Rulebook · Time limit

Final plan after an ordered assessment

After the ordered assessment, if a plan is needed, the council must send the finalised plan.

How it is counted

As soon as practicable, and in any case within 14 weeks of the date of the order: the same day of the week, 14 weeks later.

Whose date it is

The council

What starts it

The SEND Tribunal made its order

What counts as done

The council sent the final EHC plan, or The council sent the plan after re-assessment, or its decision not to amend

Type of rule

Law (Act or Regulations)

Rule id

order_assess_plan

Rules version

england-2026.10

Law as at

30 September 2026

When the time limit does not apply

The law says this time limit does not apply when meeting it is impractical because:

• Advice was asked of a school, college or early years setting during a closure of at least 4 weeks (the period from 1 week before it closed to 1 week before it reopened) (reg 44(3))
• Exceptional personal circumstances affected the child, parent or young person (reg 44(3))
• The child, parent or young person was away from the council's area for at least 2 weeks in a row (reg 44(3))

The work must still be done as soon as practicable. Plenda only uses an exception when the local authority says it relies on one.

If the date passes

The council must still carry out the Tribunal's order. The Tribunal cannot enforce its own orders, so the routes are a complaint, the Ombudsman, a complaint to the Secretary of State or judicial review.

Steps people often take:

• Write to the council, quote the order and its time limit, and ask when it will be done.
• Make a formal complaint, then complain to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
• A complaint can also be made to the Secretary of State for Education, who can direct a council that acts unreasonably or does not carry out a duty.
• For serious delay, a solicitor can send a pre-action letter before a judicial review claim (within 3 months).

Your own deadlines do not change because the council is late.

Sources

• SEND Regulations 2014, reg 44(2)Law (Act or Regulations)
• SEND Regulations 2014, reg 44(3)Law (Act or Regulations)

Work out your dates

The whole rulebook