SEND Reform Tracker 2026–2029

Tracking government funding, legal changes, and local authority implementation — in plain English for families.

Reviewed regularly. Evidence-based. Independently maintained.

Scope: This tracker focuses on statutory SEND reform in England (schools, EHCPs, Local Authorities and inclusion standards).

This tracker reflects confirmed policy, sector guidance, and observed implementation across England.

Last reviewed: 27 May 2026

Current status: SEND reform is moving toward legislation, but current EHCP rights and SEND duties remain in force.

This page tracks major SEND policy changes affecting families, schools, and support services.

If you are looking for practical support providers, visit the SEND & EHCP Support directory.

Important: Current law vs proposed reforms

SEND reform proposals are continuing to develop through government consultation, parliamentary debate, and policy planning.

At present, EHCP law, SEN Support duties, and existing legal rights remain in place unless legislation or statutory guidance changes.

This tracker separates:

  • Current law — what schools and local authorities must currently do
  • Proposed reforms — changes being discussed or consulted on
  • Not yet confirmed — areas where government policy or legislation is still unclear

Find Support UK updates this page regularly to help families follow confirmed developments without unnecessary speculation.

Need help understanding what reform means in practice?
Start with Current SEND Law vs Proposed Reform, then read Individual Support Plans Explained and SEND Rights and Appeals Explained.

Reform timeline at a glance

Timeline stages reflect current government announcements and policy discussions and may change as reforms develop.

These are the key phases we’re tracking. Some items will roll out at different speeds by area.

2026

  • Funding announcements: allocations, guidance, rollout timelines
  • Inclusive mainstream support: early identification and support before EHCP threshold
  • Specialist support access: expanded access pathways for schools
  • Individual Support Plans (ISPs): clearer school-level plans shared with families

2027–2028

  • Inclusion standards: training, guidance, accountability
  • Local authority variation: Local Offer and pathway changes
  • System stabilisation: what’s live vs pilots/transition

2029+

  • Legislative changes: duties, eligibility, EHCP process reform
  • Long-term funding: ongoing settlement and outcomes reporting

For detailed rights and processes, see: SEND & EHCP Support

Latest update

📌 Update: May 2026

Status: SEND reform is now more clearly linked to future legislation through the proposed Education for All Bill, following the King’s Speech and Schools White Paper. Current EHCP rights and SEND duties remain in force.

What changed?

  • The Government has confirmed its intention to legislate on SEND reforms through the Education for All Bill.
  • The DfE SEND reform consultation remains open during May 2026 and is due to close on 18 May 2026.
  • Reform messaging continues to focus on earlier support, stronger mainstream inclusion, and more consistent support across schools, particularly within SEND & EHCP Support and school-based SEN provision.
  • National inclusion standards, staff training, adaptive teaching, and support before EHCP escalation remain central themes across SEND support, Autism Support, and mainstream school inclusion policy.
  • Parliamentary and sector discussions continue to focus on practical delivery, professional training, SEND workforce readiness, tribunal rights, accountability, and whether future reforms protect enforceable support.
  • A UK Parliament petition is calling for additional autism-specific training to be made mandatory for prospective and practising NHS speech therapists.

What this means for families

  • Nothing has changed immediately in law or statutory SEND processes.
  • EHCP rights have not been removed.
  • Parents can still request an EHCP assessment through existing SEND & EHCP Support routes.
  • SEND Tribunal appeal rights remain in place.
  • Schools and local authorities must still follow current SEND law and statutory guidance.
  • Families should continue to use existing SEN Support, EHCP and SEND Tribunal routes where needed, including existing EHCP support and advocacy services.
  • Families choosing support for autistic children may want to ask providers about experience with autistic communication needs, AAC, language processing differences, speech demand, and neurodiversity-informed practice when reviewing Autism Support, Speech & Language Therapy, and Therapy & Specialist Support services.

Professional training and autism-specific communication support

Professional training continues to emerge as a central implementation issue in SEND reform, particularly across SEND & EHCP Support, Autism Support, and Therapy & Specialist Support.

Current parliamentary and sector discussion includes staff training, adaptive teaching, specialist support, workforce readiness, and whether schools can realistically deliver earlier support within mainstream settings.

A current UK Parliament petition is calling for additional autism-specific training to be made mandatory for prospective and practising NHS speech therapists.

For families, this raises a practical question: when choosing support for autistic children, especially speech, behavioural, educational or social communication support, families may want to ask what providers know about autistic communication needs, AAC, language processing differences and neurodiversity-informed practice.

Why this matters for families

The direction of reform suggests schools may be expected to provide more structured support earlier, before some children need an EHCP. However, current EHCP law and appeal rights continue to apply unless Parliament changes the law.

This means many families may continue relying on existing SEND support services, EHCP advocacy, and specialist therapy and assessment services while reforms continue through consultation and parliamentary scrutiny.

How FSUK is responding

  • We are continuing to separate current legal duties from proposed reforms.
  • We will continue to monitor official SEND reform consultation developments and parliamentary scrutiny.
  • We are expanding guidance across SEND & EHCP Support, school duties, SEN Support, EHCP requests, rights, appeals, and future Individual Support Plan proposals.
  • We will update existing information on SEND, EHCP and school support where confirmed guidance changes.
  • We will add provider-facing questions about experience supporting autistic communication needs and speech and language therapy guidance.
  • We will update this tracker when legislation, statutory guidance, or confirmed implementation timelines change.

Find support related to this update: Private ADHD & Autism Assessments · Autism Support · SEND & EHCP Support · Therapy & Specialist Support

Sources related to this update:

What changes are being discussed

Across England, SEND decisions are increasingly based on:

  • Measurable outcomes, not just support provided
  • Fully completed SEN Support processes
  • Consistency between school, parent, and external evidence

This means families may need to provide clearer, more structured evidence before an EHCP is agreed.

What reforms could change in future

Current SEND reform discussions increasingly focus on how support is delivered earlier within mainstream schools before escalation to an EHCP.

Current reform discussions focus heavily on earlier intervention and mainstream inclusion.

Government proposals and parliamentary discussions have referenced:

  • Greater expectations on mainstream schools to provide structured SEN support
  • Possible use of Individual Support Plans (ISPs) alongside or before EHCP processes
  • National inclusion standards and more consistent support expectations
  • Earlier intervention and evidence gathering before formal assessment requests
  • Reducing differences in SEND support between local authorities

No legislation has yet removed EHCP rights. Current EHCP assessment, appeal, and tribunal rights still apply unless Parliament changes the law.

One of the major areas currently being debated is whether future support plans would provide the same enforceable legal protections currently attached to EHCPs.

Families should continue following current SEND processes while monitoring confirmed reform announcements carefully.

What remains legally enforceable now

  • Schools still have SEN Support duties under the SEND Code of Practice
  • Parents can still request an EHCP assessment
  • Local authorities still have statutory EHCP duties
  • SEND Tribunal appeal rights remain in place
  • Reasonable adjustment duties under equality law still apply

Stay updated as SEND reform proposals develop.

Something went wrong. Please try again.
You’ll receive updates when SEND policy, funding, or local implementation changes.

Get SEND reform updates

Receive clear, plain-English updates when SEND policy, funding, or local implementation changes.

No spam. Only important SEND updates.

Previous updates

📅 Update: April 2026

What changed

  • Further rollout of inclusion-focused SEND funding and expectations for schools to deliver support without EHCPs
  • Increasing use of structured support planning aligned to future Individual Support Plans (ISPs)
  • Variation between local authorities continues in thresholds, support, and assessment timelines — particularly for families navigating SEND & EHCP Support
  • Evidence requirements and expectations can also vary in practice. For a clearer overview of what information may be relevant, see: What Evidence Is Needed for an EHCP Request
  • Greater focus on outcomes — schools and local authorities increasingly require evidence showing limited progress, not just support provided
  • More emphasis on fully completed SEN Support processes (assess–plan–do–review) before escalation to EHCP is considered

What this means for families

  • For a practical breakdown of school responsibilities before an EHCP, see: What Schools Must Do Before an EHCP Request
  • Ask how your child’s school is using SEND funding to support needs in the classroom
  • Check that support plans include specific interventions, outcomes, and review timelines
  • Expect differences between areas, and base decisions on national legal rights rather than local policy alone
  • Be prepared to show not just what support has been provided, but how your child has responded to it over time
  • Ensure SEN Support cycles are fully documented — incomplete processes can delay decisions
  • Check that school reports, external assessments, and your own observations are aligned and consistent

How FSUK is responding

  • Strengthening guidance on SEND funding and school responsibilities
  • Expanding “What families should do now” with practical school-based questions
  • Improving links to Private Assessments and Therapy to support evidence building
  • We have also added practical guidance to help families understand what evidence may be needed when exploring an EHCP request. What Evidence Is Needed for an EHCP Request
  • Expanding guidance on how EHCP decisions are made in practice, including evidence, outcomes, and common reasons for delay or refusal

Find support related to this update: Private ADHD & Autism Assessments · Autism Support · SEND & EHCP Support · Therapy & Specialist Support

📅 Update: March 2026

What changed

  • Schools and local authorities are increasingly using structured SEND support plans (early versions of Individual Support Plans – ISPs)
  • Greater emphasis on “evidence before escalation” (multiple interventions and progress tracking before EHCP requests)
  • Clearer expectation that mainstream schools provide more support before an EHCP is considered

What this means for families

  • Ask your school for a written support plan with clear outcomes and review dates
  • Ensure progress is being tracked — this evidence is now critical for any EHCP request
  • For a clearer overview of the records, reports, and school-based evidence that may support an EHCP request, see: What Evidence Is Needed for an EHCP Request
  • Delays before EHCP requests are becoming more common, but your legal rights have not changed

How FSUK is responding

  • Updated SEND & EHCP guide to reflect evidence-based decision making
  • Added guidance on “What schools must do before an EHCP Request”
  • Improved internal links between School Support and EHCP guidance

Find support related to this update: Private ADHD & Autism Assessments · Autism Support · SEND & EHCP Support · Therapy & Specialist Support

📅 Update: February 2026

What changed

  • New guidance released on school-level support plans (ISPs)
  • Funding detail clarified for inclusive mainstream support
  • New implementation notes published for schools and SENCOs

What this means for families

  • What to ask your school and what to request in writing
  • Where timelines may speed up or slow down locally
  • What evidence/records to keep

How FSUK is responding

  • Updated SEND & EHCP guide: “ISPs explained”
  • Added FAQs: “SEN Support vs EHCP in 2026 reforms”
  • Updated Support Areas wording/categories

Find support related to this update: Private ADHD & Autism Assessments · Autism Support · SEND & EHCP Support · Therapy & Specialist Support

Key reform themes being monitored

  • EHCP and tribunal rights
  • School duties before EHCP escalation
  • Individual Support Plan (ISP) proposals
  • National inclusion standards
  • Mainstream inclusion expectations
  • Adaptive teaching and staff training
  • SEND funding and workforce pressures
  • Regional implementation differences

Regional implementation watch

Implementation varies significantly by local authority, and differences may become more noticeable during this transition period as reforms are rolled out at different speeds.

Local AuthorityReform progressWhat changedFSUK action
KentEarly implementationLocal Offer updated to reflect structured SEND support and early ISP-style planningAdd regional note + tag relevant listings
ManchesterIn progressInclusion strategy published with increased focus on mainstream provision and school-led supportAdd “What to ask schools” checklist
BirminghamMonitoringWaiting time reporting updated; continued pressure on assessment timelines and commissioning capacityAdd FAQ + signpost advocacy support

Many Local Authorities are updating SEND delivery at different speeds. Families may experience variation depending on where they live.

What families should do now

If your child is on SEN Support

  • Ask what plan is being used to record support and progress, and request a copy.
  • Confirm outcomes being tracked and the review date.
  • Keep a simple timeline of support provided and impact observed.

If you’re requesting (or waiting for) an EHCP

  • Ask your Local Authority for timelines and steps in writing.
  • Collect evidence: school reports, professional letters, impact on daily functioning.
  • Consider advocacy support if deadlines are missed.

If you’re exploring private assessments

  • Check professional registration and how reports are accepted by schools/LAs.
  • Be clear if you need diagnosis, support planning, or both.
  • Use our guide to compare routes and avoid common pitfalls.

For a practical step-by-step guide to school-based support before escalation, see What Schools Must Do Before an EHCP Request.

Explore practical guidance: Support Guides

Explore Support Listings: Private ADHD & Autism Assessments · Autism Support · SEND & EHCP Support · Therapy & Specialist Support

Related reform and EHCP guides

If you are trying to understand SEND reform, EHCPs, school duties or what may change for families, these guides may also help:

Are you a SEND provider? During reform periods, families search more for clear, structured support.
You can submit a Support Listing or claim your Support Listing to ensure your service is accurately represented.

This tracker summarises publicly available government, parliamentary, and sector information. It does not replace legal advice or formal SEND guidance.

Sources & references

Scroll to Top