During the recent UK election one of the key policies the Labour Government ran on was imposing the standard VAT rate of 20% on Independent Schools fees. This is planned to come into effect from the 1st of January 2025 and will put financial strain on both the Schools and Parents affected by these changes. This will not only cause an increase in tuition fees but will inevitably have a knock-on effect to operational budgets, such as those for cleaning, where any cost reduction could prove highly valuable to counter the additional strain and would be an essential strategy point to help Independent Schools maintain their financial health moving forwards under the new rulings.

As a company that specialises in Cleaning consultancy, we often find that our clients in Independent Schools are overspending on their cleaning services due to high-priced contracts, inefficient process used by suppliers, or commonly a mix of both.

Red Box’s approach to auditing current cleaning operations includes:

• Analysing Staffing levels against the School’s Requirements,
• Analysing Cleaning Schedules against the School’s Requirements,
• Completing Cleaning Audits to review the quality of service.

We help our clients push back on inefficiencies to their suppliers and improve the quality of their service or support them with alternative options such as:

• Renegotiating contracts,
• Tendering the service to a new supplier,
• Or even bringing the service in-house.

There is always a focus on maintaining a high standard of cleanliness in Independent Schools as, particularly in a paid for education environment, appearances matter to prospective parents and students and getting the best possible service, at the best possible price, is always the top priority on our list for our clients.

Red Box also provide broader financial management services, including budgeting strategies and financial analysis against the schools’ long-term goals. Our experts can assist in schools setting realistic cost-reduction targets for their cleaning services and, by providing our ongoing support, Red Box can ensure that the school remains compliant with regulatory requirements and gets the level of service they are entitled to within their contract at the cost they have negotiated.

As Independent Schools face increasing financial pressures in the near future, reducing costs in non-core services becomes essential. Red Box can offer the expertise, impartial advice, and tailored strategies to help schools cut costs and maintain high standards in their catering and cleaning service, allowing the school to focus on their primary goal – educating the next generation.

If you would like to enquire about how Red Box could support your school with their Catering or Cleaning facilities, please reach out to us via our website contact page (https://redboxcs.com/contact-us.html) or via email to admin@redboxcs.com.