EHCP annual reviews: meetings, decisions and amendments
An EHCP must be reviewed at least every 12 months. The annual-review meeting gathers views and recommendations; the local authority then decides whether to maintain, amend or cease the plan. Keep the meeting, report, decision and any amendment stages separate so that an unresolved recommendation is not mistaken for a completed change.
Practical guidance for families in England
Prepare before the meeting
Review progress towards outcomes, current needs, delivery of provision and the child or young person’s views. Ask for the review papers in advance under the applicable arrangements, normally at least two weeks before the meeting. Provide relevant updated evidence and identify proposed changes to needs, provision or placement.
Guidance checked on 15 September 2026. Keep the decision letter, relevant plan or request, and the dates that apply to your case.
Use the meeting to identify changes
Discuss what has worked, what has changed and what remains unmet. Compare actual delivery with F and other provision sections. Record proposed amendments and the evidence for them. Preparing for adulthood must be considered from Year 9 onwards. Agreement at the meeting is a recommendation, not itself the authority’s final statutory decision.
Track the report and decision
The review report is normally sent to the local authority and relevant participants within two weeks of the meeting. The authority must notify its decision to maintain, amend or cease the plan within four weeks of the review meeting. Keep both documents and ask for correction of material inaccuracies.
If amendments are proposed
The authority should start the amendment process without delay and provide the existing plan, proposed amendments and supporting evidence. You must have at least 15 days to make representations. The final amended plan is normally due within eight weeks of the amendment notice. Ask for clear dates rather than accepting an open-ended promise to amend.
Check delivery after the process
Compare the final amended plan with the agreed or ordered changes and confirm who will implement them. If existing specified provision is not delivered, document that separately; you do not necessarily need to wait for the next annual review to raise a current failure.
Check the documents for this stage
Keep the relevant request, decision notice or plan together with the evidence referred to above. Record the source of each proposed change and the date on which the next action is due. If two accounts differ, explain the difference and seek clarification rather than omitting one account.
If the plan remains unchanged or is to cease
Read the written decision and its appeal information. Identify the needs, provision or legal criteria in dispute and check the applicable deadline. A complaint about how the meeting was run does not automatically replace an appeal against the authority’s decision.
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Before you take the next step
You should be able to identify the issue, the outcome or information you need, the evidence supporting it and the person responsible for the next action. Keep a copy of what you send and any acknowledgement. The related guides below cover the stages that may follow.
Free information and additional support
Choose help for the question you need answered
Your local SENDIASS offers free information, advice and support. IPSEA also publishes SEND guidance. If a deadline, evidence gap or disputed decision remains unclear, identify the specific question before commissioning paid help. Seek prompt specialist legal advice where an urgent legal remedy may be needed.
How Little Nellie’s can help
Little Nellie’s offers EHCP advocacy, document review, evidence organisation and independent social-work input. Agree the task, deliverable, deadline and fee before instructing. The related service and pricing pages explain the available support.
Little Nellie’s is not a law firm. Its services do not replace the local authority’s statutory duties or guarantee a plan, placement or tribunal outcome. Legal work outside the agreed service scope may require a specialist solicitor.
Related guides and support
Choose the guide for your next question or stage.
Official sources and EHCP services
Official sources: Children and Families Act 2014 — https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/6/contents
SEND Code of Practice — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25
SEND appeal guidance — https://www.gov.uk/appeal-ehc-plan-decision
Free SEND guidance — https://www.ipsea.org.uk/
The service links below describe Nellie’s paid support. Check current official instructions when filing an appeal.
Discuss the support you need
Send the relevant decision, plan or request and any deadline when enquiring. Ask which service addresses your specific issue and request a clear scope and quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the review meeting automatically change the plan?
No. The authority must make its decision and follow the statutory amendment process where amendments are proposed.
When should the authority decide after the meeting?
It must notify its maintain, amend or cease decision within four weeks of the annual-review meeting.
Do I have to wait a year if needs change?
No. Raise significant changes or non-delivery promptly and seek the appropriate review, reassessment or other route for the circumstances.
Where can I find free SEND information?
Your local SENDIASS provides free information, advice and support. IPSEA publishes guidance on the SEND system. Use the direct links in the sources section and check any service’s current availability.
What should I send when asking Little Nellie’s for help?
Send the relevant request, decision letter or plan, the key evidence and any deadline. Explain the specific task you need help with so the scope and fee can be agreed.
Does this guide apply outside England?
This guide concerns the EHCP framework in England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different education and support systems; check guidance for the relevant jurisdiction.