Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the reasons why private schools are permitted to participate as employers in the Teacher’s Pension Scheme.

For the 2021/22 financial year, the government contributed over £1.6 billion to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme. For the 2020/21 financial year, the Government contributed over £1.7 billion.

The government does not make any explicit contribution on behalf of any sector but does contribute to the overall cost of pension payments where these exceed the total contributions received in any year.

Independent schools are allowed to participate in the scheme, on a voluntary basis, to help facilitate the movement of staff between the state and private sectors. This benefits all sectors by enhancing opportunities for sharing best practice.

The government has not undertaken any such analysis of the potential advantages of ending arrangements by which private schools are permitted to participate in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.