Council treasurers have issued a stark warning over Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) funding, claiming councils are facing a snowballing ‘crisis’ which shows ‘no sign of slowing down’.

In a joint letter to education secretary Damian Hinds, senior finance officers from counties, London boroughs and municipal authorities warn councils have reported huge deficits in their Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for 2018-19, fuelled by the rising cost of Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP) since the introduction of the Education Act 2014.