Was your EHC assessment refusal even lawful?
Councils routinely refuse EHC needs assessments for reasons that are not part of the legal test: no diagnosis, "try SEN support first", internal criteria, budget thresholds. Paste the refusal letter below and we will check each reason in it against section 36(8) of the Children and Families Act 2014.
🔒 We do not keep your letter. Please remove your child's name, date of birth, address and school before pasting. Privacy
Ready to challenge the refusal?
In 2024/25 councils backed down in about half of the refusal-to-assess appeals that concluded (2,679 of 5,387) before a tribunal decision, and 99% of all decided SEND appeals were found in the family's favour (Ministry of Justice). Refusal-to-assess appeals are normally decided on the written evidence without a hearing. Our Refusal Appeal Pack (£149.99) turns your letter into full personalised grounds of appeal, plus a step-by-step walkthrough of the mediation certificate and the SEND35A tribunal form.
Get the Appeal Pack →This tool is guidance only, not legal advice, and no outcome is guaranteed. Free specialist advice is also available from your local SENDIASS and from IPSEA.