Private Schools in Britain Closing Due to Government Tax Policies

Private schools in Britain are closing en masse due to the government's decision to impose VAT on tuition fees and remove business rate relief. St Joseph's College in Reading, which survived two world wars, the Great Depression, and a pandemic, is among those that will not reopen after the summer holidays. The government had promised these policies would not lead to such consequences. School boards are exploring mergers, asset sales, and cost cuts to survive, but many girls' schools and historic institutions are already closing or transforming. The government initially predicted 14,000 students would leave private schools this summer, but the number may exceed 30,000.