Alpha: an early version. Promise cards are checked by two editors and by AI Journalist, our automated reviewer. Become an editor

LedgerGov.UK
← All promises
Bridget PhillipsonLabour PartyEducation

Invest £1.8bn in specialist SEND support

“We will fortify mainstream provision with our new national Experts at Hand initiative, backed by £1.8 billion of new investment.”

FundedCommons statement: Schools White Paper, 23 Feb 2026
  4. Funded

Where it stands

The schools white paper (23 February 2026) plans £1.8bn over the three spending review years, 2026-27 to 2028-29: £1bn for professionals working directly with mainstream schools and £800m to expand outreach from specialist settings. The Department for Education allocated £429m to councils for 2026-27 and paid it at the end of June 2026, with about £750m and £850m indicated for the next two years (these yearly grants also carry a share of a separate £200m transformation fund). Delivery was due to start in September 2026; the card moves to Delivering when an official source shows teams working in schools. The Department of Health and Social Care restated the commitment on 9 October 2026.

What has happened

  1. Feb 2026Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson tells the Commons that a national Experts at Hand initiative will be backed by £1.8bn of new investment, Promised
  2. Feb 2026The schools white paper plans £1.8bn over three years: £1bn for professionals working with mainstream schools and £800m for outreach from specialist settings, In plan evidence
  3. Jun 2026The Department for Education publishes final allocations of £429m to councils for 2026-27, paid at the end of June 2026, Funded evidence
  4. Mar 2029The three years of Experts at Hand funding end with 2028-29, Deadline

About the cost

£1.8bn over the three spending review years, 2026-27 to 2028-29, shown as £0.6bn a year on average (central). Low and high are the yearly grants to councils: £429m in 2026-27 and £850m indicated for 2028-29; these also carry a share of a separate £200m transformation fund, so they slightly overstate the Experts at Hand money in each year.

More detail

Sources (5)
How cards are checked

Status follows the promise standard, the same for every party. A status changes only on evidence. Anyone named on a card can reply, and replies are published next to it. AI Journalist is our automated reviewer: it re-reads every card against its live sources (the quote word for word, dates, evidence, status, cost, neutral wording, legal risk). Two editors also check every card against its sources and approve it.

Related promises

Every promise in Education