Local authorities across London are issuing a stark warning that a dramatic surge in children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is pushing them towards financial collapse.
Unprecedented Demand Strains Council Budgets
A new national report from the County Councils Network has revealed that the number of children and young adults with Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans has hit a record high of 638,000 this year.
The situation is particularly acute in the capital. The study shows there has been a 134 per cent increase in Londoners aged 25 and under with these vital care plans since 2015. The network anticipates a further 4.1 per cent rise by 2028, signalling that the pressure is far from over.
A Cross-Party Plea for Government Intervention
Earlier this year, London Councils, which represents all 33 local authorities in the capital, sounded the alarm. The cross-party group warned that 16 boroughs risk bankruptcy specifically due to the immense financial pressures of providing SEND support.
The core of the issue, according to the group, is that central government funding has failed to keep pace with the rapidly rising costs. Councils are being forced to cover the resulting shortfalls from their own already-stretched budgets.
London Councils forecasts that the combined deficit for all 33 authorities will reach £500 million by April next year. Council leaders have cautioned that this financial black hole will not only destabilise core town hall services but also undermine wider investment in local schools.
‘Deeply Alarming’ Figures Threaten Services
Councillor Ian Edwards, London Councils’ executive member for children and young people, did not mince his words. He stated, “These figures are deeply alarming and will pose enormous challenges to boroughs across the capital.”
“We are committed to providing high-quality support for all young Londoners with SEND, but the system was not designed to cope with such a dramatic rise in demand,” Cllr Edwards explained.
He directly addressed the funding gap, saying, “Government funding has failed to keep pace, leaving boroughs with huge deficits threatening to break our budgets. We are calling for funding that reduces these deficits and reflects London’s fast-growing SEND numbers.”
This call to action underscores the urgent need for a solution to ensure that every child and young person in London with special educational needs receives the support they are entitled to.
