Issue

Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)

14 stories · discussed at 19 council meetings · 16 councils

Councils are currently grappling with significant financial pressures and rising demand for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), which outline support for children with special educational needs.

Financial pressures are a primary concern for councils regarding Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), legal documents outlining support for children with special educational needs and disabilities. Brent Council's schools face a £20.8 million deficit, forecast to double to £41.0 million by March 2027, driven by rising placement costs for EHCPs, as heard by the Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee in October 2026. Richmond's SEND provision is also projected to have a £10.6 million deficit, reaching £11 million by 2026/27, due to high-needs education costs, according to a September 2026 report.

In response to increasing demand, some councils are expanding specialist provision. Brent Council's Cabinet approved expanding Phoenix Arch Special School by 50 places from September 2027 in September 2026. Ealing Council's Cabinet approved new Specialist Resourced Provisions at two schools in July 2026, adding 66 places from September 2027. Islington Council's Executive also approved a joint procurement strategy with Camden Council for disabled children's short breaks, valued at £13.6 million for Islington, in July 2026.

Other discussions include service improvements and challenges in plan processing. Bexley's Children's Services and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee received news in October 2026 that a SEND improvement notice was lifted and local reform plans agreed. Havering Council's EHCP issuance rate within statutory timescales was questioned by a local councillor in September 2026, following a report in July 2025 that the council faced a backlog due to a shortage of educational psychologists.

Key facts

  1. Brent schools face a £20.8 million deficit, primarily from High Needs Block costs for EHCPs, as heard in October 2026. Source
  2. Richmond's SEND provision faces a projected £10.6 million deficit, expected to reach £11 million by 2026/27, according to a September 2026 report. Source
  3. Brent Council's Cabinet approved expanding Phoenix Arch Special School by 50 places from September 2027 in September 2026. Source
  4. Ealing Council's Cabinet approved new Specialist Resourced Provisions at two schools, adding 66 places from September 2027, in July 2026. Source
  5. Islington Council's Executive approved a joint procurement strategy for disabled children's short breaks with Camden Council, valued at £13.6 million for Islington, in July 2026. Source
About this summary

This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 21 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.

Stories, page 2

  1. New Specialist SEN Provisions for Acton & Brentside Schools Ealing Council has approved plans to establish new Specialist Resourced Provisions (SRPs) at Acton Gardens Primary School and Brentside High School, significantly expanding... Ealing 11 July 2026
  2. Croydon Committee Reviews Children's Services Transformation and Demand Pressures Croydon's Scrutiny Children & Young People Sub-Committee met on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, to review the progress of the local plan and discuss various aspects of children's... Croydon 5 July 2026
  3. Richmond Schools Face £5.3m Deficit in Dedicated Schools Grant Due to High Needs Funding Shortfall Richmond's schools are facing a projected deficit of £5.3 million in their Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for the current financial year, leading to a cumulative deficit of £5.5... Richmond upon Thames 1 February 2026
  4. Lewisham Schools Forum Transfers Funds to Address High Needs Block Overspend Lewisham's Schools Forum has agreed to transfer £854,000 from the Early Years (EY) block to the High Needs Block (HNB) to address a significant overspend. The decision was made... Lewisham 28 October 2025
  5. Newham Council Buys Bikes to Cut Home-to-School Transport Costs Newham Council is exploring the use of bicycles for families to reduce rising home-to-school transport costs. This initiative was presented as one measure to reduce overspending... Newham 25 July 2025
  6. Havering Faces EHCP Backlog Due to Psychologist Shortage; Council Plans AI Solution Havering is grappling with a significant backlog in Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) due to a shortage of educational psychologists (EPs), the People Overview & Scrutiny... Havering 20 July 2025