Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional funding to local authorities for SEND transport for the 2025-26 financial year.

Most central government funding for home-to-school travel is provided through the local government finance settlement administered by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. This government recognises the challenges local authorities are facing as demand for critical services rises.

The government has announced £1.3 billion of new grant funding for the 2025/26 financial year to help local government deliver core services. Together with local income from council tax and business rates, this will provide a real terms increase in core spending power of around 3.2%.

The government is committed to reforming local government funding, using the best available evidence to direct funding to where it is most needed. We will deliver these reforms in partnership with local government.