EHCP funding framework phased implementation starts

Devon’s new EHCP Funding Framework is now moving into phased implementation, following formal agreement through the relevant SEND governance routes.

The framework has been developed through a significant programme of co-design with schools, parents, carers and Devon County Council colleagues. Its purpose is to support clearer, fairer and more consistent decisions about top-up funding for children and young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan, by linking funding more closely to their overall profile of need.

The new framework will apply to funding allocated to mainstream schools in relation to: 

• New EHC needs assessments where the decision to assess was made from 1 May 2026 onward, and
• Children and young people moving to a new phase of education in September 2027, where their EHCP is reviewed as part of the phase transfer process. 

If a child already has an EHCP with top-up funding, there will be no immediate change to the funding their school currently receives as a result of the new framework. The framework is being introduced in phases and will apply first to the groups described above.

In practice, this means the framework will begin to be used to determine top-up funding for these groups from mid to late June 2026, as plans progress through the statutory process.

As implementation continues, Devon will keep working closely with schools, families and partners to support shared understanding of the framework, gather learning and ensure the new approach is embedded in a measured and supported way. 

The 2026/27 funding values linked to the framework will be shared with schools in June, following discussion through the appropriate schools’ finance route.

Devon is also continuing to involve school colleagues in implementation, including through the development of a SENCO Funding Referral Group, which will help bring SENCO expertise into aspects of the new approach. 

Further information about the EHCP funding framework, including what it is, how it works and how it was developed, can be found on the SEND Local Offer.