Schools educating the country鈥檚 most vulnerable children must not be 鈥渞obbed鈥� of their share of the 拢2.3 billion funding boost, ministers were warned as new analysis suggests scores of councils did not pass on previous SEND uplifts. The government has yet to confirm how next year’s extra cash, announced at the autumn statement, will be distributed. Schools Week investigations have revealed how some councils seized millions of pounds in previous funding boosts, with special schools having to go with 鈥渂egging bowls鈥� or threaten legal action to get cash. A total of 拢1.2 billion in extra cash this year was passed straight to mainstream schools. But 拢325 million allocated for special and alternative provision schools went to councils as part of their high-needs budgets. Cruddas Schools were told to 鈥渄iscuss鈥� potential increases with councils. But Schools Week revealed last week how two cash-strapped local authorities had kept up to 拢4.3 million. New analysis by SEND specialist Matthew Keer suggests that around 40 councils (just over 25 per cent) did not increase top-up funding for special schools this year, despite the funding boost. Senior sector leaders have called it a 鈥済reat robbery鈥�. Leora Cruddas, chief executive at the , has now raised the issue with senior officials at the Department for Education (DfE). Funding must go ‘directly’ to special schools It was 鈥渧ery important鈥� the funding goes 鈥渄irectly鈥� to special schools, alternative provision and specialist settings, she said. 鈥淲e cannot have a rerun鈥� of councils being given 鈥渢he discretion about what funding (if any) that would pass on鈥�, Cruddas added. Government said a new minimum funding guarantee (MFG) next year will require councils to increase special schools鈥� top-up funding by 3 per cent. But councils can still apply to keep the cash. Many councils are struggling with their own funding woes. Councils鈥� combined deficits in their dedicated schools grant funding is estimated at 拢1.9 billion, rising to 拢3.6 billion by 2025. Louise Gittins, chair of the Local Government Association鈥檚 children and young people board, said councils need 鈥渓ong-term sufficiency of, and certainty over, funding to support children with SEND鈥�. But Graham Quinn, chair at Special Schools Voice, said: 鈥淭he way the system is set up means that some special schools, depending on their councils, are being robbed of funding that they need to support our children. Overhaul is urgently needed.鈥� Warren Carratt, chief executive of Nexus Multi-Academy Trust, said it means 鈥渢he most vulnerable pupils in our society have faced the biggest real terms funding squeeze over the last decade鈥�. He said they need 鈥渄irect, guaranteed additional funding. We can no longer be scapegoated for the mismanagement or underfunding of high needs budgets.鈥� DfE would not comment on the calls for funding reform. They pointed to the 3 per cent funding guarantee, adding high needs funding has increased to 拢9.1 billion overall this year.