The Government has approved 139 local special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reform plans at the first attempt, with councils required to deliver improvements in return for financial support covering 90% of eligible historic high-needs deficits.
Education minister Georgia Gould confirmed the results in a written statement to Parliament on 29 October 2026. Twelve plans were initially deferred, of which two have since been approved following revisions, leaving ten areas awaiting approval.
The Department for Education has stressed that approving a plan is not an endorsement of existing SEND performance. It reflects an assessment that the plan meets the required standard and offers a credible basis for improvement.
Government links funding to SEND reform
Local authorities were asked in March 2026 to prepare reform plans with education, health and care partners. The Department for Education, working with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, assessed the plans against a common quality framework.
Approval is a condition of payment of the High Needs Stability Grant. The grant will cover 90% of eligible high-needs-related Dedicated Schools Grant deficits accrued by the end of 2025–26. Local authorities must meet residual deficits from their own resources in 2028–29, including by setting aside appropriate reserves.
Ten local areas still awaiting approval
The ten deferred areas are Bradford, Cambridgeshire, Lewisham, Milton Keynes, Newham, Redbridge, Slough, Southend-on-Sea, Thurrock and West Berkshire. Cumberland and Liverpool have already secured approval after revising and resubmitting their plans.
The Government expects outstanding plans to be resubmitted by 30 November 2026 and says specialist advisers will support areas requiring revisions. Deferral does not remove councils’ existing statutory duties towards children and young people with SEND.
Essex approved, but Southend and Thurrock deferred
The Essex local area partnership with NHS Essex is on the approved list. Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock, also working with NHS Essex, remain among the ten areas whose plans require revision and resubmission. The Government has not said these councils have permanently lost access to grant support.
Ministers warn of closer monitoring
School Standards Minister Georgia Gould said approved partnerships must now move from planning to delivery. Some areas with approved plans will face closer oversight where concerns remain about performance or delivery capacity.
The Department for Education plans to issue improvement notices for a number of areas and publish a Local Area SEND Performance and Delivery Framework later in 2026. All areas will participate in quarterly reviews, with data used to monitor progress and inform any intervention.
Financial pressures remain
The grant is intended to address most eligible historic deficits during the transition to a reformed SEND system. It does not, by itself, guarantee that future spending will remain within budget or that services will improve.
The Government has separately outlined £4 billion of additional funding over three years for SEND reform, including support for mainstream inclusion and specialist services. This is distinct from the historic-deficit arrangements.
What happens next?
The immediate deadline is 30 November 2026 for the ten deferred areas to submit revised plans. Approved partnerships must implement their commitments and report progress. For families, the key test will be whether changes improve access to timely, appropriate support; for councils, the grant conditions create a direct link between reform approval and financial assistance.