Check deadlines

EHCPs in Merton: deadlines, contacts and local help

Everything you need to ask for, check or challenge an EHCP with Merton Council, in one place.

95.6%

of new EHCPs here were issued on time in 2025. England: 46.1%.

On this page

In short

  • In 2025, 95.6% of new EHCPs in Merton were issued within the legal 20 weeks (almost all). The England average was 46.1%.
  • The law and the deadlines are the same in every council in England.
  • Free, independent help is available from Merton Information, Advice and Support Service (MIASS).

How Merton is doing on the 20-week deadline

95.6%

of new plans issued within 20 weeks in 2025, up from 82.3% in 2024.

46.1%

England average in 2025.

451

new EHC plans issued by Merton in 2025.

Source: Department for Education, Education, health and care plans, published June 2026. Figures exclude the few cases where the law allows a delay.

Merton does better than the England average, but some families still wait longer. If your child’s plan is late, read what to do if the council misses an EHCP deadline.

Who to contact in Merton

The council

Ask for an assessment

Merton Council decides on EHC needs assessments and writes the plan. The SEN team (SENDIS) can be contacted by email at sen@merton.gov.uk or on 020 8545 4810.

See the Local Offer

Free and independent

Merton Information, Advice and Support Service (MIASS)

Free, confidential advice about SEND and EHCPs, separate from the council. Phone 020 8543 8854.

Visit their website

Other parents

Merton Parent Carer Forum (formerly Kids First)

Local parents of children with SEND, working with the council to improve services.

Visit their website

Local services

Merton Local Offer

The council’s directory of SEND services, schools and support in your area.

Open the Local Offer

Good to know. Merton’s SEN team is called the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Integrated Service (SENDIS), based at the Civic Centre, London Road, Morden. It carries out EHC needs assessments and manages EHC plans.

Getting an EHCP in Merton: step by step

  1. Ask Merton Council for an EHC needs assessment in writing. Use our free request letter.
  2. Put the date the council received it into our deadline checker. The council must reply within 6 weeks.
  3. If the council agrees, it gathers advice from professionals. The final plan is due within 20 weeks of your request.
  4. Check the draft plan carefully. You have 15 days to comment. Use our draft plan checklist.
  5. If a deadline is missed, chase the council. If that doesn’t work, make a formal complaint, then go to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

Questions parents ask

Does Merton have its own rules for EHCPs?

No. Every council in England follows the same law: the Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND Regulations 2014. Merton Council may publish its own guidance, but it can’t add extra tests, such as needing a diagnosis. Read the EHCP criteria.

What if Merton says no?

You can appeal to the SEND Tribunal. Contact a mediation adviser first. The time limit is 2 months from the decision letter, or 1 month after your mediation certificate, whichever is later. Read how to appeal.

Can I name a school outside the council area?

Yes. You can ask for a school in another council area. The same legal tests apply. Read naming a school in an EHCP.

Nearby councils

The council responsible for your child’s EHCP is usually the one where your child lives, even if they go to school somewhere else. Nearby councils we cover: Wandsworth, Lambeth, Croydon, Sutton and Kingston upon Thames. You can also see every council we cover.

Sources

Contacts last checked: 18 October 2026. If something has changed, please tell us.