Your dates
We count 7-day weeks from the day the request was received, the way most councils and charities do. Your council may count slightly differently, so treat these as the latest dates and chase early. The limits can be set aside in a few specific situations, covered below.
Check these against your letters. Every date here is worked out from the date you typed in. If a letter from the council or the Tribunal gives a different date, work to the earlier one.
Other dates that matter
Got a letter or a draft plan?
These three work on their own. You do not need the box above.
If a date is missed
What to do when the council runs late
A missed date does not make the problem go away, and chasing early works better than waiting. A sensible order:
- Write to the SEN team and say which date has passed. Name the rule and the date, ask for a decision by a set date, and keep a copy. Email is fine. It also starts a written record.
- Get free advice. IPSEA and your local SENDIASS service give free, independent advice on EHCPs. Search for SENDIASS and the name of your council.
- Use the council's complaints procedure if the date stays missed. Say what you have asked for and what has not happened.
- Go to the Ombudsman if the complaint does not fix it. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman normally expects you to have complained to the council first.
- If the council refuses to assess or to issue a plan, or you disagree with the plan, you can appeal to the SEND Tribunal. You first contact a mediation adviser to get a certificate, but you do not have to attend mediation.
When the limits can be set aside
The regulations allow the 6, 16 and 20 week limits to be set aside when keeping to them is impractical. Examples they give include a school or early years setting being closed for at least 4 weeks around the time advice was requested, exceptional personal circumstances affecting the child or family, and the child or family being away from the council's area for at least 4 weeks in a row. If you think none of these applies, say so in your letter. If the council says one does, ask it which, and why.
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Have these dates watched for you
EHCP Tracker tracks every deadline for your child, reminds you on your phone before each one, and gives you template letters to chase when one is missed. Your child's details stay on your own device.
- Reminders a week, three days and a day before each date
- Model letters, ready to edit and send
- A printable case pack for advisers and tribunals
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Questions
Good to know
How long does an EHCP take?
The council should issue a final EHC plan within 20 weeks of receiving your request (regulation 13(2) of the SEND Regulations 2014). It must tell you whether it will carry out an assessment within 6 weeks (regulation 5(1)), and if it decides not to issue a plan after assessing, it must tell you within 16 weeks (regulation 10(1)).
When does the 20 weeks start?
From the date the council receives your request for an EHC needs assessment. If you emailed it, that is the date the email arrived. Keep the sent message or proof of posting.
How long do I have to respond to a draft EHC plan?
At least 15 days from the date the draft is sent to you (regulation 13(1)). In that time you can comment on it, ask for a meeting, and ask for a particular school or setting to be named. If you need longer, ask in writing.
How long do I have to appeal?
You must register your appeal with the SEND Tribunal within two months of the date on the council's decision letter, or one month from the date on your mediation certificate, whichever is later. In most cases you need a mediation certificate first. You get one by contacting a mediation adviser; you do not have to attend mediation. You do not need one if your appeal is only about the school named in the plan. A late appeal may be accepted if you explain the delay, so get advice quickly.
How often must an EHC plan be reviewed?
At least every 12 months (section 44 of the Children and Families Act 2014). After a review meeting at a school, the council must decide within four weeks whether to keep, change or stop the plan (regulation 20).
Is this legal advice?
No. It is a date calculator based on the Children and Families Act 2014 and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014, and it can be wrong for your circumstances. For free independent advice contact IPSEA or your local SENDIASS.
Is my date stored or sent anywhere?
No. The sums happen on your own device. Nothing you type is sent to us. If you press "Copy a link", the link contains the date you entered, so only share it with someone you trust.
Dates and rules last checked against the legislation on 28 October 2026. Sources: regulation 5, regulation 10, regulation 13 and regulation 20 of the SEND Regulations 2014; section 44 of the Children and Families Act 2014; GOV.UK guidance on appealing. Last checked 28 October 2026.