EHC plans

What is an Education, Health and Care plan, and how do I ask for one?

Young person in a library

An Education, Health and Care plan is a legal document that describes your special educational needs (SEN) and the support your school or college must give you.

The plan might also include information about the support you get from other people.

An Education, Health and Care plan is often called an EHC plan or an EHCP.

studying

Disabled young peopleWho can get an EHC plan?

Schools and colleges should support you to learn in a way that works for you. They have money they can use to do this. But if you need more support than this, you might need an EHC plan.

  • You must be under 25 years old
  • You don’t have to be in school or college, but you need to be doing some type of education or training (or planning to start)
  • You don’t need a diagnosis – it’s based on what extra support you need

send a letterHow to ask for an EHC plan

EHC plans are issued by the council where you live (for example, Brighton & Hove or East Sussex).

You can ask your parent carer, school or college to write to the council to request an EHC plan. If you’re aged 16 or over, you can make this request yourself.

there are several steps to the assessment processWhat happens next?

The council will consider your application. They have six weeks to decide whether they agree to move your application to the next stage, called an EHC needs assessment (or EHCNA for short).

This assessment is how the council decides whether to give you an EHC plan, and what should be in it if so. It takes several months to complete.

The council must let you know in writing whether they have agreed to the assessment or not. There are rules that say when the council can refuse to assess someone, and you can appeal their decision. Contact our SENDIASS advice service to learn more.

What happens during the assessment?

The council will gather information about you, to help them decide whether you need an EHC plan, and what should be in it.

An Educational Psychologist will meet with you, to learn about the support you need to help you learn. You may meet with other professionals too.

You and your parents or carers can give your views about what’s important to you as well.

Learn more: EHC needs assessments

What happens after the assessment?

The council then decides whether to give you an EHC plan or not.

If they decide to give you an EHC plan, you will get a chance to read it and ask for changes before it is made final.

It takes 20 weeks (about 5 months) to get a final EHC plan, starting when you first asked the council for one.

What happens if they decide not to give me an EHC plan?

Not everyone who asks for an EHC plan is given one. The council might decide your school or college can meet your needs without one.

You can appeal this decision. You or your parent carer can talk to our SENDIASS advice service to find out more about appeals.

How long does an EHC plan last?

The law says the council must review your EHC plan every 12 months.

This annual review is to decide whether to:

  • make changes
  • keep it the same, or
  • end your plan

You do not automatically keep your EHC plan until you are 25. If you no longer need your plan, the council will end it.

After you turn 18: You can still have an EHC plan if you need more time at school or college. The council must agree you need longer in education or training, though.

When you turn 25: If you still have an EHC plan, it will normally end on your 25th birthday. Sometimes the council will agree to your EHCP continuing to the end of your course, if this is during the year you turned 25.

If you go to university, your EHC plan will end. However, you can still share it with your university to show them what support you need. UCAS has lots of advice for disabled university students here: UCAS | Disabled students

Need advice about EHC plans? Contact our SENDIASS advice line.