Campaigners led by broadcaster Chris Packham have written to the Prime Minister urging him to ditch the centrepiece of the government’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms. The letter, published in the Guardian, warns that the proposed changes would strip children of enforceable legal rights and replace them with weaker, school‑run plans that lack independent appeal.
The Proposed SEND Overhaul
The reforms, first unveiled by former Prime Minister Keir Starmer and then‑Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson in February 2026, aim to curb a projected £6 billion shortfall in council budgets over the next two years. Under the plan, legally binding education, health and care plans (EHCPs) would be swapped for individual support plans (ISPs). ISPs would be drawn up between parents and schools, administered by schools rather than local authorities, and would not be subject to independent tribunal appeal. The government says schools will receive extra resources, but the overall design is intended to slow the rapid rise in EHCPs that has left many councils facing a financial black hole.
Campaigners’ Concerns and Demands
The letter, signed by 36 individuals including actor Sally Phillips, psychologist Simon Baron‑Cohen and Guardian columnist John Harris, sets out three core objections. First, it argues that the reforms “would significantly reduce existing legal rights to enforceable EHCPs, parental choice of educational settings and independent routes of appeal.” Second, it stresses that “the legal rights of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) are still under threat.” Finally, the signatories “…urge ministers to work with Send families and organisations to retain existing Send legal rights, preserve individual provision, improve accountability in the system, and retain meaningful independent routes of appeal.”
Specifically, the campaigners want the current threshold for EHCPs kept intact, the right to appeal decisions at a tribunal restored, and the proposed assessment system for ISPs scrapped. They contend that without these safeguards, families will lose the ability to challenge inadequate provision and will be forced to rely on school‑level complaints that lack impartial oversight.
Government Response and Outlook
Officials say the administration is consulting on the measures and expects to recommend some adjustments to Phillipson’s original proposals. However, insiders close to the process suggest that Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and the new Education Secretary Lucy Powell are likely to accept only minor tweaks that reinforce existing protections rather than the sweeping overhaul demanded by the campaign group. The Prime Minister’s office has not yet issued a formal reply to the letter, but the pressure from high‑profile advocates and a coalition of parents, experts and disability organisations is mounting.
Why it Matters
If the reforms proceed in their current form, millions of children with SEND could lose the legal guarantee that their educational needs will be met and independently reviewed. The shift from enforceable EHCPs to school‑directed ISPs risks weakening accountability, limiting parental choice and undermining the very safeguards designed to protect vulnerable learners. Retaining strong legal rights is not merely a procedural matter; it directly affects the quality of education and life chances for some of the country’s most disadvantaged young people.
