Political opinion: John Milne MP backs calls for profit cap on private SEND providers
The Liberal Democrat MP for Horsham, John Milne, has criticised “profiteering” by many private special educational needs providers, as the party calls for a cap on their profits.
House of Commons Library research, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, has revealed that the top private equity companies providing special educational needs and disability (SEND) schooling have seen their annual profits increase as the SEND crisis has worsened, with some making margins of over 20%.
Since being elected in July 2024, John Milne has been a vocal advocate for SEND families across Horsham, meeting regularly with exhausted parents fighting to secure proper support for their children.
Horsham’s MP raised the crisis during a recent Westminster Hall debate on SEND in the Southeast, highlighting that "we cannot see a repeat of what just happened with the welfare bill" and we need to "rediscover the value of investing in people, not just things."
The SEND crisis has led to many local authorities facing exorbitant costs for private provision. At the same time, 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.
West Sussex County Council, which serves the Horsham constituency, has been particularly affected by these mounting costs as demand for SEND services continues to outstrip available provision.
Liberal Democrats are pushing for profit caps of 8% 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.
John Milne, MP for Horsham, has criticised these companies for profiting from the crisis in the SEND system, and has echoed their party’s calls to introduce an 8% cap on their profits.
Mr Milne said: “SEND provision is a key issue for many parents across Horsham, so I am deeply concerned to see profiteering from private equity firms. It is a major driver of the crisis in our SEND system.
“Since becoming MP, I have met with several parents and schools in Horsham who are exhausted by the constant fight to secure the right support for their children. It is unacceptable that families are left struggling while schools and councils are overwhelmed.”
“The government needs to cap the profits of these firms at 8%, to ensure that money is channelled back into the SEND system, and not into the pockets of shareholders. It’s time to put provision over profits; our young people deserve so much better.”