Petition · Department for Education
End the Safety Valve programme and provide funding to cover SEND deficits
Closed
1,321 signatures
What the petition asks
We ask that the Safety Valve programme, which gives funding to local authorities who put plans in place to reduce school deficits, is ended. We believe it incentivises cutting support for vulnerable children, and we want funding to cover local authority deficits to be provided without condition.
We think SEND services have been chronically underfunded, and cuts to non-statutory services have created increased, avoidable need for statutory support.
Although the government has closed the scheme for new entrants, 38 agreements are still in place. We think many of them cannot meet their targets and are cutting services, for no benefit, to manage deficits that should not exist. We ask the government to cover the deficits putting councils at risk of bankruptcy, to prevent cuts that are impacting vulnerable children now.
Although the government has closed the scheme for new entrants, 38 agreements are still in place. We think many of them cannot meet their targets and are cutting services, for no benefit, to manage deficits that should not exist. We ask the government to cover the deficits putting councils at risk of bankruptcy, to prevent cuts that are impacting vulnerable children now.
Timeline
| 23 Jan 2025 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 23 Jul 2025 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
1,321
Status
Closed
Department
Department for Education
Opened
23 Jan 2025
Closed
23 Jul 2025
Follow this petition
Sign in to get an email when the government responds, a debate is scheduled or held, or the petition closes.
Source: the official petition page. Last checked 1 Aug 2026.