(UK) Westmorland/Furness Council facing 'high needs deficit' in March 2026
- The end of childhood
- Mar 3
- 2 min read
Mar 2, 2025, The Mail: Council chief calls for national solution to education fund deficit
A COUNCIL chief has called for a ‘national strategic solution’ to deficits on an education fund.
Deputy Leader of Westmorland and Furness Council, councillor Andrew Jarvis has urged the government to provide a solution to the cumulative deficit on the dedicated school grants (DSG) which is expected to be over £36 million [$45M] by April 2026.
Council documents state the DSG is intended to meet the educational costs of pupils in primary and secondary education, as well as the educational costs of special educational provision for children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) in post-16 provision.
Cllr Jarvis told the council chamber that by April 2026 it is anticipated the cumulative deficit of dedicated school grants will amount to over £36 million for Westmorland and Furness Council but it is currently kept off the balance sheet.
A report prepared for the council states the previous government extended the DSG statutory override until March 2026 because of ‘national issues’ in respect of the high needs deficit positions.
The high needs block funding supports provision for pupils and students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) who require additional resources to participate in education and learning
The Liberal Democrat councillor added: “This is currently subject to a statutory override and kept off balance sheet, but it is our cash.
“We urgently need a national strategic solution to what was a stop-gap measure. We are not alone, indeed the situation in other councils is far more worrying.”
In the autumn budget the government announced it would be increasing funding for the core schools budget by £2.3 billion with £1 billion [$1.3B] of this funding going towards supporting the SEND system.
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