SEND Budget Announcement - Dec 25'

Our Analysis – by SEN Parent Support Group

Yesterday’s Budget announcement landed with a big headline: from 2028–29, the government says it will take on the full cost of SEND centrally. Gasp….

…on paper, that sounds like a relief. For years, families like mine and the families I fight for each day have been caught in the middle of funding battles between schools and councils. The promise is that those arguments will finally end. But as I read through the detail, I couldn’t help asking: what does this really mean for us?

What I See for Schools

Schools are being asked to do more to meet “common needs” in mainstream classrooms with clearer standards and training. I welcome the idea of consistency, but I know from experience that training takes time, and staff need protected space to learn and embed new practice. (and dare I say it, change the way in which they have thought, operated and functioned for years) The Budget talks about 10,000 new specialist places and earlier speech and language therapy. (yet to be seen – here’s hoping) That’s encouraging, but I’ll be watching closely to see if mainstream per‑pupil budgets get squeezed. If central SEND funding isn’t truly additional, schools could end up with less to spend on every child and those within the SEND arena now – know the impact that currently has on CYP and their families already!

What I See for Councils

Councils have been drowning in SEND deficits. In my experience this is their own doing based on the way they currently operate: only really meeting the needs of a child when ordered through SENDIST, which obviously costs!. This Budget doesn’t yet explain how those historic overspends will be handled. Even if the money moves to the centre, local authorities still have to manage provision and expand capacity. Without more local places and joined‑up commissioning, we’ll keep seeing children pushed into costly independent placements far from home. That’s not reform that’s just moving numbers around.

What I See for Parents

For parents like us, the short‑term reality doesn’t change. Tribunals, delays, and placement shortages are still here. Our children’s legal rights through EHCPs remain the same, and we’ll need to keep documenting needs and pushing for provision. The medium‑term promise is better: if funding friction eases and local capacity grows, we might finally see earlier support closer to home. And the removal of the two‑child limit in Universal Credit could lift thousands of families out of poverty, giving more stability to children’s education.

Looking Deeper

Key changes at a glance

• Central funding of SEND from 2028–29: Government intends to absorb the full cost of SEND centrally, rather than through the Dedicated Schools Grant and local authority high‑needs blocks, with costs projected at £6bn in 2028–29 rising to £9bn by 2030–31.
• Reform principles and capacity growth: Early intervention, local provision, fair resourcing of common needs, and cross‑service partnership, with steps already claimed: 10,000 additional specialist places in mainstream, teacher training, earlier SaLT intervention, and SEND professionals in Best Start Family Hubs.
• Contested funding mechanics: OBR (independent fiscal watchdog) raised the scenario that, if SEND costs were taken from the core schools budget, it could mean a 4.9% real‑terms fall in mainstream per‑pupil spend in 2028–29; DfE publicly disputes that this will happen and says detailed funding will be set at the 2027 Spending Review ( OBR is the body that runs the numbers behind the scenes. If ministers say “this won’t cut mainstream per‑pupil budgets,” the OBR tests that claim against its independent forecasts. That’s why its commentary often makes headlines: it can confirm or contradict the government’s narrative.)

Here’s the truth: this Budget is a fiscal reshuffle, not a finished reform. Moving the bill to the centre shifts financial risk, but it doesn’t guarantee better outcomes. That depends on capacity meaning more therapists, more specialist staff, faster assessments, and predictable mainstream provision. Without those, parents will still face the same battles, just under a new funding structure.

The Budget signals a fundamental shift in who pays for SEND and how the system is supposed to function. The headline is central government taking on the full cost of SEND from 2028–29, paired with reform language about earlier, fairer, local provision. But the details still have sharp edges: timing, baselines, deficits, and the risk that mainstream per‑pupil funding gets squeezed if the transfer isn’t truly “additional”.

What Schools Need to Know

• Mainstream inclusion will rise. Common SEND needs are expected to be met in mainstream classrooms, with clearer standards and more training.
• Capacity is growing. 10,000 new specialist places are promised, alongside earlier speech and language therapy and SEND professionals in family hubs.
• Budgets could be squeezed. If central SEND funding isn’t truly “additional,” mainstream per‑pupil budgets risk a real‑terms cut. The 2027 Spending Review will be the moment of truth.

What Councils Need to Know

• Deficits remain unresolved. Many councils are already in deep SEND overspend. The Budget doesn’t yet explain how historic deficits will be treated.
• Commissioning still matters. Even with central money, councils must expand local provision to reduce reliance on costly independent placements.
• Integration is key. Education, health, and social care services will need tighter alignment to deliver early, joined‑up support.

What Parents Should Expect

• Short‑term reality check. Tribunals, delays, and placement shortages won’t vanish overnight. EHCP rights remain unchanged, keep documenting needs and pushing for provision.
• Medium‑term promise. ‘If‘ funding friction eases and local capacity grows, families could see earlier support closer to home and fewer battles over cost.

I Want to Have Faith – BUT

I want to believe this Budget could be the start of something better. But I’ve lived through too many promises that didn’t reach the classroom. For now, I’ll keep holding the system to account, keep pushing for lawful provision, and keep reminding policymakers that SEND reform isn’t about numbers it’s about children, families, and futures.

If you are struggling to navigate the SEND educational processes with both the Schools and/or LA’s then join over 23k parents gaining support and making a stand! Join our private FB group here or utilise our resources here or via our resource hub here where we have every letter, every guidance, every infographic, vlog and blog to cover your exact circumstance.

“Navigating the SEND Educational Processes for Better Outcomes – Together”™