(UK) Bucks: 58% increase in SPED plans since 2020; council pledges $3.9M

Nov 3, 2025, Bucks Free Press: Buckinghamshire Council pledges £3m [$3.9M] to EHCP waiting times

https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/25634968.buckinghamshire-council-pledges-3m-ehcp-waiting-times

Buckinghamshire Council has pledged an extra £3 million [$3.9M] to reduce waiting times for Education, Health, and Care Plan Assessments (EHCPAs).

This forms part of a Recovery Plan aimed at improving support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

The council has observed a significant increase in demand for EHCPs in recent years, with a 12 per cent rise over the past year alone.

By October 2025, the council's Special Educational Needs (SEN) service was managing 7,500 EHCPs, a 58 per cent increase since 2020.

Recently, in just one month, the council received 121 new EHCP requests.

The national shortage of qualified educational psychologists, from whom the council is legally required to seek advice and information for every assessment, has caused significant delays in producing EHCPs.

To address these challenges and ensure timely support for children and young people with SEND, the council has set out a plan of action.

The Recovery Plan, which includes the major new financial investment, outlines several key priorities. . . .

Carl Jackson, Buckinghamshire Council's cabinet member for education and children’s services, said: "The Government has recognised the current SEND system is unsustainable, so it is disappointing that promised reforms to the system have been delayed yet again.

"Buckinghamshire families are experiencing significant waiting times for EHCPs, and delays in accessing appropriate support.

"The Council’s new funding boost for this service will speed up the delivery of EHCPs, helping to ensure local children with additional needs receive the care and support they deserve."

The Recovery Plan is part of the council's wider SEND Improvement Programme.