The number of children and young people with an education, health and care plan has increased by 10 per cent since last year, according to Department for Education figures.

Data released today shows there were 390,109 children and young people with EHC plans maintained by local authorities as of January 2020.

This represented an increase of 36,114 (10.2 per cent) from 353,995 as of January 2019. 

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The figures also show that only 60.4 per cent of new EHC plans were issued within the expected 20-week timescale in 2019.

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Last year, figures showed an 11 per cent overall increase in the number of EHC plans compared with 2018 and that 60.1 per cent of plans were completed within 20 weeks.

Earlier this week, MPs on the House of Commons’ Public Accounts Committee said schools needed more help to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.

DfE figures released in March predicted an increase of more than 120,000 pupils in states school between this academic year and the last.