Cap Profits on SEND Providers

27 August 2025

Victoria Collins, has criticised “profiteering” by many private special educational needs providers, as the party calls for a cap on their profits to end the scandal.

House of Commons Library research, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, has revealed that the top private equity companies providing SEND schooling have seen their annual profits increase as the SEND crisis has worsened, with some making margins of over 20%. 

The SEND crisis has led to many local authorities facing exorbitant costs for private provision, while further figures have revealed that home-to-school transport for SEND young people cost £1.42 billion between 2023 and 2024.

Council finances are being pushed to the brink, with many facing bankruptcy or having to reduce or end service provision for vulnerable groups.

Liberal Democrats are pushing for private providers of special needs education – some of whom are backed by private equity companies based in tax havens or foreign sovereign wealth funds – to face profit caps of 8% to curb excessive profiteering off the backs of disabled children.

Victoria, MP for Harpenden and Berkhamsted, has criticised these companies for “exploiting” the crisis in the SEND system, and has echoed their party’s calls to introduce an 8% cap on their profits. 

12,920 children in Hertfordshire currently have an ECHP, according to the latest government data available. 

Victoria said: 

"It is utterly disgraceful that private companies are profiteering from our children's most vulnerable moments. While families in Harpenden, Berkhamsted, Tring and our villages are desperately fighting for proper support for their children with special educational needs, these firms are extracting eye-watering profits of over 20%.

“With 12,920 children in Hertfordshire needing support and our council services already stretched to breaking point, we cannot allow this exploitation to continue. 

“These children deserve investment in their education, not to be treated as cash cows for private equity firms based in tax havens.”