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Original poster

Reform councils to cut SEN spending

491 replies

LookingForRecommendation · 03/05/2025 17:39

.. according to the Lib Dem’s. Can they even do this? My DC isn’t SEN but her class has 5 TAs mainly as 121s and I dread what would happen if their funding is removed. Our council isn’t Reform led but they’re pretty neck on neck in no overall control.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2025/apr/24/ed-miliband-energy-pricing-keir-starmer-nigel-farage-latest-live-uk-politics-news

UK politics: Reform will axe councils’ special needs funding if they win in local elections, Lib Dems claim – as it happened

Party’s education spokesperson says Farage’s comments about doctors over-diagnosing children shows he wants to cut spending

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2025/apr/24/ed-miliband-energy-pricing-keir-starmer-nigel-farage-latest-live-uk-politics-news

OP posts:
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5
worcesterpear · 03/05/2025 18:01

To be fair, that piece is just speculation and one of the reasons given in my county for people voting reform was the cutbacks in SEN spending. So, they would be very unpopular with their voters if they did this.

Maitri108 · 03/05/2025 18:00

Isn't that discrimination? Surely people can sue.

CrotchetyQuaver · 03/05/2025 17:58

Lib Dem's have a lot of form for this kind of scaremongering historically. I doubt Reform would be able to do this and my reading of that article was that the Lib Dem's were making more of Farages "thinking aloud" about the increases in autism diagnosis than his words warranted.

PowerTulle · 03/05/2025 17:57

Isnt education a statutory right for all children? Also they can’t discriminate against disabled children. So they’d have a hard time axing legally required provisions. I can believe they’d bloody try though, and make it even harder to access.

Sadly there’s not much left to axe around my area regarding SEN settings and schools, as there’s been little or no investment in provision for years.

Fearfulsaints · 03/05/2025 17:57

I am not quite sure how much they actually can cut. There are local formulas for the bit of a school budget that is notionally for sen, but I don't think they can not give this money at all and academies aren't funded via the lea.

In terms of other aspects of sen funding a lot of it has statutory frameworks.

I think they'd need to be able to change the send code of practice and the national funding formula to really impact it.

That's not to say I dont think they will be hostile and actively try to minimise costs where they can, but LAs are already like that, especially if they are a safety valve area.

Sirzy · 03/05/2025 17:53

lavenderlou · 03/05/2025 17:51

Well, maybe it can be a wake-up call for us SEN parents to actively campaign against them in future elections (as if we don't already have enough on our plates).

Edited

I know I went out to vote strategically in order to try and keep them out. I know others who did the same. Sadly it wasn’t enough this time around.

Nyell · 03/05/2025 17:51

No idea if they can or they can’t but it’s hardly surprising. This is what people have voted for, and most of their supporters are right behind it.

lavenderlou · 03/05/2025 17:51

Well, maybe it can be a wake-up call for us SEN parents to actively campaign against them in future elections (as if we don't already have enough on our plates).

JoyousEagle · 03/05/2025 17:51

Gosh what a surprise. If only there had been signs they were complete shits before people voted for them.

But then again, I imagine a lot of people who voted for them don’t care about this at all. After all, most SEN can be solved with proper parenting right??

Mickeychampionwhatgoodami · 03/05/2025 17:50

And so it begins.

NotSayingImBatman · 03/05/2025 17:47

Of course they will, they love punching down.

Penko25 · 03/05/2025 17:47

They can do it & they will. They’re firmly in the “ADHD etc don’t exist” camp.

Cluborange666 · 03/05/2025 17:46

Will they legally be allowed to do that? God I hate them.

Sirzy · 03/05/2025 17:46

Given the views of Farage towards SEN in recent weeks it wouldn’t surprise me if they tried.

my area are now ‘lucky’ enough to be under reform and as a SEN parent and someone who works in SEN I am scared what may come. It was bad enough when we were under Conservative control

Crikeyalmighty · 03/05/2025 17:43

Nice ! (Not)

lavenderlou · 03/05/2025 17:43

Shocker. I'm sure most Reform voters are the type that post on FB that "there was no SEN in my day" so it won't bother them.