Education

Delay in UK SEND reform sparks concern as demand and costs soar

Thursday, 23 October 2025 4:06AM UTC

The UK government's plans to overhaul special educational needs and disabilities funding have been delayed, prompting frustration amid rising demand and escalating local authority deficits. Campaigners call for urgent action as children and families face prolonged waits for vital support.

The UK Government's planned reform to the funding of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support has been delayed by several months, with the much-anticipated Schools White Paper now expected in early 2024 instead of this autumn. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced the delay, citing the need for a "further period of co-creation" to refine proposals in consultation with families, teachers, and experts. This postponement has sparked frustration among campaigners and local authorities who are grappling with escalating demand and long wait times for SEND support.

Families reliant on Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) have expressed particular concern over the delay. These plans, which guarantee state-backed assistance, have seen a significant surge, with 638,745 children holding EHCPs as of January 2025, up from 390,109 in 2019. Originally intended for children with the most severe needs, such as blindness, the scope of EHCPs has broadened as children with less severe requirements, often unable to access adequate support within mainstream schools, increasingly apply for them. This trend has led to lengthy waiting lists and delays, meaning those with the most urgent needs often face prolonged waits.

Local authorities are under immense financial strain due to rising SEND demands. According to the County Councils Network, councils are on track to accumulate £6 billion in deficits by March 2024 linked to their high-needs budgets. This growing shortfall has been acknowledged by successive reports underscoring the financial unsustainability of the SEND system. The National Audit Office (NAO) highlighted a projection of a £4.6 billion SEND deficit by March 2026, despite a 58% increase in funding over the past decade. Meanwhile, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) warns that if left unaddressed, deficits could balloon to over £8 billion by 2027, potentially pushing multiple councils towards financial insolvency.

In response to the financial crisis, the government has granted an extension to the statutory override, allowing councils to keep their high-needs deficit spending off their financial statements for an additional two years. This extension is intended to give local authorities more time to manage their financial burdens during the transition to a reformed SEND system. However, critics argue that the extension only defers the problem rather than solving the systemic underfunding and shortage of adequate provision.

Part of the government’s strategy includes a substantial investment of £740 million to create more specialist places within mainstream schools. This funding aims to adapt classrooms and build specialist facilities to support pupils with SEND more inclusively in local education settings, aligning with the broader goal of reducing reliance on EHCPs through enhanced early support within schools themselves.

Nonetheless, campaigners and professionals remain deeply concerned. Anna Bird from the Disabled Children’s Partnership described the delay as "deeply frustrating for parents who need an end to the uncertainty swirling around SEND provision," while Councillor Bill Revans of the County Councils Network emphasised that "time is of the essence" for reform, warning that the delay is "massively disappointing" amidst mounting pressures on families and local authorities alike.

A Department for Education spokesperson acknowledged the longstanding failures within the SEND system, emphasising the need for comprehensive consultation to ensure reforms are effective. "We know that families are crying out for change, and that is exactly why it is critical we get this right," they said, reaffirming the government’s commitment to establishing a more inclusive system where children receive timely and high-quality support to thrive in their local schools.

The outlook indicates a pressing need for reform that balances financial sustainability with improved educational outcomes for children with SEND. As demand continues to rise, the Government faces increasing scrutiny to deliver a system that can meet families’ complex needs without exacerbating fiscal crises in local authorities.

📌 Reference Map:

Paragraph 1 – ^[1] (Daily Mail)
Paragraph 2 – ^[1] (Daily Mail)
Paragraph 3 – ^[1] (Daily Mail), ^[3] (National Audit Office), ^[4] (Institute for Fiscal Studies)
Paragraph 4 – ^[2] (TES)
Paragraph 5 – ^[5] (Gov.uk)
Paragraph 6 – ^[1] (Daily Mail)
Paragraph 7 – ^[1] (Daily Mail)

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15217697/Special-needs-funding-reform-delayed.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/send-funding-government-extends-councils-statutory-override - The UK government has extended the statutory override, allowing councils to keep their high-needs spending deficits off their books for an additional two years. This decision is part of a phased transition process to reform the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system. The extension aims to provide local authorities with more time to manage their Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficits and implement necessary reforms. The move has been welcomed by some, but concerns remain about the long-term sustainability of the SEND funding system.
https://www.nao.org.uk/press-releases/special-educational-needs-system-is-financially-unsustainable/ - A report by the National Audit Office (NAO) highlights the financial unsustainability of England's Special Educational Needs (SEN) system. Despite a 58% increase in high-needs funding over the past decade, local authority deficits related to SEN costs are projected to reach £4.6 billion by March 2026. The NAO recommends urgent reform to address these financial challenges and improve outcomes for children with SEN.
https://ifs.org.uk/news/system-funding-special-educational-needs-broken - The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) reports that the funding system for pupils with special educational needs (SEND) in England is broken. Between 2015 and 2024, funding increased by 59%, yet local authorities face a £3.3 billion deficit this year. Without reform, deficits could exceed £8 billion by 2027. The IFS calls for significant changes, including expanding capacity in state-funded special schools and enhancing SEND provision in mainstream schools.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-specialist-places-to-be-created-in-mainstream-schools - The UK government has announced a £740 million investment to create more specialist places in mainstream schools for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This funding aims to adapt classrooms and establish specialist facilities within mainstream schools, facilitating the government's long-term plans to reform the SEND system and support more pupils in mainstream education.
https://www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/send-system-in-urgent-need-of-reform-says-nao/ - The National Audit Office (NAO) has stated that the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system in England is in urgent need of reform. The NAO's report reveals a 140% increase in children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) since 2015, leading to long waiting lists and financial challenges for local authorities. The report emphasizes the need for systemic changes to improve outcomes for children with SEND.
https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/send-deficits-reach-billions-without-reform-ifs-report - The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) warns that without significant reform, high-needs deficits in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system could reach over £8 billion, potentially leading to bankruptcy for many councils. The IFS advocates for expanding capacity in state-funded special schools and enhancing SEND provision in mainstream schools, though acknowledges that such reforms would require substantial changes to the education system and incur short-term costs.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative presents recent developments regarding the delay in SEND funding reform, with references to a press release from the Department for Education dated 4 December 2024. Although some older material is included, the report indicates that the information is current and not recycled excessively. The high score reflects the overall recent and relevant content, but caution is advised due to the mention of older material.

SEND funding
education reform
special educational needs