Teachers Union Threatens National Strike Action Over Budget
Britain's largest teaching union has declared it will not accept "the continued underfunding of our schools" and is preparing to ballot for strike action following Wednesday's Budget announcement. The National Education Union (NEU) responded with fury after Chancellor Rachel Reeves failed to allocate any significant additional funding for schools, setting the stage for potential widespread disruption in the education sector.
The Hidden Cost of SEND Reform
While the Budget contained minor allocations of £5 million for secondary school libraries and £18 million for playground upgrades, it was the unspoken consequences of SEND reforms that triggered alarm among education leaders. The government revealed that from 2028-29, local councils will no longer bear responsibility for spiralling special educational needs and disabilities costs, transferring this burden to central government.
The Office for Budget Responsibility delivered a stark warning about this move, noting that no savings had been identified to offset the estimated £6 billion cost of assuming SEND expenditures. The watchdog projected that if the Department for Education were forced to absorb these costs from existing budgets, schools would face a 4.9% reduction in per-pupil funding rather than the planned 0.5% increase.
Consequences for Classrooms and Staff
This funding reduction would translate to approximately £400 less per student annually, creating what headteachers' union ASCL described as a "catastrophic" scenario for already stretched school budgets. The crisis has been driven by an 80% increase in pupils entitled to council-funded care since 2019, largely due to rising diagnoses of autism and ADHD.
NEU General Secretary Daniel Kebede stated unequivocally: "We will not accept another pay cut. Our national executive will meet this Saturday to decide next steps. We must convince this Government to change course - even if that means balloting for strike action."
The government's Department for Education disputed the OBR's analysis, asserting that "any deficit will be absorbed within the overall government budget" and that projections don't account for upcoming SEND reforms. However, with 59 local authorities reportedly facing "total collapse" when SEND deficits are formally added to their books from 2028-29, education leaders remain deeply concerned about the immediate future of school funding.
