SEND reforms leave gaps on school transport

Government plans to help local authorities struggling to finance support for children with SEND still leave major unanswered questions over home-to-school transport and council finances, MPs have warned.

A report from the Public Accounts Committee says the Government’s strategy to tackle rising SEND deficits does not address the rapidly increasing cost of school transport, which is placing growing pressure on local authority budgets.

The Government has announced plans to write off 90% of councils’ historic SEND deficits, which is expected to exceed £5bn by March 2026 – and from 2028-29 intends to fund SEND costs directly from central budgets. However, the committee said it remains unclear how deficits that arise before 2028 will be handled and warned that the new arrangements do not cover transport spending.

Annual spending on home-to-school transport has risen sharply in recent years, reaching around £2.5bn, with costs increasing by 106% in real terms since 2015-16. MPs said demand - particularly for SEND transport – has grown faster than councils’ ability to deliver services more efficiently.

The committee also raised concerns that the Department for Education lacks a clear understanding of how transport affects school attendance or how difficult the system is for parents to navigate, especially after age 16 when support often becomes discretionary.

Rachel Gilmour, a member of the committee, said the Government had begun to address the SEND emergency but warned that key issues remained unresolved.

“A problem this severe demands a response that does not leave unanswered questions for children and families,” she said. “Our inquiry has identified several glaring ones around home-to-school transport.”

The report also highlights the decline of local bus services - particularly in rural areas - as a factor increasing reliance on council-provided transport. MPs said improved local transport networks, including greater use of bus franchising and safer walking and cycling routes, could reduce costs while improving independence for young people with SEND.

The committee has called on the Department for Education and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to clarify how they will manage SEND deficits in the coming years and to improve data collection on who receives school transport and how it is used.