(UK) Staffs: Council calls for "fairer school funding"; 11,100 students have SPED plans

Aug 10, 2026, Staffordshire calls for fairer school funding to help children and young people | Staffordshire County Council

Councillor Janet Higgins, Staffordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Education and SEND,has written to Lucy Powell MP, Secretary of State for Education, asking the Government to tackle long-standing inequalities in the way funding is shared out.

The council says Staffordshire receives some of the lowest levels of funding in England for schools and for support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Almost 11,100 children and young people in Staffordshire currently have Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), and demand for support continues to rise each year.

The council is working to improve services, help more children learn in mainstream schools where appropriate, and create more local specialist places. However, funding has not kept up with growing need.

The council's analysis shows Staffordshire gets less funding per pupil than the national average and many similar councils. If Staffordshire received funding in line with national averages, schools in the county could get tens of millions of pounds more each year.

The council says this funding gap is putting pressure on the whole education system. More children need SEND support, specialist placements are becoming more expensive, and transport costs are rising.

Janet Higgins said: 

. . ."The number of children and young people needing SEND support continues to grow. We as a council are investing in local provision and working hard to improve services, however the current funding system simply is not fair to Staffordshire.

“As a large rural county, we also face additional costs, particularly home to school and SEND transport, that are not fully recognised. We need a funding system that reflects real need and gives every child the same opportunities, regardless of where they live.

“I am asking the Government to look again at how funding is allocated and work with councils like Staffordshire to create a fairer system that supports children, families and schools both now and in the future.". . .