The cost of administrating support for pupils with SEND and transporting them to and from school has soared this year as rising fuel bills and the cost-of-living crisis cause pressure across the public sector.
Data on planned local authority and school expenditure for the 2023-24 financial year show transport costs were expected to rise by as much as 44 per cent.
Meanwhile SEND administration, assessment, coordination and monitoring costs shot up by 21 per cent to almost £300 million.
These costs are met by councils, and come on top of high needs funding that goes to schools, which has also ballooned in recent years in the face of rising demand.
