English councils warn of ‘catastrophic’ Send debts forecast to hit £10bn by 2028

The Guardian World Monday 12 October 2026, 23:01 UTC By Patrick Butler and Richard Adams 1 min read

Key Points

Surge in EHCP applications poses risk to public finances and may lead to deteriorating levels of supportCouncils are warning of potentially “catastrophic” debts, which are forecast to reach a record £10bn over the next 18 months, as a result of rapid growth in demand for special educational needs and disability (Send) support in English schools. Although the government recently cleared more than £5bn in historic council Send debts, a surge in requests has led to authorities predicting they...

Surge in EHCP applications poses risk to public finances and may lead to deteriorating levels of support

Councils are warning of potentially “catastrophic” debts, which are forecast to reach a record £10bn over the next 18 months, as a result of rapid growth in demand for special educational needs and disability (Send) support in English schools.

Although the government recently cleared more than £5bn in historic council Send debts, a surge in requests has led to authorities predicting they will have re-accrued that debt figure by April, and doubled it by 2028.

English (ORG)

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