A survey by the charity Parentkind has found that nearly half of parents with children in private schools have had to cut back on everyday spending to cover fees, following the Labour government's introduction of VAT on independent school fees. The change, introduced in January last year, added roughly 20 per cent to costs for many families and was justified by ministers as necessary to fund improvements in state education, including thousands of new teachers.

The polling, part of the wider Parentkind National Parent Survey 2026 involving 6,053 parents (476 with children in private education), found 40 per cent had made financial sacrifices in the past year and 28 per cent were struggling to afford fees. Average annual day fees rose to £19,000 and boarding fees to £50,000, with pupils starting last year paying around 84 per cent more than those who finished. The Department for Education said the tax change was raising billions for the 94 per cent of children in state schools, while Parentkind's chief executive noted not all private school parents are wealthy, with some choosing independent education for special educational needs or faith reasons.