As reported by The Daily Mail, the estimated £1.5 billion raised by this tax increase is expected to fund 6,500 more teachers, new breakfast clubs, 3,000 new nurseries and more across the state sector for education.
Many are celebrating this funding, and Labour's quick follow through on promises to their voter base. Additionally, praise has come for the newly-elected government for diverting funding towards state schools - something many thought previous governments lacked.
Critical eyes have pointed out that this tax will disproportionally target middle-class earners already struggling to give their children better opportunities. NHS workers, teachers and military personnel are among this group.
There are fears that children will be removed from independent school, and the social mobility between the lower and upper classes will worsen.
By contrast, it has also been said that the upper echelon of rich families won’t feel this tax, and will continue to put their children through private education, potentially widening the wealth gap between upper class families and the rest of England.
This tax will also disproportionally affect families of colour and immigrants, much more likely to have new, tethered money than older British wealth. Whilst these households can reach into the reserves of land, property, and long-standing businesses, POC families with less expendable income will have to take their kids out of private education. Not only has Labour incidentally made upper-class education more exclusive again, but significantly whiter.
Labour has specified a tax exemption to independent schools catered towards special needs and learning support, so as to not punish these families.
As well as quickly implemented policies like these, many hope that Labour will turn its eye towards closing non-domestic tax loopholes as outlined in their campaign. Increased funding for HMRC officers would directly target the uber-rich utilising tax havens and tighten gaps exploited by international companies like Microsoft and Meta.
These changes would be less punchy as headlines, but finally target tax dodgers weakening the country over our workers.
