Spiralling SEND Transport Budgets: A Threat to England’s Largest Councils

England’s Largest Councils Face SEND Transport Financial Crisis

Another potential source of anxiety for families with SEN children, including ourselves. A recent report by the Isos Partnership for the County Councils Network (CCN), England’s largest councils express deep concern over the escalating budgets for school transport catering to children with special education needs and disabilities (SEND). A recent report by the Isos Partnership for the County Councils Network (CCN) has revealed that England’s largest councils are facing a major financial crisis due to the escalating costs of school transport for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The report, which was published ahead of the CCN Annual Conference, found that the cost of school transport for SEND children is expected to triple over the next decade, reaching a staggering £1.125 billion by 2030. This represents a significant increase from the current cost of £360 million. The report attributed the sharp rise in costs to several factors, including the increasing number of children with SEND, the growing distances that some children have to travel to school, and the rising cost of fuel.

The report also found that the current funding arrangements for school transport for SEND children are not sustainable. The vast majority of councils (88%) are currently spending more on school transport for SEND children than they receive in government funding. This means that councils are having to find ways to make savings, which is often at the expense of other services. The report called on the government to provide additional funding to help councils meet the rising costs of school transport for SEND children. It also called for a review of the current funding arrangements to ensure that they are fair and sustainable.

The findings of the report are a major concern for councils, who are already facing several financial challenges. The report highlights the need for the government to provide additional funding to help councils meet the rising costs of school transport for SEND children.

Factors Contributing to the SEND Transport Crisis

A myriad of factors contributes to this alarming trend. Yearly increases in the number of eligible SEND pupils, coupled with heightened parental expectations for personalised travel arrangements, are identified as significant contributors. Notably, taxis now rival minibuses as the most common form of council-funded school transport, with county areas allocating substantial budgets to these services, surpassing expenditures on Sure Start, Family Services, and Youth Services combined.

Current Challenges and Projections

This year, spending on school transport by England’s 37 county and rural authorities is anticipated to breach the £1.1 billion mark for the first time. Over two-thirds of this budget, a substantial £720 million, is earmarked for transporting an increasing number—85,000—of SEND pupils to school or college. Disturbingly, the report predicts a nearly threefold increase in the costs of providing SEND school transport, soaring from £397 million in 2018/19 to the aforementioned £1.125 billion by 2027/28.

Unprecedented Rise in Demand

The surge in demand is attributed to the introduction of SEND legislation in 2014 and the subsequent explosion in the number of children receiving Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). These plans, specifying the support needed, including transport to school, have doubled from 105,000 eight years ago to 230,000 in 2023. With many plans mandating attendance at special schools and insufficient school places to meet the demand, councils are compelled to transport tens of thousands of young people over long distances.

Shifting Trends in Pupil Transport

The report highlights the increasingly frequent use of individual taxis due to the complexity of children’s needs, parental expectations, and the demand for personalized travel arrangements. The use of cars and taxis for transporting children with SEND has surged by 36% from 2019 to 2023, now surpassing the usage of minibuses. Traditional buses, meanwhile, transport only a fraction of SEND pupils.

Urgent Call for Government Intervention

Council leaders are urgently calling on the government to inject emergency resources during the upcoming Autumn Statement to prevent the spiralling costs from jeopardizing the financial sustainability of their authorities. In the medium term, the report recommends various reforms to home-to-school transport and SEND legislation, including the introduction of a national means-testing policy.

What are the Suggested Reforms to SEND Transport?

The report makes a number of suggestions to tackle this financially. I do not know how well this will go down and the impact on young people. 

• Develop and implement curriculum, training, and funding policies to incentivise mainstream schools to be more inclusive and effective in supporting students with special educational needs.
• Introduce a national means-tested policy requiring families above a certain income threshold to make a financial contribution to home-to-school transport costs. 
• Reconsider statutory walking limits and base eligibility on a child’s ability to reasonably make the journey to the nearest suitable school, even if accompanied by an adult. 
• Support local reviews of overall passenger transport demand to enable the commissioning of public transport networks that meet social care, health and education needs where possible. 
• Provide clearer guidance on what constitutes an “unsafe route” and considerations for safe cycling routes to help target investment in transport infrastructure improvements.

FAQ Section

Q1: What is the primary driver behind the escalating costs of SEND school transport?

The primary driver is the introduction of SEND legislation in 2014, leading to a substantial increase in the number of children receiving Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).

Q2: How are councils coping with the financial strain caused by rising demand and costs?

While councils have implemented innovative savings programs in school transport, they are struggling against the tide of rising demand and inflationary costs. Substantial savings are often wiped out within months.

Q3: What urgent measures are council leaders proposing to address the immediate financial crisis?

Council leaders are urgently calling for an emergency injection of resources during the upcoming Autumn Statement to prevent the escalating costs from threatening the financial sustainability of their authorities.