Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces a fresh confrontation with his own MPs after ministers declined to guarantee that Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) will remain intact under an overhaul of special-needs provision. Early education minister Stephen Morgan refused to rule out phasing out the legally enforceable plans in a series of broadcast interviews on 7 July, while Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said only that the “complex” system would be addressed in a schools white paper due in October. EHCPs currently support 638,745 children in England—an increase of 10.8 % over the past year—at a cost that has pushed high-needs spending to roughly £11 billion annually. The Times reported that ministers are considering shifting resources toward earlier intervention, backed by £760 million of upfront funding, although critics argue the Treasury is primarily seeking savings. More than 100 disability charities and campaigners, joined by senior Labour backbenchers, have urged the government not to scrap the “precious legal protections” provided by EHCPs, warning that thousands of pupils could be deprived of education. The row follows last week’s retreat on welfare cuts and highlights the political risk for Starmer if his government is seen to weaken support for vulnerable groups.