New Senedd Research analysis confirms that a petition calling for all consequential funding arising from special educational needs spending in England to be allocated to Additional Learning Needs in Wales has received more than 11,000 signatures.

The petition will be debated tomorrow, 4 November, following today’s Supplementary Budget vote.

The £764 million represents the amount originally budgeted for ALN at the start of 2026–27, before the additional £60 million allocation.

Senedd Research notes that ALN expenditure has increased by 89% since 2019–20, when the equivalent budgeted amount was £405 million.

The latest dispute arose partly because Wales received approximately £322 million in Barnett consequentials following UK spending decisions. However, Barnett consequentials are generally not ring-fenced to the policy area generating them.

Audit Wales has previously described the ALN system as under strain.

Why it matters: The debate concerns whether additional money should be concentrated on ALN or distributed across competing public-service pressures. It also raises questions about the long-term sustainability of a system supporting children and young people with complex educational needs.

Status: Petition debate scheduled for Wednesday. The £60 million allocation is proposed for this financial year; a recurring commitment has not yet been confirmed.