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SEND Funding for 16-25 Provision

Find information on the SEND funding available for young people and adults ages 16 - 25 years.

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There is a national funding formula for young people 16 - 25 years of age.

In a similar way to schools, the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) funds post 16 education through a national funding formula. This includes:

  • Sixth-form colleges

  • Further education colleges

  • Sixth-forms in schools

  • Sixth-forms in academies

  • Independent learning providers

  • Local authorities

  • Special post-16 institutions

This includes an allocation of funding that providers can use to pay for the first £6k of support. This is similar to notional SEND funding.

For support needed above £6k funding comes from the high needs block. The way the ESFA allocates funding is determined by:

  • The age of the student

  • The costs of their additional support

  • Whether or not they have an EHC Plan

This also determines whether a Local Authority is able to provide additional ESFA Adult Education Budget Learning Support funds to an institution. These would support that young person’s education.

When a student is over 19 years old, the local authority must consider whether the education or training outcomes within the EHC plan have been met. If they have not been met and a student requires more time to achieve them, the annual review will indicate if the plan needs to continue. This can continue up to the age of 25.

There should always be a learning goal and outcome in any placement funded through an EHC plan. Where this is not the case the local authority should cease the EHC Plan and inform social care services. If a student is eligible for social care as an adult, the funding is usually available on their 18th birthday.

SEND Funding 16-18

For 16 to 18 year olds. There will be total additional support costs, regardless of if there is an EHC Plan in place. If the total of these is less than £6000 the funding is from 16-19 funding. If this is more than £6000, the funding will be from High needs funding. 

SEND Funding 19-25

For 19 to 25 year olds. If there is an EHC Plan, the total additional support costs for less than £6000 will be from 16-19 funding. For cases where there is an EHC Plan and total additional support costs are more than £6000 the funding is from High needs funding. If there is no EHC Plan, funding for Learning Support comes from the adult education budget.

Further information about SEND funding

For further information on all specialist education providers in the Borough visit the Gov.uk website and search by Sutton Local Authority [External Link].