NNPCF: proposed changes to the £6,000 High Needs Threshold
NNPCF | Consultation | High Needs Threshold
NNPCF: proposed changes to the £6,000 High Needs Threshold.
Report LINK > SEND Reform - EOTAS and upfront funding for mainstream schools.
The Department for Education has launched a consultation on proposed changes to the £6,000 High Needs Threshold.
The proposals explore changing how SEND funding is distributed between mainstream schools and local authorities. The aim is to provide mainstream schools and academies with a greater share of SEND funding upfront, enabling support to be put in place earlier without relying as heavily on top-up funding from the high needs budget.
Local authorities would be able to choose whether to introduce this approach from 2027/28, ahead of wider national funding reforms planned for 2029/30.
The consultation closes at 11:59pm on Friday 18 September 2026.
You can access the consultation here:
Upfront funding for mainstream schools: Creating a local SEND inclusion formula consultation »