Councils Required to Submit Send Plans by June for £860m Funding Access
Local authorities across England are now mandated to develop and submit detailed plans for special educational needs and disabilities (Send) by June 2026. This requirement is a key condition for accessing a substantial £860 million in new government funding, with payments scheduled for release in autumn 2026 upon approval. The funding represents the initial portion of a larger £3 billion fund, strategically designed to create approximately 50,000 new Send places within mainstream schools. These measures are part of comprehensive Send reforms announced in a government white paper last month, aiming to address systemic issues in the current Send framework.
Plans to Enhance Inclusion and Reduce Travel Distances
Authorities must provide written submissions to the Department for Education (DfE), outlining specific strategies to enable more pupils with Send to attend their local schools. A primary goal is to reduce the number of children who currently travel long distances for their education, promoting community-based learning environments. Schools are expected to utilize the funding to develop more inclusive spaces, such as specially adapted rooms that cater to children with conditions like autism or ADHD. These environments will offer sensory support to help students who may feel overstimulated in traditional classroom settings.
Additionally, the funding will ensure that all secondary schools eventually establish dedicated "inclusion bases." These spaces are intended to facilitate seamless transitions between specialist support and mainstream classes, enhancing educational flexibility for Send pupils. Ministers have emphasized that no child currently enrolled in a special school or college will be forced to move under these reforms, unless they voluntarily choose to do so. Councils are tasked with ensuring that sufficient special school and alternative provision places remain available for those with the most complex needs.
Addressing Financial and Demand Pressures in the Send System
The Send system has been widely criticized as dysfunctional and financially unsustainable, prompting these reforms to restore trust with parents and provide better support in cost-effective mainstream settings. Although ministers assert that the policy is not primarily about cost-saving, councils had previously warned that without significant changes, up to four in five English local authorities could face effective bankruptcy by 2028 due to escalating Send expenditures. This financial strain is driven by a rapid increase in the number of children and young people with education, health and care plans (EHCPs), which theoretically guarantee support for pupils.
Data reveals a dramatic rise from 240,000 EHCPs in 2014 to approximately 640,000 in 2024. New forecasts from the DfE indicate that an additional 260,000 children requiring special school places are expected to receive EHCPs in the 2025-26 period, highlighting how demand for Send support continues to outpace available capacity. To address this, the government's changes will impose a statutory duty on schools across England to create digital individual support plans for every child with Send. Furthermore, children currently holding EHCPs will have their plans reviewed upon completing primary or secondary education.
Additional Funding and Specialist Support Initiatives
Beyond the £860 million for Send places, the reforms are backed by £1.6 billion allocated to mainstream schools, colleges, and early years settings over three years. This funding aims to enhance inclusivity and support infrastructure. An additional £1.8 billion over the same period will be directed toward establishing a bank of specialists in every area, including Send teachers and speech and language therapists, which schools can access as needed.
Schools Minister Georgia Gould commented on the initiative, stating, "Just last month, we set out once-in-a-generation Send reforms and we're now acting quickly to deliver the changes that make sure more children can thrive in their local community, with their friends. Inclusion is a choice, one this government is proud to make, and the funding we're backing councils with today will help make it a reality. Our Send reforms will deliver specialist places where they are needed and ensure every secondary school has a space designed for children with Send which they – and their families – can rely on. This is a further step towards rebuilding trust in the system and transforming outcomes for young people."
If councils propose to invest in more places within special schools, they must justify how this approach best meets local Send needs. This structured plan aims to overhaul the Send landscape, ensuring sustainable support and improved educational outcomes for all children with special educational needs and disabilities.
