The number of children in England with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) could almost double over the coming years as schools and councils report a sharp rise in demand for special educational needs support.

According to The Guardian, local authority projections suggest that close to one in 10 school-age children could have an EHCP by 2029, compared with around one in 20 in 2025. The number of pupils with plans has already increased by more than 11% in each of the past two years.

EHCPs are legally binding documents setting out the education, health and social care support required by children and young people with additional needs. They can provide access to extra funding and specialist provision.

The Guardian reports that schools have experienced a significant increase in applications, with SEND coordinators working through the summer to process requests. Some secondary schools are also expecting substantially more Year 7 pupils to arrive with either an EHCP or an application already under way.

The increase comes as the government prepares changes to England’s SEND system. Ministers want more specialist support to be available within mainstream schools, while EHCPs would eventually be focused more heavily on children with the most profound needs.

However, education leaders have warned that growing demand could put further pressure on already stretched council and school budgets. There are also concerns that uncertainty around the reforms may be encouraging families to apply for EHCPs now to secure statutory support before the new arrangements are introduced.