Recommendation 8

Following the introduction of the Children and Families Act (CFA), local authority spending on school transport for children and young people with SEND increased by 106% in real terms over the period 2015–16 to 2023–24— from £0.85 billion to £1.76 billion—compared to 9% for ‘mainstream’ transport.10 Data for 2024–25, published in December 2025, shows spending on ‘SEND transport’ had risen to £2 billion.11 While the Department does not yet have reliable data on how demand for transport has changed since the CFA, evidence from local authorities points to an increase in the number of children and young people qualifying for transport due to SEND.12