English councils warn of ‘catastrophic’ Send debts forecast to hit £10bn by 2028

Applications for education, health and care plans (EHCPs) have risen sharply since the government announced its proposals to change the system. Photograph: Don Tonge/Alamy

Councils are warning of potentially “catastrophic” debts, which are forecast to reach a record £10bn over the next 18 months, as a result of rapid growth in demand for special educational needs and disability (Send) support in English schools.

Although the government recently cleared more than £5bn in historic council Send debts, a surge in requests has led to authorities predicting they will have re-accrued that debt figure by April, and doubled it by 2028.