Councils will have to wait until the autumn for details of reforms to services for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

The Treasury's Spending Review, published today, states the Government's approach ‘will be set out in a schools white paper in the autumn'.

This will include ‘details on supporting local authorities as the Government transitions to a reformed system as part of the upcoming local government funding reform consultation'.

The aim will be to ‘make the system more inclusive and improve outcomes for all children and young people'.

It is a blow to sector hopes that the Spending Review would shed light on the Government's response to the SEND crisis, including the statutory override keeping £6bn off accounts until March next year.

Local Government Association chair Louise Gittins said: 'We expect Government to provide urgent clarity on how it plans to address high needs deficits.

'Over half of councils have warned they will become insolvent next year when the statutory override flexibility ends and we continue to urge government to write off these deficits.'

The County Councils' Network warned last week ‘reform cannot come quickly enough' adding both councils and families ‘cannot afford further inaction'.

London Councils also called for action in the Spending Review, reporting 16 of the capital's 33 boroughs were in danger of issuing section 114 notices due to SEND pressures.

The Government has allocated £547m in 2026-27 and £213m in 2027-28 for reform of the SEND system to be drawn from the Transformation Fund, which is designed to refocus public services on prevention.