The soaring number of children and young people identified with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is placing unprecedented pressure on local authorities, London Councils has

warned, describing the situation as posing “enormous challenges” that could “break boroughs’ budgets”.

New research commissioned by the County Councils Network shows the number of children in England with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) has surged to a record 638,000 this year. London has seen some of the steepest growth: the capital recorded a 134% rise in 0-25-year-olds with an EHCP between 2014/15 and 2024/25.

The report projects that demand will continue to climb, with a further 4.1% increase anticipated by 2028/29.

London Councils has repeatedly raised the alarm over the financial impact of escalating SEND needs. Earlier this year, the organisation revealed that 16 of the capital’s 33 boroughs face an elevated risk of effective bankruptcy, driven by a combination of inadequate school funding and intensifying SEND pressures.

According to the cross-party group, London boroughs are on course to record a collective SEND deficit of at least £500 million by the end of 2025-26 — a shortfall that threatens to destabilise council finances and restrict investment in essential school resources and pupil support. 

Cllr Ian Edwards, London Councils’ Executive Member for Children and Young People, said: 

“These figures are deeply alarming and will pose enormous challenges to boroughs across the capital.

“We are committed to providing high-quality support for all young Londoners with SEND, but the system was not designed to cope with such a dramatic rise in demand. 

“Government funding has failed to keep pace, leaving boroughs with huge deficits threatening to break our budgets.

“We are calling for funding that reduces these deficits and reflects London’s fast-growing SEND numbers, enabling us to meet the needs of all children and young people in the capital.” Photo by Lucélia Ribeiro, Wikimedia commons.