Special Educational Needs
(asked on 19th January 2026) - View Source
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children are awaiting a statement of educational needs in England and Wales.
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
The special educational needs and disability code of practice published in 2014 replaced all statements of special educational needs with education, health and care (EHC) plans. No new statements were issued and all existing statements were converted to EHC plans by 2019.
The department does not hold data for the number of children and young people awaiting EHC plans.
The number of children and young people for whom an EHC needs assessment was requested during 2024 and who are waiting for that assessment to be completed as of January 2025 is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/ce81a1c1-24b4-4157-fc02-08de55ac55be.
The number of EHC needs assessments carried out during 2024, and the number where the outcome of that assessment is ongoing as of January 2025, is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/cee798f6-fb96-459e-ac19-08de532c2243.
The figures are from the 2025 EHC plans publication, which is available at:
These figures have been available since 26th June 2025.