Cost of UK Educational Needs Financially Unsustainable, IFS Says

Spending in the UK on children with educational needs and disabilities has jumped by two-thirds in real terms to £16 billion ($21.5 billion) over the past decade, piling pressure on both mainstream school provision and government finances, the Institute for Fiscal Studies said.

The proportion of pupils in England with an Education, Health and Care Plan - the highest level of support for children with special educational needs and disabilities — or in receipt of child disability living allowance has doubled since 2016. It reflects an increase in children with learning difficulties including autism, behavioral problems and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.