Send Provision Leaving Deprived Areas of England 'Trailing Behind', Report Finds
Two former Labour education secretaries have urged the government to restore "sanity and certainty" to England's special educational needs system, as new analysis shows spending has risen fastest in the most affluent councils, leaving deprived areas "trailing behind". According to research by the Policy Exchange thinktank, total local authority spending on special educational needs and disabilities (Send) increased by more than £5 billion in real terms between 2018-19 and 2024-25 – a 58.5% increase over six years.
Disparities in Spending Growth Highlight Inequities
The report highlights that Send spending in the wealthiest 50% of councils increased in real terms by 65%, compared with a 51% increase in the most deprived areas. "Given the clear evidence base that ties Send needs to deprivation, these findings are troubling," the report stated. This disparity underscores growing concerns about fairness and access in the Send system, particularly as needs are often higher in disadvantaged communities.
The Policy Exchange report, titled From Rates to Ruin: the Ongoing Crisis in Local Authority Send Spending, was published on Tuesday as the government finalises proposals to overhaul the Send system, which will be detailed in a schools white paper due later this month.
Former Education Secretaries Call for Radical Change
Endorsing the report, Ruth Kelly, who served as education secretary from 2004 to 2006, said: "Dramatic spending increases on Send have placed an unsustainable burden on local authorities, at a time where they are struggling to afford the services on which we all rely. Despite clear links between disadvantage and Send needs, inequitable spending patterns have seen Send spending rise faster in the most affluent councils, with deprived areas trailing behind. Restoring sanity and certainty to the system is the only way to secure the long-term future of Send provision in England and ensure fairness for those who rely on it."
Estelle Morris, education secretary from 2001 to 2002, added: "The financial burden that the present system is placing on local authorities is already known, but this report explores the details and its different impact on individual local authorities. It concludes that the increased expenditure in recent years is greatest in areas of least deprivation, which adds to the evidence for the need for radical change."
Government Intervention and Systemic Challenges
Earlier this week, ministers announced they would spend about £5 billion to clear 90% of local authority Send debt accumulated by this April. Council leaders had warned that without intervention, these debts would push 90% of councils into effective bankruptcy by 2028.
Zachary Marsh, research fellow in education at Policy Exchange and author of the report, commented: "The government has made the right call to tackle the Send funding crisis head on and take the pressure off local councils and on to the Treasury balance sheet." When asked why spending has increased fastest in wealthier areas, he noted it was closely correlated with rising applications for education, health and care plans (EHCPs), the legal agreements supporting pupils with special needs. "Last year, nine out of the top 10 councils that saw the highest number of EHCP applications were in the 50% most affluent council areas. It is vital that reform ensures support is accessible early to those who need it most and not only to those well-placed to advocate through the bureaucratic EHCP process."
Advocacy and Legal Barriers Exacerbate Inequalities
Jane Harris, vice-chair of the Disabled Children's Partnership, said: "We know half of parents have to give up work or reduce their hours because of lack of support for their disabled child. In areas of greatest disadvantage, that will tip families into poverty and crisis. Every child should have the chance to learn in a setting that is safe and where staff know how to teach them. Common sense and certainty will come when families no longer have to fight for these ordinary expectations, regardless of where they live."
Madeleine Cassidy, the chief executive of IPSEA, the leading charity in the field of Send law, emphasised: "We know that families who are able to access legal advice, whether paid or free, are in a stronger position to secure the support their children are legally entitled to. That does not mean their children are more in need, but rather they are better equipped to navigate an often unlawful system. An increasingly persistent narrative suggests the Send system is under strain because of excessive 'demand' from parents. This is neither accurate nor fair. Parents are not asking for more than the law provides – they are simply asking for the law to be followed."
The Department for Education was approached for comment but has not yet responded to the findings.
