Councils in England will be required to submit detailed plans to improve support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in order to access a share of £860 million in new government funding, part of wider reforms to the system.

Local authorities must outline how they will create more SEND places in mainstream schools, helping more children attend schools closer to home and reducing long-distance travel.

Funding will support more inclusive school environments, including sensory spaces and the introduction of “inclusion bases” in secondary schools to help pupils move between specialist and mainstream support. The £860m forms the first phase of a £3 billion programme to create 50,000 new SEND places, as part of efforts to reform a system widely seen as under pressure.

Demand for support continues to rise, with the number of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) increasing from 240,000 in 2014 to around 640,000 in 2024. Councils must submit plans by June 2026, with funding expected from autumn.