Rulebook · Decision or problem

The council refused a request to re-assess

For a child or young person with a plan, the parent, the young person or the school or college can ask for a re-assessment. The council must give its decision within 15 days of receiving the request. A refusal can be appealed to the SEND Tribunal after getting a mediation certificate.

The council must re-assess when asked by the parent, the young person or the school or college. It may refuse if it carried out an assessment or re-assessment in the 6 months before the request, or if it decides a re-assessment is not necessary. The council must tell the parent or young person its decision within 15 days of receiving the request. For a young person aged over 18, when deciding whether to re-assess, the council must have regard to whether the education or training outcomes in the plan have been achieved. If the council re-assesses and then amends or replaces the plan, the final plan is due within 14 weeks of the council saying it will re-assess. In an appeal against a refusal to re-assess, the Tribunal can also be asked for recommendations about health and social care. The council's letter refusing to re-assess must mention this power.

Appeal right: yes, an appeal to the SEND Tribunal (Children and Families Act 2014, s 51(2)(d)).

Ways to take this further

Listed in the order the rules give them. The order is not a ranking.

• Contact the mediation adviser (needed before most appeals)
• Mediation with the council
• Appeal to the SEND Tribunal
• Asking the Tribunal for health and social care recommendations (extended appeal)
• Talk to the council: a meeting, or asking for reasons in writing
• Disagreement resolution service
• A new request for an assessment or re-assessment
• Formal complaint to the council

Type of rule

Law (Act or Regulations)This is the law, set by an Act of Parliament or by Regulations.

Rule id

issue.refused_reassessment

Rules version

england-2026.10

Law as at

30 September 2026

Sources

• Children and Families Act 2014, s 51(2)(d)Law (Act or Regulations)
• Children and Families Act 2014, s 44(2)Law (Act or Regulations)
• Children and Families Act 2014, s 55(3)Law (Act or Regulations)
• Tribunal Procedure (First-tier Tribunal) (HESC Chamber) Rules 2008, r 20(1)(c)Law (Act or Regulations)
• SEND (First-tier Tribunal Recommendations Power) Regulations 2017, reg 4(2)Law (Act or Regulations)
• SEND (First-tier Tribunal Recommendations Power) Regulations 2017, reg 5(2)Law (Act or Regulations)
• SEND Regulations 2014, reg 24Law (Act or Regulations)
• SEND Regulations 2014, reg 25(1)Law (Act or Regulations)
• Children and Families Act 2014, s 44(5)Law (Act or Regulations)
• SEND Regulations 2014, reg 27Law (Act or Regulations)
• SEND Regulations 2014, reg 25(2)(e)Law (Act or Regulations)

Related

• Council decides on a request to re-assess
• Last day to contact a mediation adviser (needed before most appeals)
• Last day to appeal to the SEND Tribunal
• Re-assessment
• Decisions that can be appealed to the SEND Tribunal

See the ways to challenge

The whole rulebook