The City of Doncaster Council has dramatically improved the number of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) it is issuing within 20 weeks of a request, figures show.

Staff at the council issued 75 per cent of EHCPs within the 20 week time frame in the second quarter of 2025/26 – up from 40 per cent in quarter one.

A council spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the improvement was in spite of increasing pressure on local authorities across the country in this area.

They said: “Doncaster, like many other local authorities, is facing rapidly rising demand for SEND support including EHCPs, which have increased by almost a third over the last three years.

75 per cent of EHCPs were issued with 20 weeks. | LDRS

placeholder image — 75 per cent of EHCPs were issued with 20 weeks. | LDRS

“We know how important it is for our young people to receive the right support as quickly as possible, and we are proud that despite the growing pressures, Doncaster is performing better than the national average in completing EHCP assessments and reviews within the 20-week timeframe.”

Speaking at a meeting of Mayor Ros Jones’ cabinet last week, Councillor Sue Farmer, cabinet member for children, young people and families, said the improvement reflected “progress, ambition and confidence in our future”.

“These achievements reflect our commitment to nurturing a child and family friendly borough and ensuring every child has the best start in life,” she said.

The improvements come against a more concerning backdrop of rising Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) spending across the country.

Doncaster Council is projecting a £19.1million deficit against the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) in the current financial year.

A statutory override, extended into 2028 by the Government, means DSG spending is kept off of council books. However, councils will be expected to pay their DSG balances when the override ends and many local authorities could face bankruptcy without intervention from Westminster.

In her budget in November, the chancellor Rachel Reeves announced DSG spending would go against Department for Education budgets from 2028 onwards, but there were no announcements on how the Government expects councils to deal with their existing balances.

The Local Government Association, which is a cross-party politically-led organisation representing local authorities, projects the overall DSG balance to be paid nationally will reach £5billion by the end of 2025/26.

Mayor Ros Jones told a meeting of her cabinet last week that the council remained “optimistic” for assistance in this area from the Schools White Paper, expected to be published in the New Year.