong sign of intent from the Labour government and is a policy which challenges the morality of private education. As already mentioned, the UK’s top educational institutions are ingrained in UK tradition and, while controversial, will no doubt continue to be a part of the education system for many years to come. Thus, the ultimate ideal of an entire system of well-funded and balanced state schools may be an unrealistic aspiration, even if it could be seen as a step in the right direction. Debates over private education have long been rooted in the fact that private schools were not a necessity but a luxury and should therefore not receive tax breaks. Now with the removal of this exemption, a message has been sent that such privilege should not and will not be subsidized by the state. It is hoped that, at least, from a social perspective, classrooms across the nation will gain from having a more varied student body that contributes to the development of a new generation of class-conscious people. Linking directly to socio-economic mobility, a UK study using anonymized Facebook data found that low-income children with cross-class friendships earn on average £5,100 more per year compared to their segregated peers, 8 highlighting the importance of these inter-class relationships. Therefore, in the long term, this policy may start to right the wrongs of ingrained class prejudices, bringing about a healthier and more socially mobile society. The socio-economic effects of imposed VAT, whether positive or negative, will be hard to measure. The vast range of potential societal, economic and political impacts on the UK’s socio-economic mobility mean, whatever the outcome, imposed VAT will make up just a fraction of the overall picture. Whilst educational outcomes and qualifications are key, recent data suggests that truancy rates are now similar across all social groups. 9 Geographically socio-economic mobility differs substantially across regions of the UK and the north-south divide continues to split the prospects of pupils. An indication of this gap is the promising prospects index, which divides local authorities in the UK into five groups according to the academic and employment outcomes of youth from comparable socioeconomic origins. All LAs in the top category labelled ‘most favourable’ sit in and around the London conurbation whilst all LAs in the bottom two categories ‘unfavourable’ and ‘least favourable’ – with the exception of Cornwall – lie north of Manchester. 10 Thus, location, employment opportunities and neighbourhood environment are equally important indicators of socio-economic mobility.
Furthermore, the importance of socio-economic mobility means those at the top will look to maintain their positions using markers of class and ’good taste’ to prevent those below them from creeping up the social hierarchy. Despite attempts at educational levellers, matters of taste and class which separate those with
8 ‘Poor pupils with richer friends will earn more as adults, study finds’, The Sunday Times (2025) at https://www.thetimes.com/uk/education/article/poor-pupils-with-richer-friends-will-earn-more-as-adults-study- finds-sjjwsx25x?msockid=03836b1e2dca6d2f1ee37ef52c016cc3. 9 ‘New report explores factors impacting social mobility and adolescent wellbeing in the UK’, University of Oxford Department of Sociology (2024) at https://www.sociology.ox.ac.uk/article/new-report-explores-factors-impacting-social-mobility-and-adolescent- wellbeing-in-the-uk .
10 ‘ Social mobility by area’, Social Mobility Commission (2024) at https://social-mobility.data.gov.uk/social_mobility_by_area/latest .
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