Rochdale Council is set to benefit significantly from the Government’s Final Local Government Finance Settlement, with new figures confirming a major write-off of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) debt and a substantial uplift in Recovery Grant funding.
Papers considered at the Council’s Cabinet meeting this week show that Rochdale’s historic SEND deficit, which stood at £43 million, will now see £38.7 million written off by Government. That leaves the Council with around £4.3 million still to manage, dramatically reducing the long-term financial pressure caused by rising Special Educational Needs and Disabilities costs.
Alongside this, Rochdale has secured a significant increase in Recovery Grant funding. For 2026/27, the borough will receive an additional £4.428 million compared to the provisional settlement. The total Recovery Grant allocation will now stand at £12.243 million in 2026/27, rising to £15.754 million in 2028/29.
Under the earlier provisional settlement, Rochdale had been due to receive £7.815 million per year for three years – which itself was 26% more than the last government’s settlement for this parliament. But now the revised figures represent a further considerable uplift, reflecting the Government’s focus on directing more funding towards areas with higher levels of deprivation and need.
Paul Waugh, Member of Parliament for Rochdale, said:
“These figures show just how important it is to keep making the case for Rochdale. Writing off £36 million of SEND debt is a game-changer for the Council’s balance sheet and gives far greater stability in supporting children and young people with additional needs.
“The significant uplift in the Recovery Grant is also hugely welcome. Compared to what was originally proposed, Rochdale is now receiving millions more each year. That strengthens the Council’s ability to protect frontline services and invest in the communities that need it most.
“After years in which places like Rochdale were disproportionately affected by cuts, this settlement begins to turn the tide by properly recognising deprivation and demand.”
The wider settlement makes £78 billion available to councils across England, including £440 million targeted at areas hit hardest by historic cuts and measures to write off 90% of historic SEND deficits.
For Rochdale, the combination of a £38.7 million SEND write-off and a multi-million pound Recovery Grant uplift marks a significant improvement on previous recent government settlements and provides greater certainty for long-term financial planning.