Education, Health and Care Plans in 2025: what the latest figures mean for parents of children with SEND

If a local authority tells you EHCPs are being phased out and, as a consequence, is seeking to  delay the process, parents should remind them that the law, and therefore their child’s entitlement, has not changed.

The most recent national figures for Education, Health and Care Plans, published for the reporting year 2025, give a clear picture of what families are experiencing. The data covers children and young people aged 0 to 25 in England with an EHC Plan, including those in early years, further education, and those educated other than in school.

Demand for an EHCP is rising, local authority workloads are growing, and timeliness remains a real pressure point.  These are not abstract statistics. They shape how quickly assessments are started, how long decisions take, and how confidently families can plan for education and support.

The headline picture: more plans, more requests, more pressure and a new approach to SEN

As at January 2025, there were 638,745 children and young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan in place. This represents a 10.8 percent increase compared with January 2024, an astonishing increase. Since Education, Health and Care Plans were introduced, numbers have increased every year, and the most recent year continues that pattern. In response to the trend, the Government announced in early 2026 a new approach to addressing this challenge.

On 23 February 2026, the Government published a major SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) reform package alongside the Schools White Paper, “Every child achieving and thriving.”  These reforms, described as a “radical expansion” of rights, aim to shift the system towards earlier, more inclusive support in mainstream schools, reducing the need for parents to “fight” for provision. The reforms include shifting the emphasis of SEND support towards greater inclusion in mainstream settings; introducing a new tiered approach to support; and ensuring all schools and other educational settings create digital Individual Support Plans for any child or young person with identified special educational needs.

Alongside the growing number of plans already in place, there is also a significant increase in new plans being issued. During the 2024 calendar year, 97,747 new Education, Health and Care Plans started, which is 15.8 percent higher than 2023. This represents a substantial rise in the number of families entering the system and needing assessments, advice, and decisions to be made.

The process for an Education, Health and Care Plan begins with the request for an EHC needs assessment. The latest figures show 154,489 requests for an EHC needs assessment in 2024, up 11.8 percent from 2023. In the same period, 105,340 EHC needs assessments were carried out, an increase of 15.7 percent on the year before.

For parents, they are engaging with a system that is handling a rising volume at every stage, with insufficient resources to match demand. This helps explain why communication and progress can feel slow, why local authority teams can seem stretched, and why persistence often matters.

The latest national statistics

Source: Department for Education

The 20 week question: timeliness remains a key challenge

For many families, the most emotionally and practically difficult part of the Education, Health and Care Plan process is waiting. The law sets out a 20 week timeframe from request for a needs assessment to the final plan. Parents may plan schooling, support, childcare arrangements, and work commitments around that deadline.

However, the latest figures show that only 46.4 percent of new plans were issued within 20 weeks in 2024. This is lower than 2023, when 50.3 percent were issued within the timeframe. In other words, under half of new plans are being completed on time, and the proportion has moved in the wrong direction.

This matters because delay does not affect paperwork alone. Delay can mean a child remains without the specified support they need, or stays in an unsuitable placement while decisions drift. If you are at the start of the process, it is sensible to assume the legal timeframe may be missed, and to plan your approach accordingly.

A pragmatic approach is to keep careful records from day one, confirm key dates in writing, and ask for updates regularly. It is also sensible to focus on what can be put in place now, through SEN support and school based adjustments, rather than waiting for the final plan to unlock every intervention. The Education, Health and Care Plan is important, but your child’s needs are immediate.

Requests and assessments: what the growth signals

The rise to 154,489 assessment requests and 105,340 assessments carried out in 2024 demonstrates that more families are seeking statutory support and that more local authority teams are under increasing pressure to process assessments.

For parents, the story behind these numbers is often recognition. Families are more aware of SEND rights and entitlements. Schools and professionals are identifying needs earlier or more clearly. Health pathways and diagnostic routes continue to influence how and when families seek statutory support.

The increase in assessments carried out, which rose by 15.7 percent, also suggests that local authorities are attempting to respond to volume, even as timeliness remains under strain. That combination is important. It tells you that the system is moving, but not always at the pace families need.

For parents considering making an EHC needs assessment request, these figures underline a key point: preparation is not optional.  When demand is high, decision-making may move more smoothly where evidence is clear, professional advice is current, and the request addresses all statutory requirements.

New plans and ceasing plans: the system is dynamic, not static

During 2024, 97,747 new plans started. That is a strong indicator of how many families are entering the statutory framework. At the same time, 44,862 plans ceased during the same year, which is 13.8 percent higher than 2023.

Plans cease for a range of reasons. Sometimes it reflects positive transition, such as moving into higher education, employment, or adulthood pathways where an EHC Plan is no longer required. Sometimes it reflects a change in circumstance, including moving out of area. Sometimes it is linked to annual reviews and decisions about whether outcomes have been met or needs have changed. The key point is that the EHC Plan landscape is not simply a one way increase. It is a living system with children and young people entering, moving through stages, and exiting.

For parents, this highlights the importance of annual reviews. The plan you have now must stay aligned with the child you have now, not the child described in last year’s paperwork. A good annual review does not just repeat provision. It checks the impact of additional support, updates outcomes, and ensures that education, health and care elements remain joined up in practice.

What parents can do now: an approach that is calm and evidence based

When the system is under pressure, the best protection for your child is a steady, structured approach. This is where parents can be both supportive and strategic.

Start by treating the Education, Health and Care Plan as a document that must describe needs precisely and specify provision clearly. Vague language tends to create room for disagreement and inconsistent delivery. Your child’s needs should be identified in a way that any professional reading the plan can understand. Provision should be described so that it is measurable and clear to all. If support is required, it should be obvious what it is, how often it is delivered, by whom, and in what setting.

In parallel, make sure you build an evidence file that tells the real story about your child. This should include school reports, SEN Support plans, attendance information where relevant, behaviour and wellbeing evidence, and professional input such as speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, paediatric reports or CAMHS involvement, where appropriate. The national increase in requests and assessments means that clarity and completeness matter more than ever.

It is also worth approaching the process with a timeline mindset. If only 46.4 percent of new plans are issued within 20 weeks, it is sensible to anticipate delay and plan how you will manage that delay in providing an EHCP. That might include asking the school what interim support can be strengthened now, keeping a log of missed deadlines, and understanding how you can escalate concerns when problems arise. This does not mean conflict is inevitable. It means you are ready to protect your child’s access to support if the process falters.

Finally, remember that Education, Health and Care Plans are not only about time at school. The data set covers children and young people across education, including early years and further education, and includes those educated other than in school or college. That breadth is important because the plan should reflect the whole child and the whole family context. If health provision is necessary for education outcomes, it should be addressed. If social care support is needed to enable attendance, participation, or independence, it should not be treated as an afterthought.

Why this matters for families across England

The 2025 figures confirm a picture parents have been describing for years. The system is supporting a growing number of children and young people, and it is doing so with rising demand at each stage of the process. The increase in plans and requests is significant. The reduction in the proportion of plans issued within 20 weeks is a clear warning sign. The number of plans ceasing reminds us that families need strong transition planning, not only plan drafting.

For parents of children with SEND, the practical message is not to lose heart. It is to stay focused and keep the process evidence led. When you understand the national context, you are better equipped to ask the right questions, to challenge delays appropriately, and to insist on provision that is specific, suitable, and then delivered.

Next steps if you are starting or already in the process

If you are thinking about requesting an EHC needs assessment, focus first on evidence. If you are waiting for an assessment or plan, focus on tracking timelines and securing interim support. If you already have a plan, focus on whether it is being delivered and whether it still reflects your child’s current needs and outcomes.

Although the Government is taking steps to improve learning for SEND children, this will take time. The reforms are not expected to come into full effect until September 2029. Until then, the current system will remain in place. No changes to support received through Education, Health and Care Plans will take place before at least September 2030. Consequently, parents will continue to battle with a system that is overstretched and under resourced. Hence, a calm and evidence led approach to securing what support your child needs is vital.

As I wrote at the beginning of this piece, if a local authority is delaying your request for an EHCP on the basis that the current system is being phased out, it is important to protest and, if necessary, complain. If you need assistance in securing an EHCP for your child or undertaking a review, we have specialist education solicitors who can provide support. We offer a fixed fee online consultation to answer your special educational needs questions.