Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to amend the high needs funding formula to reflect current levels of need and not historic expenditure.

Our aim is to establish a fair education funding system that directs resources to where they are most needed and enable improved support and outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Because it is important that we take the time needed to review the high needs national funding formula, the structure of the formula is largely unchanged for the 2025/26 financial year allocations to local authorities.

The department is considering the funding required for future years and how it is to be allocated, following the conclusion of the recent spending review. Our objective is that future funding for SEND supports our plans for reforming the SEND system, which will be set out in further detail in a White Paper in the autumn.