A mother whose daughter was forced out of private education has revealed that 10,000 students have already left independent schools due to Labour's VAT policy - more than triple the Government's estimate.
Sarah Lambert's 13-year-old daughter Ava was forced to leave private education after fees increased by £3,270 due to Labour's VAT policy. Unable to find places at nearby state schools, Ava now attends a school 25 miles from home.
Lincolnshire County Council is spending £42.05 daily - £8,200 per year - on taxi transport for Ava.
Speaking to GB News, Sarah Lambert criticised the lack of impact analysis as she blasted the total cost to taxpayers.
Sarah Lambert criticised the lack of impact analysis
GB News
"From the very start of this policy, there has just been no impact analysis done at all. It's just been set up.
"The Government were absolutely hell bent on doing it. Come hell or high water and they've done it.
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"They at no point actually looked to see what impact this was going to have, not just on privately educated children, but on the effects of the state schools as well."
Lambert emphasised the policy was affecting ordinary working families rather than elite institutions.
"This isn't just a minority. Unfortunately, what they've targeted are not, is not the Etonians, its Harrow, all of those schools. It's the schools like my daughters, and it's parents like us," she said.
She disputed claims about tax breaks, stating: "We've paid our taxes. My husband and I work. We didn't use the £8,000 a year, but we still paid the same taxes."
After two rejected applications, she successfully appealed to a panel at Lincolnshire County Council, which finally agreed to provide taxi services.
Lambert described an extensive search for a new school, revealing that every institution within a 20-mile radius had no vacancies.
"I found one school that was 25 miles away. They were the only school that said 'why don't you fill out an application form, Ava will go on a long waiting list because we are completely oversubscribed but at least she's in the system'," she said.
Labour's private school tax raid will began in January
PAA Government spokesperson defended the policy, stating the impact of pupils switching from private schools would be "minimal, representing less than 0.1 per cent of all pupils."
The spokesman said ending private school tax breaks would raise £1.8bn annually by 2029-30 for investment in public services.
"The vast majority of pupils do not need home-to-school transport and we are confident that the state sector will be able to accommodate any additional pupils," the spokesman added.
