The Department for Education is consulting on a new approach to funding SEND support in mainstream schools from 2027–28.
Participating local authorities could transfer part of their high-needs funding into school budgets through a new “local SEND inclusion factor”. Schools would receive more money upfront and, in return, would be expected to meet a greater share of SEND support costs from their core budgets before seeking top-up funding.
The current threshold is £6,000 per pupil per year and has remained at that level since 2013. Participating local authorities could apply to raise it, with additional funding transferred to schools to reflect their increased responsibilities.
The aim is to reduce delay and bureaucracy by giving schools greater certainty, enabling earlier planning and avoiding repeated applications for individual funding.
The proposal is not simply an increase in funding. It would also change how financial responsibility is allocated between local authorities and schools. Much of the money would be distributed through local formulae using indicators such as deprivation and low prior attainment. Those indicators may not always reflect the number of pupils with SEND in a school, the complexity of their needs or the cost of the provision required. The consultation recognises this and envisages discretionary funding where the formula is insufficient.
The proposed threshold would remain a funding mechanism, not a ceiling on provision. Local authorities would remain responsible under section 42 of the Children and Families Act 2014 for securing the provision specified in an EHCP. Mainstream schools would retain their section 66 duty to use their best endeavours to secure the provision required by a pupil’s special educational needs, whether or not the pupil has an EHCP.
The practical questions are whether funding will be sufficient and fairly distributed, whether it will reflect actual need, whether top-up funding will remain accessible, and whether parents and carers will be able to see how the additional money has translated into support.
No final decision has yet been made. The consultation closes on 18 September 2026.
Earlier and more flexible support is a sound objective. The key question is whether the proposed system will improve support while ensuring that schools are adequately and fairly resourced.
Find out more:
https://consult.education.gov.uk/funding-policy-unit/upfront-funding-for-mainstream-schools-creating-a/
Sean Kennedy
