More than 6,600 Worcestershire students to be affected by new tax

The 20 per cent VAT will be introduced in January, and will impact students across Worcestershire.

There are concerns that parents who cannot afford the increased fees will move their children to state schools, putting additional pressure on the system.

The policy will affect students from various backgrounds, including military families, children with special educational needs, those in small faith schools, and pupils preparing for critical exam periods.

The tax may already be impacting the independent school sector, with nine schools across the UK closing.

Starting next year, schools will face the 20 per cent tax, marking the first time education services in the UK have been taxed.

The proposed tax has been debated in Parliament recently, with many MPs claiming the policy is rushed and the full consequences have not been properly assessed.

Droitwich and Evesham MP Nigel Huddleston has called on the Government to publish a comprehensive impact assessment to gauge the effects on families and schools.

Mr Huddleston said: "The Government originally claimed that this policy will raise revenue, but an independent think tank now estimates that the Education Tax could actually cost taxpayers £1.6 billion per year, as more students move from independent to state schools, resulting in increased class sizes and stretched resources.

"We are already seeing the consequences, with over 10,000 pupils pulled from independent schools already.

"As this VAT policy takes effect, that number will only rise."