The House of Lords has voted against the government’s plans to remove charitable rate relief eligibility from private schools in England that are registered as charities, the BBC has reported.

The Lords voted by a majority of 91 to remove key provision from the Non-Domestic (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill.

The proposed change would affect approximately 1,040 private schools – around 40% of all independent schools – removing their current entitlement to business rates relief.

Shadow education minister Baroness Barran said that education shouldn’t be taxed, adding: “Clearly the government does not agree with us and we have seen this from the egregious introduction of VAT on independent school fees, and now with this Bill.”.

Tabling an amendment Lady Barran also argued that ending tax relief for private schools will affect vulnerable children, such as those with special educational needs and disabilities, many of whom are currently educated privately.