Mainstream schools to receive extra funding for SEND pupils as part of £4bn package

£4bn SEND Overhaul to Boost Mainstream School Support

Monday 23 February 2026 | 08:10 UK

Mainstream schools across England will receive direct funding to better support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) under a £4bn government reform package.

The overhaul, to be announced on Monday, aims to make the system more inclusive and reduce the pressure on families seeking specialist support.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the government is “fiercely ambitious for children and young people with SEND”, adding they deserve a system that “lifts them up and puts no limit on what they can go on to achieve”.

How the Funding Will Be Spent

According to the Department for Education (DfE), the package includes:

• £1.6bn over three years for an “inclusive mainstream fund” to support early years settings, schools and colleges.

• £1.8bn to establish an “experts at hand” service in every area, including SEND teachers and speech and language therapists.

• £200m for SEND outreach teams to support communities.

• £200m to help local authorities reform how they manage SEND services while maintaining current provision.

Schools will be able to access specialist expertise on demand — even if pupils do not have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), the legal document that outlines a child’s entitled support.

Targeted measures will include small-group language interventions and support for teachers to adopt adaptive teaching methods within mainstream classrooms.

‘A Watershed Moment’

Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged “tailored support” for families and an end to what he described as a “one size fits all system”.

He said parents should not have to “fight the system” to secure appropriate support for their children.

Phillipson described the reforms as “a watershed moment for a generation of young people and generations to come”.

Union Reaction

Public service union Unison welcomed the commitment to reform but cautioned that the funding “has to go where it’s needed”.

Mike Short, Unison’s head of education, said while the broad themes of the forthcoming Schools White Paper are encouraging, the union will scrutinise whether the funding is sufficient and whether staff are properly supported and paid.

The National Association of Headteachers also welcomed the principle of strengthening mainstream provision but stressed that some pupils will still require specialist settings.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the union, said it is crucial that reforms ensure children receive “the support they need at the right time in the right setting”.

What Happens Next?

Further details are expected in the government’s Schools White Paper, where unions and education leaders will examine how the reforms will be implemented in practice.

The changes mark one of the most significant shifts in SEND policy in recent years, with ministers aiming to ease pressure on families while strengthening inclusive education across mainstream schools.