Ten Councils Spend £435 Million on SEND Transport as Costs Soar by 700%
New figures have exposed a staggering financial burden on local authorities, with just ten councils spending more than £430 million to transport children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to schools in the last year. The data reveals a dramatic escalation in costs, driven by rising numbers of young people requiring support, including those with behavioural disorders like ADHD.
Spiralling Expenditure Across England
According to the TaxPayers' Alliance, ten councils collectively spent £435 million on SEND transport during the 2024-2025 period. Kent County Council led the way with a bill of £69,395,048, followed closely by Hampshire at £54,287,089 and Surrey at £52,889,825. These figures highlight the immense pressure on local budgets as authorities struggle to meet their legal obligations.
Local councils are mandated to provide free transport for SEND pupils, children from low-income families, or those who cannot walk to their nearest suitable school due to distance. Currently, around 520,000 children in England receive school transport, with many authorities reporting difficulties in balancing this duty with financial constraints.
Per-Head Costs and Explosive Growth
The financial strain is further illustrated by per-head spending, with Dorset Council paying £592.62 per SEND child, Rutland £461.16, and Norfolk £382.34. Even more alarming is the year-on-year surge in expenditure, with Calderdale Council seeing its gross spending balloon by 688.9 per cent. The Isle of Wight experienced a 404.5 per cent increase, while Sheffield's costs rose by 387.5 per cent.
Simon Cook, a data analyst at the TaxPayers' Alliance, criticised the situation, stating: 'Whitehall has been asleep at the wheel as council costs for SEN transport soar into the stratosphere. It's local taxpayers who are picking up the bill for the grim failure by central government to control eligibility, meaning dirtier high streets, unfilled potholes and higher council tax as town halls try and keep pace with demand.'
Broader Implications and Political Pressure
Cook added that if the Labour government aims to deliver tangible change, it must address the burden on councils by supporting services like SEND transport and social care. These findings emerge from the TPA's new local authority dashboard, which tracks spending across various council services, including council tax.
The revelations follow earlier TPA reports showing that council spending on SEND and social care has jumped from 30 to 47 per cent over the past decade, a 17 percentage point increase. This trend underscores a growing crisis in local government finance, with rising demands outpacing available resources.
As councils grapple with these escalating costs, the debate over funding and eligibility criteria intensifies, putting pressure on both local and national policymakers to find sustainable solutions for supporting vulnerable children.
