Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2024 to Question 17827 on Private Education: Business Rates, what estimate she has made of the number of independent schools which receive discretionary business rate relief from their local authority to top up the 80% mandatory charitable rate relief; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the removal of mandatory charitable relief on funding by local authorities of discretionary rate relief for independent schools.

Under the existing discretionary relief powers provided by the Local Government Finance Act 1988 local authorities are permitted to award relief of any level to any ratepayers, where they feel it reasonable to do so and it is in the interest of local council taxpayers.

Existing discretionary relief powers are provided by the Local Government Finance Act 1988 and will be unaffected by the ending of charitable rate relief for private schools

Central Government does not collect data on specific recipients of discretionary relief.