Many Christian parents are becoming aware of the implications of the new Labour government tax policy on education.
Never before have those providing education for children, historically and internationally seen as a charitable objective, been taxed in the United Kingdom.
Yet this is what will begin under Labour’s plans in 2025.
All private schools, no matter their size, and especially Christian parents sending their children to small Christ-centred schools, will be struggling to process this attack on their finances.
In addition to this, there will be a further property tax, as building rates relief on these schools’ buildings will also be removed. As one school has informed its parents in recent days, ‘The net effect of government plans will, in fact, add more than 20% to the school’s costs”. The impact for many will be more than the VAT on their fees.
The Christian schools we have supported at Christian Concern have low fees, low reserves, make no significant profit, and support low and middle income families whose parents do not want to send their children to other local schools.
Often these state schools have teachers soaked in queer theory and gender identity ideology, celebrating and promoting Pride. These parents want a Christian education for their children, with a vision to train them as disciples of Christ. The Christian staff work for low salaries and the parents commit much of their time to the school community to keep the fees as low as possible. They are places of huge sacrifice and faith.
The government has said they are willing to consult until 15 September, but only on the definitions within the ‘technical note’ which has been published in recent weeks. Many of us have been writing for many months to the power brokers and arguing the case for not penalising smaller Christian schools. We’ve highlighted how these schools are already subsidising the state system, through the parents’ taxes which are already being used to support school places. These families are not taking up their state place for their child. Now they will be taxed for the privilege of this freedom. But although the ongoing sacrifice and faith of these schools and the parents is being tested, Christ himself is being looked to again to provide. Much faith remains in spite of this attack.
Christ-centred school communities are used to relying on God, week by week, year by year for miraculous financial provision.
They look to Christ and his example. In Matthew 17, the recently transfigured Christ, having highlighted the unreasonable nature of the two drachma tax in his discourse with Peter, then demonstrated his sovereignty, humility and ability to provide.
He told Peter to go to the lake and fish – knowing that the first fish he caught would hold a four-drachma coin in its mouth; enough for Peter and Jesus to pay their tax. At some point in the past, the orchestrator of the universe had arranged for a coin to pass into the sea and then somehow into the mouth of a fish. Presumably, as the disciple of Christ responded in obedience, expectant of provision even for an unreasonable tax, so Peter was again amazed by His Lord and inspired towards courage and faith. The rulership of Christ and the ongoing provision for his children emphasised again through a financial trial.
We need to recognise the unreasonableness and counter-productive nature of this tax, and speak up about it. This is a time to help the government to understand what a blessing these small Christian schools are to their communities; they are not bastions of the super-rich elite. At the same time we must encourage one another to respond with faith. There are many pioneers looking to start new Christian education initiatives, from schools to learning centres, from online provision to home education hubs. We find ourselves at Christian Concern being a key source of advice, support and networking for these groups.
Just this week we heard of Regius School in Scotland where, faced with significant financial challenges, and the news of other schools closing, the board met together and prayed. They sensed the Lord saying to expand despite the circumstances! They were stirred from the story of the spies who brought a good report from the promised land, even though there were enemies which seemed insurmountable. They saw the financial enemies as enemies of God’s plan for their school and called out to the Lord in faith. Within a few days of making this bold decision, significant financial provision from an anonymous source had arrived. They are pressing on!
The Church must support – financially and in other ways – those stepping out in obedience to Christ in this way. The Church must understand that failing to support parents in the Christian training and discipleship of their children is to disobey Christ’s great commission to disciple.
May the enemy’s attacks, through tax or other means, prove futile, as the Church of Jesus Christ and Christian parents take up the challenge to a life of ongoing sacrifice and faith modelled to us by our Lord for the sake of the next generation.
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