As reported by the Guardian, special educational needs services in England face “total collapse”, with councils projected to run up debts of £18bn by the end of the decade

Local authorities say 59 upper-tier councils could effectively be pushed into bankruptcy by March 2028 unless the government delivers urgent, long-term reform. They report rapidly rising demand for additional support in schools, with more children requiring specialist teaching and assessments.

A new analysis from the County Councils Network (CCN) shows the number of education, health and care plans (EHCPs) reached a record 638,000 in 2024-25. That figure is projected to climb to around 840,000 by 2028-29, meaning one in every twenty children and young people would have a statutory plan in place.

The CCN also highlights soaring costs within the system. Around 34,000 pupils are currently educated in special schools at an average annual cost of £72,000 per place, compared with about £10,000 per place in mainstream settings.

Published on Friday 14 November, the report calls on ministers to erase historic SEND-related debts and overhaul legislation, including reforms to the appeals tribunal system, to curb the growing pressure on councils and steer families towards more sustainable forms of support.