Send system hijacked by parents – Reform UK's Tice

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (Send) provision is being "hijacked by parents who are abusing the system", the deputy leader of Reform UK has said.

Richard Tice said some children were receiving Send provision "who don't need it", describing the current situation as "a major crisis".

Councils across South East England have repeatedly warned of the rising costs of supporting children with additional needs, while demand for support has soared.

The government is to set out how it plans to overhaul the system in October.

In an interview ahead of his party's conference in Birmingham this week, Tice said the Send system was "out of control" and "being hijacked by far too many parents who are abusing the system, taking it for a ride".

He accused parents of using home to school transport as "free taxi transport for their children".

"I'm seeing it all over the country. That's got to stop," he said.

When pressed on whether he thought some children should have their Send provision taken away, Tice said: "That's the point. And regrettably, those who abuse the system are actually harming the whole system for those who genuinely need it."

According to the National Audit Office, demand for Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) increased by 140% between 2015 and 2024. These are legally binding documents which set out what support children with Send need and compel local authorities to provide it.

Councillors across the South East have warned that social care costs were "going through the roof", while parents point to a lack of support available for their children, with some calling for the system to be "overhauled".

The government previously said it inherited a system "left on its knees" and is due to set out its plans for reform in a white paper in October.

When asked how Reform UK would tackle the challenges, Tice said his party was "determined to cut out waste and abuse".