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Special Educational Needs: Finance

Asked by Damian HindsConservativeDepartment for EducationTabled Answered 8 April 2026UIN 115801

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department's estimate of local authorities’ projected SEND deficits in 2028/29 assumes that 6.8% of pupils will have an EHCP in the academic year 2027/8, 7.3% in academic year 2028/9 and 7.7% in academic year 2029/30.

Answered by Georgia Gould

The Office for Budget Responsibility, as the independent authority, publishes estimates of future spend.

From 2028/29, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) spending will be covered by the overall government departmental expenditure limit budget, meaning local authorities are not expected to fund future SEND costs from general funds once the Statutory Override ends at the end of 2027/28.

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