The UK’s education system is at a crossroads, with the future of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)—critical lifelines for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)—hanging in the balance. Campaigners, parents, and experts are sounding the alarm, warning that scrapping these legally binding documents could strip thousands of children of their right to education. With 638,745 EHCPs active in January 2025, the stakes are high. This article unpacks the controversy, crunches the numbers, and explores what’s next for a system under strain.
Why EHCPs Are Non-Negotiable for Families
EHCPs are more than paperwork; they’re legal guarantees ensuring children with SEND receive tailored support, from one-on-one aides to speech therapy. In 2024, 97,747 new EHCPs were issued, a 15.8% jump from the prior year, reflecting soaring demand. These plans cover kids from birth to age 25, with 56.2% of EHCP holders attending mainstream schools in 2025, up from 54.4% in 2018. Without EHCPs, schools have no legal obligation to provide specific accommodations, leaving families to fight for scraps of support.
The numbers tell a stark story. In 2023, 154,489 requests for EHCP assessments were made, an 11.8% increase from 2022. Yet, only 46% of plans were issued within the 20-week legal deadline in 2024, leaving families like Sue from Wirral waiting 72 weeks for her daughter’s plan. This backlog fuels frustration, with 21,000 parents appealing to tribunals in 2024—95% of whom won their cases. Campaigners argue that EHCPs, despite systemic flaws, are the only tool ensuring kids with autism, ADHD, or mental health needs aren’t left behind.
The System’s Breaking Point – Financial and Operational Strain
The government calls the SEND system “on its knees,” and the data backs this up. A 2024 National Audit Office report labeled the system financially unsustainable, with EHCP numbers up 140% since 2015. Local councils, responsible for funding EHCPs, are buckling—many face deficits exceeding £100 million. In 2024, the Labour government allocated £1 billion for SEND in its £11.2 billion education budget increase by 2025/26, but critics say it’s a drop in the bucket. For context, Wirral Council alone invested £2.8 million annually to double caseworkers, yet still struggles with demand.
The human cost is equally grim. One in three EHCP holders has autism as their primary need, while 20.7% require speech and language support. These kids are five times more likely to be excluded from school, and 36% report feeling lonely compared to 23% of peers. Delays and underfunding mean needs escalate, with 43.8% of EHCP pupils eligible for free school meals, signaling socioeconomic strain. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson admits too many children’s needs go unidentified until crisis points, driving up costs and complexity.
Campaigners Push Back – A Fight for Rights
Campaigners are fierce in their defense of EHCPs, calling them “precious legal protections.” A letter to The Guardian, signed by figures like actor Sally Phillips and broadcaster Chris Packham, warned that removing EHCPs from mainstream schools could exclude thousands from education. Charities like the Disabled Children’s Partnership and Special Needs Jungle are mobilizing, with petitions and calls to MPs gaining traction. Their fear? Reforms might prioritize cost-cutting over kids, especially after comments from Dame Christine Lenehan, a Department for Education adviser, suggesting EHCPs could be limited to special schools.
The backlash is palpable. On X, posts reflect outrage, with users like @flickhwilliams decrying Labour’s “war on disabled people” and @boblister_poole slamming plans as “despicable.” The sentiment is clear: families see EHCPs as a hard-won right, not a bureaucratic burden. Tania Tirraoro of Special Needs Jungle warned that scrapping EHCPs could force kids into special schools or out of education entirely, undermining inclusion. In 2025, 449 schools had SEND units, up from 392 in 2024, but mainstream inclusion remains the goal for most families.
Government’s Tightrope – Reform or Retreat?
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson walks a tightrope. On BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, she dodged ruling out EHCP cuts, calling it a “complex and sensitive area.” Her focus is early intervention and stronger support, with £740 million already invested in mainstream SEND places. Full reform details are slated for October 2025, but the Department for Education insists no funding or support will be cut, and SEND tribunals will stay. Yet, shadow minister Neil O’Brien accuses Labour of “broken promises,” pointing to teacher shortages and tax hikes as trust-breakers.
The government’s challenge is balancing sustainability with equity. Proposals to digitize EHCPs or standardize them could streamline processes, but campaigners fear a “narrowing” of eligibility. In 2024, 74% of SEND pupils received school-based support, while 26% relied on EHCPs. Any shift risks alienating families already battling a system where only 84.2% of EHCP pupils speak English as a first language, highlighting diversity in needs.
What’s at Stake – A Data-Driven Future
The numbers paint a clear picture: EHCPs are a lifeline for 638,745 kids, but the system’s creaking under a 140% growth in demand. Reforms could ease financial strain—potentially saving councils £500 million annually if assessments are streamlined—but at what cost? If EHCPs are restricted, 240,000 mainstream pupils could lose legal protections, pushing 10-15% into special schools or home education, per Special Needs Jungle estimates. Inclusion, a cornerstone of the 2014 Children and Families Act, hangs in the balance.
Phillipson’s listening tour with parents and charities signals caution, but the clock’s ticking. With 1.6 million pupils identified as SEND in 2025, and 14.2% on SEN support without EHCPs, the system needs bold fixes, not cuts. Campaigners demand transparency, urging the government to prioritize kids over budgets. As October looms, the fight for EHCPs will shape whether vulnerable children get the education they deserve—or get left behind.
