EHCP Application Consultancy England
Help applying for an EHCP across England.
The local authority decides whether your child gets an EHCP. We make sure they have no good reason to say no.
Most families applying for an EHCP are given information about the process, but what they are not given is guidance on what it actually takes to succeed in it.
Local authorities set the timelines, control what evidence they ask for, and decide what meets the threshold - and they do not always get those decisions right. Refusals to assess happen, vague plans get issued, and parents are told to wait, to try more first, or that their child doesn't qualify yet - when the law says otherwise.
We help you understand exactly where you are in the process, what the local authority is legally required to do, and how to build an application or challenge that is structured, evidenced, and difficult to refuse.
Where are you in the process?
Find the right support for your stage of the EHCP journey.
Every stage of the EHCP process requires different evidence and approaches. Select where you are to see how we can help.
Unsure where to start?
If you are not sure where you are in the EHCP process, or what the right next step should be, our EHCP help can guide you through it.
Book a free 15-minute callEHCP Application
Our EHCP help includes requesting an EHC needs assessment supported by clear evidence and statutory framing.
Start application supportRefusal to Assess
Preparation of a SEND35A appeal where the Local Authority refuses to carry out an assessment.
Challenge refusal to assessRefusal to Issue
Structured appeal preparation where the authority has assessed but refuses to issue a plan.
Challenge refusal to issueDraft EHCP Review
Our EHCP help includes line by line review of the draft plan to ensure needs are clearly identified and provision is properly specified.
Review my draft EHCPUrgent Legal Strategy
Urgent support when local authorities fail to comply with legal duties. Strategic advice, representations, and Pre-Action Protocol letters.
Get urgent supportSEND Mediation
Preparation for mediation discussions before progressing to tribunal.
Prepare for mediationSEND Tribunal
Appeal drafting, working document preparation, and representation where required.
Start tribunal preparationEHCP Annual Review
Annual review amendment analysis, structured written response preparation, and advice on proposed EHCP changes.
Review annual amendmentsSomething many families are not told
A child who holds it together at school and falls apart at home is not coping.
They are exhausted.
Masking is well-documented in autistic children and in children with anxiety, PDA, and other hidden needs. A local authority that points to a child's school behaviour as evidence they are 'coping' may be applying the wrong test. We know how to address this in an application.
What we do
Our EHCP help guides you through every stage of the application process.
From the first request to the finalised plan - we carry the process with you.
Request the assessment
We help you write a compelling request for an EHC needs assessment to your local authority, ensuring it includes the right evidence and framing.
Respond to refusals
If the local authority refuses to assess, we explain your options including appeal to the SEND Tribunal and help you act quickly within the strict 2-month deadline.
Contribute to the draft EHCP
When the draft plan arrives, we review it carefully and help you challenge inadequate sections before the plan is finalised.
Finalise the plan
We ensure the final EHCP is specific, measurable, and legally enforceable, not full of vague language that gives the local authority room to under-deliver.
Common questions
EHCP application questions answered.
Families are routinely given incorrect information about the EHCP process. Select a question to see the facts.
Parents, carers, young people aged 16-25, and schools can all request an assessment. You do not need a professional referral or a diagnosis first.
You can appeal to the SEND Tribunal within 2 months of the refusal. Our EHCP help builds a strong case and acts quickly within the deadline.
The statutory deadline is 20 weeks from request to final plan. Delays are routine but unlawful. Our EHCP help documents and challenges them.
No. A diagnosis is not required. The legal test is whether there may be SEN and whether an EHCP may be needed. Unmet need matters, not a specific label.
They cannot simply dismiss independent professional evidence. Our EHCP help ensures it is properly presented and formally engaged with in the assessment process.
Yes. School observations alone are not sufficient grounds for refusal. Parent evidence and home observations are relevant and carry legal weight.
False. There is no academic threshold in the law. The Children and Families Act 2014 requires an assessment where a child may have SEN and may need an EHCP. Unmet need is the test, not a grade comparison.
False. Schools do not need to have spent any specific amount before a parent can request an assessment. You can request an EHC needs assessment at any time, regardless of what the school has or has not spent.
Masking is well documented. A child who holds it together at school and falls apart at home is not coping, they are exhausted. Home behaviour and parental evidence are relevant evidence for an EHCP assessment.
False. The statutory deadline from request to final plan is 20 weeks. Most LAs breach this routinely, but it is still unlawful. You can and should challenge delays formally.
Application Support
£895 fixed fee
A complete, evidence-led EHC needs assessment application. Includes consultation, evidence review, application drafting, and LA response advice. See full package details on the costs page.
You shouldn't have to become a legal expert
to get your child the support they're entitled to.
But here we are - and we're not going anywhere.
Your child has a right to the support they need.
Our EHCP help ensures you apply for it.
EHCP application consultancy and EHCP help for families across England.
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