Pixel - Financial sustainability for SEND and inclusion - webinar with IMPOWER
Online on Teams (no recording will be available)
Starts: Fri 8th May 2026, 11.00 am
In recent years, SEND pressures have threatened to overwhelm local authority finances. The announcement alongside the final settlement in February 2026 that government will pay-off 90% of SEND-related deficits has removed the immediate financial threat. The bulk of the financial risk is now transferred to central government, but the ongoing service pressures remain, and local authorities will continue to pick up a share of these costs.
This webinar will be delivered by Pixel and colleagues from IMPOWER. It will focus on the current system and the financial pressures on local government, and on the proposals to funding 90% of deficits, announced by MHLCG in February. We will then look further ahead at the longer-term costs and funding, and on how the SEND system will work.
- SEND spending by councils. State of play, context, and history from 2014 onwards, plus an analysis of the drivers of SEND expenditure.
- What are the forecast payments from the High Needs Stability Grant, and what are the tactical considerations for local authorities?
- The future system (28/29 onwards). Analysis and forecasts of SEND demand, and the ongoing financial costs.
- Implications for future system. Responsibilities for local and central government from 2029 onwards, and split of financial risk.
- What are the immediate priorities for medium-term sustainability?
- What should councils be doing?
You can reserve a place on the webinar via the IMPOWER website: https://impower.co.uk/shared-l...
No recording will be available for this webinar - but let me know if cannot attend and would like to find out more . We will be issuing a full briefing note on the financial aspects after the webinar.