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EDUCATION, HEALTH AND CARE CONNECTIONS

EHC plans and SEND support in Northumberland

Explore local authority plan totals, requests and observed timeliness, then follow the council’s Local Offer and assessment routes.

Find the local support route

Northumberland County Council: council website. Find its SEND Local Offer, children’s services and assessment information.

Published local authority evidence

January 2026 Local authority SEN2 return

Active EHC plans at January

4,163 plans

4,163 plans was reported for “Active EHC plans at January”. DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate.

Definition and source

Published measure: Active EHC plans at January

DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate. The 2026 release describes January 2026 plans or calendar-year 2025 activity. Published local authority figures are not NHS diagnostic waits or forecasts for an individual. The data collection changed in 2023; earlier observations are excluded.

Education, health and care plans · Coverage and method

See how this has changed

January 2023January 2026 · vertical scale 04,163. Gaps remain gaps.

Read the values by period
PeriodPublished value
January 20232,877 plans
January 20243,310 plans
January 20253,873 plans
January 20264,163 plans

2025 calendar year Local authority SEN2 return

Requests for an EHC needs assessment

923 requests

923 requests was reported for “Requests for an EHC needs assessment”. DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate.

Definition and source

Published measure: Requests for an EHC needs assessment

DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate. The 2026 release describes January 2026 plans or calendar-year 2025 activity. Published local authority figures are not NHS diagnostic waits or forecasts for an individual. The data collection changed in 2023; earlier observations are excluded.

Education, health and care plans · Coverage and method

See how this has changed

2023 calendar year2025 calendar year · vertical scale 01,021. Gaps remain gaps.

Read the values by period
PeriodPublished value
2023 calendar year842 requests
2024 calendar year1,021 requests
2025 calendar year923 requests

2025 calendar year Local authority SEN2 return

Plans issued within 20 weeks, including exceptions

80.9%

80.9% was reported for “Plans issued within 20 weeks, including exceptions”. DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate.

Definition and source

Published measure: Plans issued within 20 weeks, including exceptions

The calculation uses a denominator of 561; see the source for the eligible group.

DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate. The 2026 release describes January 2026 plans or calendar-year 2025 activity. Published local authority figures are not NHS diagnostic waits or forecasts for an individual. The data collection changed in 2023; earlier observations are excluded. Including and excluding permitted exceptions are separate cohorts. Timeliness cohorts can differ from new-plan counts because dates and coverage differ.

Education, health and care plans · Coverage and method

See how this has changed

2023 calendar year2025 calendar year · vertical scale 0100%. Gaps remain gaps.

Read the values by period
PeriodPublished value
2023 calendar year41%
2024 calendar year46.8%
2025 calendar year80.9%

2025 calendar year Local authority SEN2 return

Plans issued within 20 weeks, excluding exceptions

81.4%

81.4% was reported for “Plans issued within 20 weeks, excluding exceptions”. DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate.

Definition and source

Published measure: Plans issued within 20 weeks, excluding exceptions

The calculation uses a denominator of 554; see the source for the eligible group.

DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate. The 2026 release describes January 2026 plans or calendar-year 2025 activity. Published local authority figures are not NHS diagnostic waits or forecasts for an individual. The data collection changed in 2023; earlier observations are excluded. Including and excluding permitted exceptions are separate cohorts. Timeliness cohorts can differ from new-plan counts because dates and coverage differ.

Education, health and care plans · Coverage and method

See how this has changed

2023 calendar year2025 calendar year · vertical scale 0100%. Gaps remain gaps.

Read the values by period
PeriodPublished value
2023 calendar year41.6%
2024 calendar year49%
2025 calendar year81.4%
Explore 9 additional measures

2025 calendar year Local authority SEN2 return

New EHC plans started in the year

572 plans

572 plans was reported for “New EHC plans started in the year”. DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate.

Definition and source

Published measure: New EHC plans started in the year

DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate. The 2026 release describes January 2026 plans or calendar-year 2025 activity. Published local authority figures are not NHS diagnostic waits or forecasts for an individual. The data collection changed in 2023; earlier observations are excluded.

Education, health and care plans · Coverage and method

See how this has changed

2023 calendar year2025 calendar year · vertical scale 0751. Gaps remain gaps.

Read the values by period
PeriodPublished value
2023 calendar year592 plans
2024 calendar year751 plans
2025 calendar year572 plans

2025 calendar year Local authority SEN2 return

Requests with a decision to assess

558 requests

558 requests was reported for “Requests with a decision to assess”. DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate.

Definition and source

Published measure: Requests with a decision to assess

DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate. The 2026 release describes January 2026 plans or calendar-year 2025 activity. Published local authority figures are not NHS diagnostic waits or forecasts for an individual. The data collection changed in 2023; earlier observations are excluded.

Education, health and care plans · Coverage and method

See how this has changed

2023 calendar year2025 calendar year · vertical scale 0704. Gaps remain gaps.

Read the values by period
PeriodPublished value
2023 calendar year670 requests
2024 calendar year704 requests
2025 calendar year558 requests

2025 calendar year Local authority SEN2 return

Requests with a decision not to assess

342 requests

342 requests was reported for “Requests with a decision not to assess”. DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate.

Definition and source

Published measure: Requests with a decision not to assess

DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate. The 2026 release describes January 2026 plans or calendar-year 2025 activity. Published local authority figures are not NHS diagnostic waits or forecasts for an individual. The data collection changed in 2023; earlier observations are excluded.

Education, health and care plans · Coverage and method

See how this has changed

2023 calendar year2025 calendar year · vertical scale 0342. Gaps remain gaps.

Read the values by period
PeriodPublished value
2023 calendar year111 requests
2024 calendar year285 requests
2025 calendar year342 requests

2025 calendar year Local authority SEN2 return

Requests with no decision yet recorded

13 requests

13 requests was reported for “Requests with no decision yet recorded”. DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate.

Definition and source

Published measure: Requests with no decision yet recorded

DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate. The 2026 release describes January 2026 plans or calendar-year 2025 activity. Published local authority figures are not NHS diagnostic waits or forecasts for an individual. The data collection changed in 2023; earlier observations are excluded.

Education, health and care plans · Coverage and method

See how this has changed

2023 calendar year2025 calendar year · vertical scale 043. Gaps remain gaps.

Read the values by period
PeriodPublished value
2023 calendar year43 requests
2024 calendar year30 requests
2025 calendar year13 requests

2025 calendar year Local authority SEN2 return

Requests withdrawn

10 requests

10 requests was reported for “Requests withdrawn”. DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate.

Definition and source

Published measure: Requests withdrawn

DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate. The 2026 release describes January 2026 plans or calendar-year 2025 activity. Published local authority figures are not NHS diagnostic waits or forecasts for an individual. The data collection changed in 2023; earlier observations are excluded.

Education, health and care plans · Coverage and method

See how this has changed

2023 calendar year2025 calendar year · vertical scale 018. Gaps remain gaps.

Read the values by period
PeriodPublished value
2023 calendar year18 requests
2024 calendar year2 requests
2025 calendar year10 requests

2025 calendar year Local authority SEN2 return

Plans issued in the timeliness cohort, including exceptions

561 plans

561 plans was reported for “Plans issued in the timeliness cohort, including exceptions”. DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate.

Definition and source

Published measure: Plans issued in the timeliness cohort, including exceptions

DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate. The 2026 release describes January 2026 plans or calendar-year 2025 activity. Published local authority figures are not NHS diagnostic waits or forecasts for an individual. The data collection changed in 2023; earlier observations are excluded. Including and excluding permitted exceptions are separate cohorts. Timeliness cohorts can differ from new-plan counts because dates and coverage differ.

Education, health and care plans · Coverage and method

See how this has changed

2023 calendar year2025 calendar year · vertical scale 0743. Gaps remain gaps.

Read the values by period
PeriodPublished value
2023 calendar year588 plans
2024 calendar year743 plans
2025 calendar year561 plans

2025 calendar year Local authority SEN2 return

Plans issued in the timeliness cohort, excluding exceptions

554 plans

554 plans was reported for “Plans issued in the timeliness cohort, excluding exceptions”. DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate.

Definition and source

Published measure: Plans issued in the timeliness cohort, excluding exceptions

DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate. The 2026 release describes January 2026 plans or calendar-year 2025 activity. Published local authority figures are not NHS diagnostic waits or forecasts for an individual. The data collection changed in 2023; earlier observations are excluded. Including and excluding permitted exceptions are separate cohorts. Timeliness cohorts can differ from new-plan counts because dates and coverage differ.

Education, health and care plans · Coverage and method

See how this has changed

2023 calendar year2025 calendar year · vertical scale 0710. Gaps remain gaps.

Read the values by period
PeriodPublished value
2023 calendar year548 plans
2024 calendar year710 plans
2025 calendar year554 plans

2025 calendar year Local authority SEN2 return

Average observed time to issue a plan, including exceptions

19.3 weeks

19.3 weeks was reported for “Average observed time to issue a plan, including exceptions”. DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate.

Definition and source

Published measure: Average observed time to issue a plan, including exceptions

DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate. The 2026 release describes January 2026 plans or calendar-year 2025 activity. Published local authority figures are not NHS diagnostic waits or forecasts for an individual. The data collection changed in 2023; earlier observations are excluded. Including and excluding permitted exceptions are separate cohorts. Timeliness cohorts can differ from new-plan counts because dates and coverage differ.

Education, health and care plans · Coverage and method

See how this has changed

2023 calendar year2025 calendar year · vertical scale 024.1. Gaps remain gaps.

Read the values by period
PeriodPublished value
2023 calendar year24.1 weeks
2024 calendar year23 weeks
2025 calendar year19.3 weeks

2025 calendar year Local authority SEN2 return

Average observed time to issue a plan, excluding exceptions

19 weeks

19 weeks was reported for “Average observed time to issue a plan, excluding exceptions”. DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate.

Definition and source

Published measure: Average observed time to issue a plan, excluding exceptions

DfE SEN2 all-plan/request aggregate. The 2026 release describes January 2026 plans or calendar-year 2025 activity. Published local authority figures are not NHS diagnostic waits or forecasts for an individual. The data collection changed in 2023; earlier observations are excluded. Including and excluding permitted exceptions are separate cohorts. Timeliness cohorts can differ from new-plan counts because dates and coverage differ.

Education, health and care plans · Coverage and method

See how this has changed

2023 calendar year2025 calendar year · vertical scale 022.6. Gaps remain gaps.

Read the values by period
PeriodPublished value
2023 calendar year22.6 weeks
2024 calendar year21.7 weeks
2025 calendar year19 weeks

Source and interpretation

Department for Education: Education, health and care plans, reporting year 2026. Published 25 June and updated 30 June 2026. Reused under the Open Government Licence.

The collection changed in 2023, so earlier observations are excluded from these trends. Values marked unavailable, not applicable or suppressed remain separate from zero. Read the source footnotes for council-specific quality issues.

Official SEND support guidance · Find local council support