SEND Reform Tracker 2026–2029

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.

📅 Update: July 2026

Checked: 19 July 2026. The government has published its formal response to the Education Committee’s Solving the SEND Crisis report. Local SEND reform planning has also moved further into implementation, with local authorities and Integrated Care Boards developing local reform plans and DfE updating funding and implementation guidance.

During July, DfE also opened consultations covering early years funding, Education Otherwise Than At School (EOTAS) and a proposed local SEND inclusion formula that could allow participating local authorities to provide more SEND funding to mainstream schools upfront. Separate guidance has been published on new cost-recoupment rules for looked-after children with an EHC plan or attending a special school.

Read our Education Otherwise Than At School (EOTAS) Explained guide for the current legal framework, practical guidance and an explanation of the reform proposals.

No broad change has been made to families’ current SEND rights. SEN Support duties, EHC needs assessment routes, EHCP duties, annual reviews, EOTAS arrangements and appeal rights continue to apply. The new consultations contain proposals rather than confirmed changes to law. A narrower regulatory change concerning how education costs are recovered between local authorities will apply from 1 September 2026, but this does not replace or reduce existing EHCP duties.

What changed?

• The Education Committee published the government’s formal response to its Solving the SEND Crisis report on 17 June 2026.
• The government response provides further detail on accountability, local SEND reform plans, health involvement and the planned direction of SEND reform.
• Local authorities and Integrated Care Boards have been expected to develop local SEND reform plans as national implementation planning progresses.
• On 1 July 2026, DfE republished confirmed Inclusive Mainstream Fund allocations and removed the earlier funding calculator. Conditions of grant for schools and 16 to 19 providers have also been published.
• On 6 July 2026, DfE opened a consultation on changes to the funding system for early years entitlements, including how SEND funding is allocated to early years settings, the data used in the early years national funding formula and local authority funding rules.
• The early years funding consultation closes on 14 September 2026. Most proposed changes would take effect in the 2028 to 2029 financial year, with some transitional arrangements proposed for 2027 to 2028.
• On 10 July 2026, DfE opened a consultation on Education Otherwise Than At School, commonly known as EOTAS. Parent and carer information, British Sign Language material and details of how to request a Braille version were added on 14 July.
• The EOTAS consultation considers how support, responsibilities, oversight and quality assurance could be improved for children and young people receiving special educational provision outside school or further education.
• It also covers children receiving alternative provision because of health needs and the use of accredited online education providers. The consultation closes on 18 September 2026.
• On 10 July 2026, DfE also opened a consultation on a proposed local SEND inclusion formula. This would allow local authorities to test arrangements for giving mainstream schools more SEND funding upfront during the 2027 to 2028 financial year.
• No decision has yet been made to introduce the proposed local SEND inclusion formula more widely. This consultation also closes on 18 September 2026.
• DfE has published guidance on revised cost-recoupment regulations for looked-after children who have an EHC plan or attend a special school and receive education funded by another local authority.
• From 1 September 2026, the local authority responsible for looking after the child must meet specified education costs where the authorities have not agreed an amount within six months. This can include home-to-school transport costs.
• Experts at Hand remains a key implementation route for earlier specialist advice in mainstream settings, but it does not replace SEN Support, EHC needs assessments or provision specified in an EHCP.

What this means for families

The early years funding proposals are subject to consultation and do not change current funding arrangements immediately. Parents of children in early years settings can continue to ask providers and local authorities what SEND support, inclusion funding and additional help are currently available.

The EOTAS consultation does not immediately change the current legal framework. Families whose child currently receives EOTAS, education because of health needs or other provision outside school should continue to rely on the existing arrangements and any provision specified in an EHCP unless they are formally changed through the appropriate legal process.

The proposed local SEND inclusion formula is intended to explore whether providing more funding to mainstream schools upfront could help support be put in place earlier and more flexibly. It does not remove existing EHCPs, change local authorities’ duty to secure provision specified in an EHCP or remove schools’ duty to use their best endeavours to support pupils with SEN.

The revised recoupment rules primarily determine which local authority pays education costs for certain looked-after children placed across council boundaries. They should not be interpreted as delaying education, an EHC needs assessment or provision already required through an EHCP.

More generally, families should treat the wider reform updates as part of the government’s planned direction rather than as a replacement for existing legal routes. Parents can still ask schools about SEN Support, request an EHC needs assessment where appropriate, use annual reviews, make complaints and appeal to the SEND Tribunal where legal routes apply.

What has not changed?

• Current SEN Support duties and the graduated approach remain in place.
• Parents, young people, schools and other eligible parties can still request an EHC needs assessment.
• Local authorities must continue to secure the special educational provision specified in an EHCP.
• Existing EHCPs are not removed or amended by these consultations.
• Current annual review, complaint and SEND Tribunal appeal routes continue to apply.
• Current EOTAS arrangements and duties remain in force while the consultation is considered.
• Mainstream schools must continue to use their best endeavours to secure appropriate special educational provision for pupils with SEN.
• Experts at Hand does not create a replacement for SEN Support, EHC needs assessments or EHCP provision.

Regional implementation watch

Local areas are beginning to show how they may prepare for reform through Local Offer updates, SEND and inclusion strategies, local reform plans, mainstream inclusion work, early years funding arrangements and Experts at Hand planning.

Local authorities may also consider applying to test the proposed upfront SEND funding arrangements for mainstream schools. Any local expression of interest or pilot activity should be treated as implementation testing rather than as a change to national SEND law.

FSUK will continue to distinguish between local implementation activity, national guidance and funding changes, consultation proposals and confirmed changes to SEND law.

Official sources:

• Education Committee: Solving the SEND Crisis — Government Response
• DfE: Inclusive Mainstream Fund 2026 to 2027
• DfE consultation: Changes to the funding system for early years entitlements
• DfE consultation: SEND reform — Education Otherwise Than At School
• DfE: EOTAS information for parents and carers
• DfE consultation: Upfront funding for mainstream schools
• DfE: Local SEND inclusion formula information for parents and carers
• DfE guidance: Recoupment of education costs for looked-after children

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
• Support specified in an EHCP should not be replaced by Experts at Hand or other non-statutory support offers.

📅 Update: June 2026

On 5 June 2026, the Department for Education updated its Experts at Hand and Local Authority SEND Transformation Fund guidance. The update added final local authority allocations, grant conditions and updated funding information for 2026 to 2027.

Implementation watch: sector commentary increasingly suggests that SEND reform is already influencing local planning, school accountability discussions and funding decisions, even though current SEND law remains unchanged.

What changed

• DfE published guidance on developing and delivering the Experts at Hand offer in year 1.
• Experts at Hand is intended to help mainstream education settings access specialist education and health advice earlier, including support from speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, educational psychologists and specialist teachers.
• DfE guidance says local areas should begin introducing their Experts at Hand offer from September 2026, with a phased approach during the first year.
• DfE published final 2026 to 2027 local authority allocations and grant conditions for the Experts at Hand and Local Authority SEND Transformation Fund.
• The guidance states that Experts at Hand should be additional to existing statutory support and should not replace support provided through an EHCP.
• The Inclusive Mainstream Fund allocations for schools and 16 to 19 providers have also been published for 2026 to 2027.

What this means for families

• Families may begin to hear more about local Experts at Hand services from schools, local authorities and health partners during 2026.
• Experts at Hand may support earlier specialist input in mainstream settings, but it does not remove existing EHCP rights, statutory assessment routes or local authority duties.
• If your child already has an EHCP, any support specified in that plan should continue to be delivered. Experts at Hand should not be used as a replacement for statutory provision.
• Local areas may develop their offers at different speeds, so families may notice variation depending on where they live.
• Parents may want to ask schools what specialist advice is available locally, how it links to SEN Support, and whether it affects any existing therapy input or EHCP provision.
• Families should keep clear written records of school support, SENCO meetings, review dates, communication and any unmet need.

Experts at Hand and EHCP provision

DfE guidance is clear that Experts at Hand is designed to strengthen support in mainstream settings. It should help education settings access specialist advice earlier and build capacity around common areas of need, including speech, language and communication, emotional regulation, attention and sensory responses.

However, Experts at Hand should not replace statutory SEND provision. Where a child has one-to-one support or specialist provision specified in an EHCP, that provision remains outside the scope of Experts at Hand and should continue to be delivered through the EHCP.

How FSUK is responding

• We have published a dedicated guide explaining what Experts at Hand means for families.
• We are updating SEND and EHCP guidance to explain how Experts at Hand sits alongside SEN Support, Individual Support Plans, therapy input and EHCP provision.
• We are strengthening wording that explains the difference between early specialist advice and legally enforceable EHCP support.
• We will monitor local authority implementation as areas begin developing their Experts at Hand offers from September 2026.
• We will keep Experts at Hand within the wider SEND reform and school-support guidance layer rather than creating a separate provider category too early.

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

Sources related to this update:

• DfE guidance: Supporting SEND reform — developing the Experts at Hand offer
• DfE parent guidance: Experts at Hand — what parents need to know
• Experts at Hand and Local Authority SEND Transformation Fund: 2026 to 2027 funding
• DfE update for local authorities: 10 June 2026
• Inclusive Mainstream Fund: 2026 to 2027

📌 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