Reporting year 2021

Education, health and care plans

Data guidance

Published

Description

This document describes the data included in the Education, health and care (EHC) plans National Statistics release’s underlying data files. This data is released under the terms of the Open Government License (opens in a new tab) and is intended to meet at least 3 stars for Open Data (opens in a new tab). The methodology document should be referenced alongside this data. It provides information on the data sources, their coverage and quality as well as explaining methodology used in producing the data.

Coverage

This release provides information on the EHC plan process including: 

  • number of active EHC plans at January of the calendar year
  • number of new EHC plans in the previous calendar year
  • the administration of requests for assessments for an EHC plan 

The information is based on local authority level data collected via the SEN2 data collection. The underlying data files include national, regional and local authority level data

File formats and conventions

The dataset and outputs have not had suppression or rounding applied

The following convention is used throughout the underlying data. 

z - Not applicable

Data files

All data files associated with this releases are listed below with guidance on their content. To download any of these files, please visit our data catalogue.

01 - EHC plans - by age - January 2010 to 2021

Filename
sen2_age_caseload_20210513.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2010 to 2021
Content

Number of children and young people with an EHC plan, broken down by age band 

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
characteristic_ageAge group - Filter by age group
Total_allNumber of statements and EHC plans combined
Total_all_pcPercentage of statements and EHC plans combined
Total_ehcNumber of EHC plans
Total_ehc_pcPercentage of EHC plans
Total_stNumber of statements
Total_st_pcPercentage of statements
Footnotes
  1. Percentage of all statements of SEN
  2. Percentage of all EHC plans
  3. Percentage of all EHC plans and statements of SEN combined

02 - EHC plans - by establishment type - January 2010 to 2021

Filename
sen2_estab_caseload_20210513.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2010 to 2021
Content

Number of children and young people with an EHC plan, broken down by establishment type

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
establishment_groupEstablishment group - Filter by type of establishment group
establishment_typeEstablishment type - Filter by type of establishment
Total_allNumber of statements and EHC plans combined
Total_all_pcPercentage of statements and EHC plans combined
Total_ehcNumber of EHC plans
Total_ehc_pcPercentage of EHC plans
Total_stNumber of statements
Total_st_pcPercentage of statements
Footnotes
  1. Percentage of all statements of SEN
  2. Percentage of all EHC plans
  3. Percentage of all EHC plans and statements of SEN combined

03 - New EHC plans - by age - 2009 to 2020

Filename
sen2_age_new_plans_20210513.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2009 to 2020
Content

Number of children and young people with a new EHC plan in the calendar year, broken down by age band 

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
characteristic_ageAge group - Filter by age group
Total_new_allNumber of new statements and EHC plans combined
Total_new_all_pcPercentage of new statements and EHC plans combined
Total_new_ehcNumber of new EHC plans
Total_new_ehc_pcPercentage of new EHC plans
Total_new_stNumber of new statements
Total_new_st_pcPercentage of new statements
Footnotes
  1. Percentage of all new EHC plans and statements of SEN combined in the calendar year
  2. Percentage of all new statements of SEN in the calendar year
  3. Percentage of all new EHC plans in the calendar year

04 - New EHC plans - by establishment type - 2009 to 2020

Filename
sen2_estab_new_plans_20210513.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2009 to 2020
Content

Number of children and young people with a new EHC plan in the calendar year, broken down by establishment type

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
establishment_groupEstablishment group - Filter by type of establishment group
establishment_typeEstablishment type - Filter by type of establishment
Total_new_allNumber of new statements and EHC plans combined
Total_new_all_pcPercentage of new statements and EHC plans combined
Total_new_ehcNumber of new EHC plans
Total_new_ehc_pcPercentage of new EHC plans
Total_new_stNumber of new statements
Total_new_st_pcPercentage of new statements
Footnotes
  1. Percentage of all new EHC plans and statements of SEN combined in the calendar year
  2. Percentage of all new statements of SEN in the calendar year
  3. Percentage of all new EHC plans in the calendar year

05 - Requests, assessments, discontinued plans, 20 week timeliness, mainstream to special transfers, mediation and tribunals

Filename
sen2_assess_requests_20weeks.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2014 to 2020
Content

Data on the administration of statements and EHC plans, including; 

  • Requests for assessment 
  • decisions to assess 
  • decisions to issue 
  • 20 week timeliness 
  • Mediation 
  • Transfers between school types
Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
AssnodecisionStill being assessed or where assessment has been completed but no decision taken for a statement of SEN at the calendar year end
AssnodecisionEHCStill being assessed or where assessment has been completed but no decision taken for an EHC plan at the calendar year end
AssnoneAssessments where it was decided not to issue a statement of SEN
AssnoneEHCAssessments where it was decided not to issue an EHC plan
AssnoneEHC_pcPercentage of assessments during the calendar year where it was decided not to issue an EHC plan
AssRefusedInitial requests for assessment for a statement of SEN that were refused
AssRefusedEHCInitial requests for assessment for an EHC plan that were refused
AssRefusedEHC_pcPercentage of initial requests for assessment for an EHC plan that were refused during the calendar year
DisleaStatement of SEN discontinued as transferred to another LA
DisleaEHCEHC plan discontinued as transferred to another LA
DisleftStatement of SEN discontinued because pupils have left school at the end of compulsory schooling or after
DisleftEHCEHC plan discontinued because pupils have left school at the end of compulsory schooling or after
DismetStatement of SEN discontinued as special needs being met without an EHC plan
DismetEHCEHC plan discontinued as special needs being met without an EHC plan
DisothStatement of SEN discontinued for other reasons
DisothEHCEHC plan discontinued for other reasons
IncExc20weekEHCEHC plans including exceptions issued within 20 weeks
IncExc20weekRateRate of EHC plans including exceptions issued within 20 weeks
IncExc26weekStatements including exceptions issued within 26 weeks
InreqEHCInitial requests for an EHC plan
InreqryaEHCInitial requests for an EHC plan when detained in youth accomodation
MtoParChildren and young people with a statement of SEN who were taken out of school by their parents to be home educated from mainstream settings
MtoParEHCChildren and young people with an EHC plan who were taken out of school by their parents to be home educated from mainstream settings
MtosiChildren and young people with a statement of SEN who transferred from mainstream to special settings
MtosiEHCChildren and young people with an EHC plan who transferred from mainstream to special settings
NewallEHCChildren and young people assessed for whom an EHC plan was issued
NewallEHC_AssnoneEHC_sumChildren and young people assessed for whom a plan was issued and those for whom one not issued
NewallEHC_pcPercentage of children and young people assessed for whom EHC plans were made for the first time during the calendar year
NewEHCMediationMediation cases that have been held
NewEHCTribunalMediation cases that have been held which were followed by appeals to the Tribunal
NewEHCTribunal_pcPercentage of mediation cases held which were followed by appeals to tribunal
NoExc20weekEHCEHC plans excluding exceptions issued within 20 weeks
NoExc20weekRateRate of EHC plans excluding exceptions issued within 20 weeks
NoExc26weekStatements excluding exceptions issued within 26 weeks
SitomChildren and young people with a statement of SEN who transferred from special to mainstream settings
SitomEHCChildren and young people with an EHC plan who transferred from special to mainstream settings
SitoParChildren and young people with a statement of SEN who were taken out of school by their parents to be home educated from special settings
SitoParEHCChildren and young people with an EHC plan who were taken out of school by their parents to be home educated from special settings
StatementstoEHCChildren and young people with statements who were issued with an EHC plan
StatementstoNoEHCChildren and young people with statements who were assessed for an EHC plan and a decision not to issue an EHC plan made
TotIncExcStatements including exceptions
TotIncExcEHCEHC plans including exceptions
TotNoExcStatements excluding exceptions
TotNoExcEHCEHC plans excluding exceptions
Footnotes
  1. Figures for assessments still in progress correspond to the end of the calendar year, for example, the 2020 figure corresponds to those assessments still in progress at 31st December 2020

06 - Work based placements, residential settings, designated medical and clinical officers - 2017 to 2021

Filename
sen2_wbp_residential_dmo.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2017 to 2021
Content

Number of children and young people with an EHC plan who are; on work based placements in residential settings 

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
DCODesignated clinical officer in place (Yes/No/Recruiting)
DMODesignated medical officer in place (Yes/No/Recruiting)
DMODCOFunctionPerson performing role of designated medical/clinical officer in place (Yes/No/Recruiting)
MApprenEHCNumber of young people enrolled on an apprenticeship
Mres38week05Children and young people with statements - in residential settings, 38 to 51 weeks, age under 5
Mres38week05EHCChildren and young people with EHC plans - in residential settings, 38 to 51 weeks, age under 5
Mres38week1115Children and young people with statements - in residential settings, 38 to 51 weeks, age 11 to 15
Mres38week1115EHCChildren and young people with EHC plans - in residential settings, 38 to 51 weeks, age 11 to 15
Mres38week1619Children and young people with statements - in residential settings, 38 to 51 weeks, age 16 to 19
Mres38week1619EHCChildren and young people with EHC plans - in residential settings, 38 to 51 weeks, age 16 to 19
Mres38week2025EHCChildren and young people with EHC plans - in residential settings, 38 to 51 weeks, age 20 to 25
Mres38week510Children and young people with statements - in residential settings, 38 to 51 weeks, age 5 to 10
Mres38week510EHCChildren and young people with EHC plans - in residential settings, 38 to 51 weeks, age 5 to 10
Mres52week05Children and young people with statements - in residential settings, 52 weeks, age under 5
Mres52week05EHCChildren and young people with EHC plans - in residential settings, 52 weeks, age under 5
Mres52week1115Children and young people with statements - in residential settings, 52 weeks, age 11 to 15
Mres52week1115EHCChildren and young people with EHC plans - in residential settings, 52 weeks, age 11 to 15
Mres52week1619Children and young people with statements - in residential settings, 52 weeks, age 16 to 19
Mres52week1619EHCChildren and young people with EHC plans - in residential settings, 52 weeks, age 16 to 19
Mres52week2025EHCChildren and young people with EHC plans - in residential settings, 52 weeks, age 20 to 25
Mres52week510Children and young people with statements - in residential settings, 52 weeks, age 5 to 10
Mres52week510EHCChildren and young people with EHC plans - in residential settings, 52 weeks, age 5 to 10
MSuppIntEHCNumber of young people enrolled on a supported internship
MTrainEHCNumber of young people enrolled on a traineeship
TotMres38weekChildren and young people with statements - in residential settings, 38 to 51 weeks, Total
TotMres38weekEHCChildren and young people with EHC plans - in residential settings, 38 to 51 weeks, Total
TotMres52weekChildren and young people with statements - in residential settings, 52 weeks, Total
TotMres52weekEHCChildren and young people with EHC plans - in residential settings, 52 weeks, Total
WorkbasedEHCNumber of young people enrolled on an apprenticeship, trainship or supported internship

07 - Personal budgets and direct payments - 2015 to 2021

Filename
sen2_direct_payment.csv
Geographic levels
Local authority; National; Regional
Time period
2015 to 2021
Content

Data on personal budgets and direct payments in place for EHC plans

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
DirectPayEducationNumber of personal budgets in place that have direct payment for education
DirectPayHealthNumber of personal budgets in place that have direct payment for health
DirectPayIntegratedNumber of personal budgets in place that have direct payment for an integrated payment
DirectPaySocialCareNumber of personal budgets in place that have direct payment for social care
OrgArrangementsNumber of personal budgets in place that have organised arrangements
PersonalBudgetsNumber of personal budgets in place for all EHC plans