English councils warn of ‘catastrophic’ Send debts forecast to hit £10bn by 2028
Summary
English councils warn their debts from supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) will soon reach £10 billion due to rising demand. Despite government help clearing past debts, councils expect to borrow again soon and need a clear promise from ministers to cover future costs to avoid financial problems.Key Facts
- Councils forecast Send debts in England will hit £10 billion by 2028.
- The government recently cleared over £5 billion in past Send debts for councils.
- Demand for special education support, like for autism and ADHD, has sharply increased.
- Increased applications may be driven by parents securing support before government system changes.
- The County Councils Network says councils are legally required to meet this demand but lack funding to keep up.
- Without a government guarantee, councils could become bankrupt when temporary measures end in 2028.
- Ministers agreed to pay 90% of Send debts up to March 2026, but future debt coverage is uncertain.
- Councils warn that a lower government commitment would risk frontline services and children’s education.
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