The Scottish government has stripped Scottish independent schools of their right to claim business rate relief – a move believed to affect 52 charities.
Schools previously enjoyed the same relief as all other charities – 80 per cent mandatory relief on business rates, with an option on local authorities to exempt them from the other 20 per cent. The move is expected to cost the independent schools sector £5m, and was introduced in the Scottish Budget earlier this week.
John Edward, director of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools, criticised the moves.
“For mainstream schools the announcement today is, pure and simple, a backwards step by the Scottish government – taken against advice and evidence from many quarters,” he said.
“Rates relief - rejected both in principle and in substance by today’s announcement - is part and parcel of a unique public benefit test that was created unanimously by the Scottish Parliament and focussed specifically at independent schools.”
He said that schools had been unfairly singled out, and contributed more than £30m of public benefit in scholarships and bursaries, as well as reducing the burden on state schools by removing children from the state system.
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