Education

Schools, universities and skills, funding, standards and who pays for what. Parties are ordered left to right by our placement on the spectrum, and each line is the position in brief.

1. 

   Green

   Zack Polanski

   10.6%

   No current published position located. This may mean the party has said little on the subject, or that we have not found what it has said. We would rather show the gap than fill it with inference.

   -8

2. 

   Labour

   Andy Burnham

   26.1%

   VAT on private school fees, in force since January 2025

   In full ▾Less ▴

   VAT has been charged at the standard 20% rate on private school fees since 1 January 2025, removing a long-standing exemption. The Treasury forecast the measure would raise £1.51bn in 2025/26.

   The government's own forecast expected 37,000 pupils (about 6% of the private sector) to move into state schools as a result. Several large private schools responded by sharply expanding bursaries.

   Check itVAT on private school fees, House of Commons Library

   -3

3. 

   Lib Dems

   Sir Ed Davey

   10.3%

   No current published position located. This may mean the party has said little on the subject, or that we have not found what it has said. We would rather show the gap than fill it with inference.

   -2

4. 

   Conservative

   Kemi Badenoch

   20.3%

   Criticises VAT on school fees but will not reverse it

   In full ▾Less ▴

   The party has criticised the imposition of VAT on private school fees but has not committed to reversing it in government.

   No broader schools programme published under the current leadership.

   Check itVAT on private school fees, House of Commons Library

   +3

5. 

   Reform

   Nigel Farage

   22.9%

   No current published position located. This may mean the party has said little on the subject, or that we have not found what it has said. We would rather show the gap than fill it with inference.

   +6

6. 

   Restore

   Rupert Lowe

   4.4%

   No current published position located. This may mean the party has said little on the subject, or that we have not found what it has said. We would rather show the gap than fill it with inference.

   +7

2 of 6 parties have a position we could source on this. A blank row may mean the party has said little, or that we have not found what it has said.