In England, you apply for an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment by asking your child’s local authority to assess them. There is no single national application office or universal form: use the council’s current special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or local-offer page for its contact details and submission method. If the authority agrees to assess, the ordinary statutory process should end with a final EHC plan within 20 weeks of your request, although specific exceptions can extend that period.
A parent or carer can make the request. A young person aged 16 to 25 can request an assessment themselves, and another person who believes an assessment may be necessary—such as a teacher, doctor, health visitor or family friend—can also ask the authority to consider one. This guide explains what to send, what happens at each stage, how to track deadlines and what to do if the authority refuses or you disagree with the proposed plan.
What an EHC plan is—and when to ask for an assessment
An EHC plan is a legal document for a child or young person whose special educational needs cannot be met through the special educational needs (SEN) support ordinarily available in a mainstream setting. It describes their education, health and social-care needs, the outcomes they should work towards and the additional provision required to achieve those outcomes.
You do not apply directly for a plan at the first step. You request an EHC needs assessment. The local authority gathers advice and then decides whether an EHC plan is necessary. An assessment does not guarantee that a plan will be issued.
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Who can request an assessment
- A parent or carer of the child.
- A young person aged 16 to 25, acting for themselves.
- Another person who believes an assessment may be necessary, including a teacher, doctor, health visitor or family friend.
The process described here is for England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different systems and terminology.
Why a diagnosis is not the test
The SEND Code of Practice says councils may use criteria as guidelines, but they must consider each case on its merits and must not apply a blanket policy to a particular diagnosis, type of need or group of children. Explain how your child’s needs affect daily life and learning rather than relying on a label or assuming that a council checklist decides the outcome.
Before you write: build a clear picture of need
A strong request is specific about what your child cannot reliably do, what happens without support and which interventions have already been tried. The authority’s assessment should gather professional advice about education, health and care needs, desired outcomes and the provision that may be required. Your account is one part of that evidence.
Describe day-to-day impact
Use observable examples: how long your child can attend to a task, what happens during transitions, how communication or sensory needs affect participation, whether they can manage personal care, and how often distress, absence or unsafe situations occur. Explain the circumstances, frequency and consequences rather than using broad descriptions such as “struggles at school”.
Record support already in place
List support provided by the school, nursery or childminder, including its frequency, duration and intended outcome. State what improved, what did not, and which needs remain unmet. This helps the authority understand why ordinarily available SEN support is insufficient.
Collect dated documents
GOV.UK identifies school, nursery or childminder reports; doctors’ assessments; and a parent’s letter as examples of information the authority may ask for. Include relevant reports you already have, with dates and the professional’s role. You do not need to wait for every possible report before making the request; the authority can seek advice during the assessment.
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- Educational reports, individual support plans, attendance information and records of incidents or exclusions, where relevant.
- Health assessments or letters that explain functional effects on learning and daily life.
- Your written account of strengths, needs, current support, unmet needs and desired outcomes.
- Any social-care information that affects your child’s education or ability to participate.
There is no statutory checklist in the material published for this guide. The practical aim is a concise, dated record that allows someone unfamiliar with your child to understand the need and the gap in current provision.
How to make the request to your local authority
1. Find the correct council contact
Use the local authority’s current SEND or local-offer pages. Councils set their own submission instructions, so the route may be an online form, email or written request. Keep a copy of the request and attachments, and note the date and method of delivery.
2. Address the request clearly
State that you are requesting an EHC needs assessment under the Children and Families Act framework, give your child’s full name, date of birth and address, and identify yourself as the parent or carer. Name the school, nursery or childminder and provide a contact who can supply records.
3. Explain why an assessment is necessary
Organise the explanation under four headings:
- Needs: the educational, health and care difficulties and their effects on learning, communication, independence, wellbeing or safety.
- Current provision: what the setting is providing, how often and with what result.
- Unmet needs: the barriers that remain and why ordinary SEN support has not been enough.
- Outcomes: the changes you want to see, such as more consistent participation, progress in communication, independence or access to the curriculum.
Attach the most relevant documents and label them so the officer can match each item to your explanation. Ask the authority to confirm receipt and the date it treats as the request date; that date starts the statutory timetable.
4. Involve the setting without surrendering your voice
Tell the school, nursery or childminder that you have applied and ask it to share records. Its advice is important, but the request can be made even if staff do not agree with you. Your description of what happens at home, in the community and during non-school activities can add information the setting cannot observe.
What happens after the request
| Stage | What the authority does | Ordinary time limit |
|---|---|---|
| Request received | Decides whether an EHC needs assessment is necessary and tells the family its decision. | Within 6 weeks of the request |
| Assessment | Collects advice on education, health and care needs, desired outcomes and possible provision, involving the child and family. | Runs after consent to assess |
| Decision not to issue | If assessment is completed but no plan will be issued, notifies the family and explains rights. | By week 16 from the original request |
| Draft plan | If a plan is proposed, sends a draft for comments and invites the family to request a school or institution. | At least 15 days for comments |
| Final plan | Issues the final EHC plan, subject to specified exceptions. | Within 20 weeks from the request |
The six-week decision
Within six weeks, the local authority must tell you whether it will carry out an assessment. If it refuses, it must give reasons and explain appeal and support routes. Ask for the decision in writing if you receive only a telephone call.
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The assessment itself
If the authority agrees, it requests advice from relevant education, health and care professionals. The child and parent, or the young person, should be involved throughout. Respond promptly to requests for information, but keep your own dated record of every contact and document sent.
A decision not to issue a plan
If the authority assesses your child but decides an EHC plan is unnecessary, it must notify you by week 16 from the original request. The notice should explain the reasons and how to challenge the decision.
The 20-week requirement and exceptions
The SEND Code of Practice states: “The whole process of EHC needs assessment and EHC plan development, from the point when an assessment is requested (or a child or young person is brought to the local authority’s attention) until the final EHC plan is issued, must take no more than 20 weeks (subject to exemptions set out below).” The Code identifies exceptions including certain exceptional personal circumstances, a child or young person being absent from the area for at least four weeks, and some periods when an educational institution is closed. If a date slips, ask the authority to identify the exception it is relying on and record the explanation.
What the national figures mean for your case
Department for Education statistics published in 2026, covering 2025 performance, show that statutory timescales are not consistently met. They describe reported outcomes across England, not a prediction for a particular child or council.
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| Measure | 2025 figure | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment-request decisions communicated within six weeks | 87.4% | Department for Education figure; the 2024 share was 84.8%. |
| New EHC plans issued within 20 weeks | 46.1% | Excludes cases where statutory exceptions applied. |
| Mean time to issue a new plan | 24.0 weeks | Excludes cases where statutory exceptions applied. |
The 24-week mean does not replace the 20-week legal limit. Track your own dates, ask about any delay and use the written decision or final-plan date when considering a challenge.
Reading and responding to a draft EHC plan
If the authority intends to issue a plan, it sends a draft. You must have at least 15 days to comment. Use that period to check whether the document accurately describes your child and whether the provision is specific enough to be delivered.
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Check the description of need and outcomes
Look for omissions, inaccurate wording and outcomes that are so broad that progress cannot be recognised. Compare the draft with your child’s actual experiences and the professional advice collected during assessment.
Check the provision
Provision should address the needs identified, including educational support and relevant health or social-care provision. Flag wording that says support will be provided only “if necessary”, “as appropriate” or from an unnamed person when the draft needs a clear commitment. Ask the authority to correct factual errors and explain how each provision relates to a stated need and outcome.
Request a school or institution
You can request a particular school or institution, including a specialist school or college. Make the request during the draft consultation period and explain how the setting can meet the specified needs and provision. The material available here does not rank particular schools, so the decision should be based on your child’s requirements and the provision written into the plan.
Send comments in an organised way
Use the draft’s section headings, quote the wording you want changed, propose replacement text and attach supporting advice. Keep proof of when your comments were sent. If you need more time, ask immediately; the statutory minimum is 15 days, so do not assume an extension has been granted until the authority confirms it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When the authority refuses or you disagree
Families can challenge a decision not to assess, a decision not to issue a plan after assessment, the special educational provision in a plan or the school named in it. Eligible appeals go to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal.
Mediation
For most appeal issues, you must first contact an independent mediation service and consider mediation. Mediation is not required when the only dispute is which school or institution should be named in section I. If you still want to appeal after contacting the service, obtain the mediation certificate; the tribunal normally requires it with the appeal.
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Appeal deadline for a parent
When a parent appeals for a child, the tribunal must receive the appeal within two months of the date on the local authority’s decision letter or within one month of the mediation certificate, whichever is later. Check the decision letter and current tribunal guidance because the applicable route and date depend on the issue being challenged.
Build the appeal record
- Keep the request, acknowledgement, six-week decision, assessment advice, draft plan, final plan and all correspondence.
- Write a chronology with dates, missed deadlines and explanations given for delay.
- Identify the exact wording or decision you dispute and the change you seek.
- Use professional reports and concrete examples to show why the proposed assessment, provision or placement does not meet need.
Managing the process day to day
Maintain a deadline tracker
Record the request date as confirmed by the authority, the six-week decision date, week 16, the date the draft was sent, the end of the 15-day comment period and week 20. Add the name of every officer and professional contacted.
Ask precise questions about delay
When a deadline is missed, ask which statutory exception applies, the dates covered by it and the revised date for the next action. Request the explanation in writing. A general statement that the case is “complex” does not identify an exception.
Keep the child involved
The Code expects the child and family, or the young person, to participate throughout. Adapt conversations and meetings to the child’s communication style and record their preferences, strengths and goals. For older children, explain choices in an accessible way and include their views in comments on the draft.
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GOV.UK identifies IPSEA and local Parent Partnership or Information, Advice and Support (IASS) services as sources of free help and advice. They can help you understand the process, prepare questions and consider challenge routes. Local authority contact details and submission instructions can change, so always check the current council SEND page before sending a request.
Quick Recap
A practical application checklist
- Confirm that your child lives in England and identify the responsible local authority.
- Find the council’s current SEND or local-offer contact and submission method.
- Write a dated request for an EHC needs assessment, not merely a request for a school place.
- Describe needs, daily impact, current support, unmet needs and desired outcomes.
- Attach relevant school, nursery, health and parent information that you already hold.
- Ask the authority to confirm receipt and the formal request date.
- Calendar the six-week decision, week 16 and week 20, allowing for any documented statutory exception.
- Respond to assessment requests and keep copies of every document.
- If a draft plan arrives, use the minimum 15-day period to correct needs, strengthen provision and request a setting.
- If refused or dissatisfied, read the decision letter, contact mediation where required and check the tribunal deadline.
Key points to remember
- The local authority is the starting point; there is no single national application form.
- A clear account of functional impact and unmet support is more useful than relying on a diagnosis alone.
- The authority should decide whether to assess within six weeks and ordinarily complete the process within 20 weeks, subject to specified exceptions.
- A draft plan gives you at least 15 days to comment and request a particular institution.
- National performance figures show why careful date-keeping and written questions about delay matter.
- Refusals and disagreements can generally be challenged through mediation and the SEND Tribunal within the applicable deadlines.
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