(England) 267K London students have special needs; AUTISM "most common need"
- The end of childhood
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Feb 6, 2026, SWLondoner: Inside the SEND crisis: more than 267,000 London pupils now have special educational needs
More than 267,000 pupils in London are now identified as having special educational needs and disabilities, a scale which is forcing questions about whether England’s SEND system is fit for purpose.
In January, the government announced it was set to invest £200 million [$270M] in comprehensive training for all teachers supporting SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) pupils as part of the mission to reform the system.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Every child, wherever they live and whatever their needs, should have the opportunity to go to a local school where they can achieve and thrive.”
But councillors warned in early November that the SEND system in England was on the brink of total collapse, as 59 upper-tier authorities are at risk of effective bankruptcy by March 2028.
The Office of Budgetary Deficits projected that SEND spending deficits will reach £14bn [$19B] by 2028, a deficit that has been held off council sheets via override, preventing bankruptcy.
In response, the Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in the Autumn budget that the government would take over full responsibility for SEND spending from local councils.
Local government leaders welcomed the decision, but there is uncertainty as to how the deficit will be cleared.
Rising Demand, Uneven Provision
Across England, the number of pupils with SEND has increased by an average of 25% between 2020 and 2025.
Spending on SEND is expected to more than double in real terms between 2015 and 2028. However, much of this rise has been absorbed by squeezing funding for mainstream schools.
Havering saw the largest increase in SEND pupils in London boroughs between 2020 and 2025, followed by Camden.
Nationally, the most common need among pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is autism spectrum disorder, while speech, language and communication needs are most common among pupils receiving SEN support.
SEND is most prevalent among boys, particularly at age nine. . . .
While EHCPs are intended to prioritise pupils by legally specifying the support they must receive each academic year, Florence said access to these plans has become increasingly restricted.
“It used to be that children with one or two diagnoses were eligible,” she said. “But because councils are so underfunded and the NHS is so overstretched, it’s no longer a guarantee.”
Overworked and understaffe
Sage, a TA at an outdoor learning and play school in Lewisham, stressed that while educational reform is important, better pay would be the most effective way to incentivise change.
She said: “In general, everyone is overworked and undertaffed, so people run out of steam very easily. . . .
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