Inclusion funding for SEND

Find out what funding schools and settings get to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

How SEND funding is provided

Early years funding

Children in early years are given free early education entitlement. This money is used to provide learning and development before a child starts reception at primary school.

Find out what free early education is available in your area.

Mainstream school funding

Schools receive a budget directly from the central government. Part of the school budget is for SEND education and provisions. This is sometimes called the inclusion budget.

If it costs up to an additional £6,000 to educate your child with SEND, (compared to children in the school without SEND) it will be funded by this budget.

You can ask your child's school:

  • how it uses the inclusion budget to support your child
  • for a copy of their SEND Information Report to find out what support they have planned for children with SEND at the school

Find school websites and compare their SEND information reports.

Funding for special schools

Special schools are provided with base funding of £10,000 for each planned place. They can also receive extra funding through our Funding for Inclusion (FFI) scheme.

Find your nearest special school.

Inclusion funding managed by Leeds City Council

We receive money from the government every year to support and fund schools and settings. Some of this money is used for special educational needs provision and inclusion.

In Leeds, this applies to children and young people who:

  • need extra support at school for SEND
  • are a Leeds resident
  • are aged between 2 and 25 years of age

Children in Leeds do not need an education, health and care plan (EHCP) to access inclusion funding.

Early Years Funding for Inclusion (EYFFI)

EYFFI is used to support children aged two, three and four years old who have high/special educational needs and meet criteria. It is also linked to the Free Early Education Entitlement and their eligibility for a free nursery place when they are three or four years old. 

SEND and Inclusion Funding (SENDIF)

SENDIF is used to support children aged three or four year old with low level needs or emerging SEND.

Funding for Inclusion (FFI)

Government guidance is that schools should provide up to an additional £6,000 worth of SEND provision. This does not mean that the school will spend £6,000 on every child with SEND. Some children will need less help and some may need more. 

In Leeds, if your child's special education costs more than £6,000, the school can apply for the FFI scheme.

For more information on the FFI scheme, please speak to the school SENCo.

Schools and settings can also find FFI resources at Leeds for Learning.

Short breaks and direct payments

You may have had a Child and Family Assessment or Early Help Assessment, where short breaks have been identified as one of the ways to meet your child’s needs. If so, you can request direct payments as a way of securing your short breaks.

The final decision about whether direct payments are appropriate for you is made by the Resource Allocation Decision and Review (RADAR) panel. 

Find out more about the short breaks we offer.