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Education Funding Distribution 2026-01-28

28 January 2026

Lead MP

Pippa Heylings

Debate Type

Adjournment Debate

Tags

EducationEconomy
Other Contributors: 12

At a Glance

Pippa Heylings raised concerns about education funding distribution 2026-01-28 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

How the Debate Unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:

Lead Contributor

Opened the debate
I am grateful for the opportunity to raise the issue of the distribution of education funding, because it goes to the heart of what kind of education system we want. As Liberal Democrats, we want every child to be provided with the opportunity to succeed and reach their full potential... Cambridgeshire remains in the bottom quartile nationally for the dedicated schools grant and for high needs block funding per pupil. We rank 133rd out of 151 local authorities in 2025-26. That ranking has been the same for more than a decade, despite the unprecedented growth in Cambridgeshire... The underfunding interacts directly with the crisis in special educational needs and disabilities provision... A stark reality keeps county councillors and their finance officers awake at night. Cambridgeshire’s overall dedicated schools grant deficit stood at £62.8 million at the end of 2025. Forecasts show that the high needs block deficit will rise to about £94 million by March 2026, and potentially to £200 million by April 2028.

Government Response

EducationEconomy
Government Response
The minister's COMPLETE response was not available in the given transcript. The Minister thanked Pippa Heylings and others for raising important issues. She acknowledged the challenges faced by families in navigating SEND services and the emotional toll it takes on them, including parents having to give up their careers to support their children. The Government has already invested £1 billion into the high needs block funding formula and announced an additional £3 billion in capital for specialist places. They have also prioritised teacher training and continuous professional development related to SEND. The Minister assured that further reforms will be set out, including addressing early intervention, partnerships across local authorities, schools, and health services, and ensuring every child has the right to education within their community. She emphasised the need for strong accountability systems and support structures while recognising the financial pressure on councils with significant deficits. The Government will absorb SEND pressures within the overall departmental expenditure limit budget for 2028-29, avoiding local authorities funding these costs from general funds. We cannot continue to fail children with special educational needs and disabilities and their families, and we need to give the right resources to the teachers, teaching assistants and health professionals who are trying to support them every day. When we bring forward the schools White Paper, there will be a full consultation on the work we are setting out, and we have heard this evening, very powerfully, how important that work is. My commitment is to work in partnership with everyone who cares about this issue. I appreciate the opportunity to continue these conversations and to continue to talk about the work we are doing.
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy

About House of Commons Debates

House of Commons debates take place in the main chamber of the House of Commons. These debates cover a wide range of topics including government policy, legislation, and current affairs. MPs from all parties can participate, question ministers, and hold the government accountable for its decisions.