“Special Needs Children Are Collateral Damage” | Labour’s VAT On Schools Plan Faces Legal Challenge

Labour’s plan to impose VAT on private school fees in January is facing a High Court legal challenge, with claims it breaches human rights law.

Lawyers argue the policy discriminates against children with special educational needs (SEND), who may be forced out of private schools if parents can't afford the higher fees. The state sector, they say, lacks the resources to meet these children's needs.

This is the first legal challenge to Labour’s proposal, which has faced widespread criticism.

Mike Graham speaks with human rights campaigner for special education needs, Alexis Quinn.

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[MichaelHill-ot]

CRAZY CLUELESS AND, HEART LESS. LABOUR PARTY TRULY CRUEL POLITICIANS 😢

[lauraf]

So where are Labours new SEND plans and funding? The state system can’t support these children and hasn’t been meeting their needs for decades. This is why parents desperately do what they can to afford private school, home educate or attend virtual academies.

[HazelDownie]

my grandson attends a special needs private school. his parents scrimp to send him as he would be left behind and bullied in state school. 😮😮Where does Starmers girls go to school?

[DavidGetling]

There are some kids who genuinely need extra help, but I'm far from being the only one to think that terms like "special needs" and ADHD are used far too often to excuse appalling behaviour and bad parenting.

[jenniferbarry]

When special educational needs schools were closed because the 'experts' and Liberal minded parents said all children should be in mainstream education the savings were not given to the mainstream schools to support SEND pupils. Unless behaviour or severe physical ability is the issue most children with SEND do not get help.

[taylormade]

The amount of public money being used for sen kids to be ferried to an from school in a taxi is absolutely insane, the majority have mild symptoms but somehow qualify for schoon run, most kids ive picked up have parents with cars, parents who dont work and have brand new mobility cars yet wont take there own kids to school, the amount of money my local council spends is pure insanity, one driver earns 1400 a week to take one kid to and from a school 50 miles away daily, on what planet is this acceptable, we wonder why councils are going bust

[dominiclane]

This government absolutely disgusts me

[lks]

Only the worst of petty hateful and spiteful governments would not want the best education possible for as many citizens as possible. It makes NO SENSE to limit the quality of education people receive.

[TigerMa]

The system for children with SEN needs a complete overhaul. Each parent is on their own trying to do their best for their child. Council’s seemingly have no money and so will only do the bare minimum so even with EHC plans(hard enough to get!)- school provisions do not meet them. If parents can afford private school specialised in SEN teaching- good on them. Shame we can’t have the best provisions in every primary and secondary school for children with SEN. Now that would be better.

[markhutton]

Even if they only charge the richest SEN parents, they will have to spend more than they make on providing SEN places in schools.

[ragdollkid]

Local authorities should be picking up the cost for SEND
Person should be pushing for EHCP for their child and get the LA paying

[Wasssssup-]

Kids need 1 to 1 supervision and arent getting it ! Disgusting 🤢