So, it's going to happen next year from 1 January and will catch any fees paid on account from yesterday. 

Inevitably, this will impact working parents who have already struggled to meet the rising costs of their children's education.

Not every school will pass on the costs by 20% but some will do. This will likely cause issues, particularly for separated parents who can't agree on whether to continue funding private education. An application to court may well be required to adjudicate the facts and figures of individual circumstances. 

We would always propose mediation before taking such a drastic step. This often saves cost - money which would be far better spent on the children.