Fears are mounting that the UK Government could scrap education, health and care plans (EHCPs).
Ministers are refusing to rule out scrapping the documents that offer legal protections to personalised support for children with disabilities.
Ambitious about Autism chief executive Jolanta Lasota has urged the government not to weaken legal protections to education support for special needs children
BBC journalist Laura Kuenssberg asked Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson if she would rule out abolishing EHCPs on her Sunday morning show.
Phillipson said it was a “complex and sensitive” area.
Warning
Charities and campaign groups have warned against abolishing EHCPs in a letter to The Guardian.
Jane Asher, president of the National Autistic Society, together with scientist Professor Simon Baron-Cohen and Jolanta Lasota, chief executive of the education charity Ambitious about Autism, are among the letter’s signatories.
They argue that abolishing EHCPs would increase applications for “already overcrowded special schools or force many out of education altogether”.
Petition attracts support
Groups have started a petition to save EHCPS that has attracted more than 120,000 supporters. The groups include legal charity IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Educational Needs Advice) and website Special Needs Jungle.
Parliament is due to debate the petition on 15 September.
At 638,745 overall, the number of EHCPs reportedly rose by 10.8% in the year to January 2025.
And in 2024 the number of new plans rose by 15.8% on the previous year to 97,747.
‘Daily battle’ to access rights
Lasota said those facing a “daily battle” to access basic education rights will wonder whether that struggle will get harder if EHCPs are abolished.
“The Government must make sure any changes do not weaken vital legal protections for families of children with additional needs,” she added.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Department for Education said changes are being considered. The reason was that it had inherited a special needs system “on its knees”.
But the spokesperson added that it is “totally inaccurate” to suggest children, families, or schools will experience any loss of funding. The intention was for every child “to achieve and thrive”.
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Published: 4 August 2025
