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Private Education: Subsidies

Asked by Dr Luke EvansConservativeDepartment for EducationTabled Answered 24 February 2026UIN 109601

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of introducing a targeted subsidy for small charitable independent schools with fewer than 500 pupils on those schools.

Answered by Olivia Bailey

His Majesty’s Treasury published a tax information and impact note on applying VAT to independent school fees.

The department has announced allocations for at least £3 billion in high needs capital between 2026/27 and 2029/30 to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or those requiring alternative provision. This funding is expected to fund a transformative expansion of inclusion bases, as well as adaptations to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of mainstream settings. It can also be used to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs. Wider proposals for SEND reform have been announced in the Schools White Paper, published on 23 February.

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