Scores of English councils could go bankrupt when hidden Send debt reappears

Of the 131 councils that responded in a Guardian investigation, only three did not predict a deficit next year. Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA

The staggering cost of England’s special educational needs and disability (Send) crisis shows no sign of easing. A Guardian investigation has revealed councils will overspend on Send services by nearly £2bn over the next year, pushing their accumulated deficits to at least £5.2bn by 31 March 2026.

The date is crucial because that is when the £5.2bn debt, hidden away off local authority books using an accounting fix for seven years, is due to come back on to the balance sheets, threatening to instantly bankrupt scores of town halls.