British Schools Could Lose Charity Status

New charity laws in Britain could strip fee-based schools of their tax-exempt status unless they open their doors to low-income students and form partnerships with state-run schools, reports The Guardian.

That warning was spelled out in a government report that clarified the meaning of Britain’s Charities Act, passed by Parliament in November. The act requires that all charities explicitly prove they benefit the public to keep their charitable status.

Charities can still charge fees for services, but the tuition at many independent schools puts them beyond the means of most Britons. Therefore—in a move the article says “will send shock waves through the independent-school sector”—Britain’s Charity Commission said that fee-charging schools must offer lessons for pupils in state-run schools and form partnerships with state schools in sports and arts programs.

For more on the new laws, read The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s coverage of the British Charities Act.

(A paid subscription is required to view the Chronicle article.)