Kent County Council has warned that, it says, a national freeze on funding for children with special educational needs and disabilities could put local services at risk. In a briefing published on January 22, 2026, the council says families in Sittingbourne may see reductions to transport support and specialist help as it contends with a large SEND budget shortfall.
KCC papers and local reporting say the council’s SEND overspend could reach £136 million by March, according to BBC coverage. The council briefing also warns that a legal rule that has allowed SEND deficits to be treated separately from a council’s main accounts (the Dedicated Schools Grant statutory override) is due to end in March 2028 — a change that officials say would force the authority to recognise the shortfall and could precipitate a major financial crisis unless the government acts.
The briefing says local specialist schools such as Meadowfield School could face freezes or reductions in top‑up funding for staff, while mainstream schools including The Sittingbourne School are expected to take in more pupils with complex needs under KCC’s plans to reduce high‑cost placements. To manage costs, the council is accelerating an inclusion approach that seeks to teach more children in mainstream classrooms rather than in separate independent or specialist placements.
Council leaders are calling on central government to increase funding or write off accumulated SEND debt to avoid mandatory cuts to other public services. KCC’s budget consultation materials for 2026–27 set out a budget gap in the region of £50m–£60m while the council works to sustain support for around 21,000 children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).
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