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Manchester City Council
Data availableNorth West
108
appeals registered, 2024 (official DfE figure)
177
appeals registered, 2025 (official DfE figure)
Data available. At least one Freedom of Information response gives real, extractable figures on tribunal appeals or outcomes for this council.
Thinking about appealing, or partway through it? These are free, independent sources of advice — not run by this site, and not run by any council.
- SENDIASS Manchester — this council's own free SEND information, advice and support service. Every council is legally required to fund one, at arm's length from itself · Helpline answerphone call-back service 0161 209 8356..
- IPSEA — Free, independent legal advice on SEN law — including EHC plans and tribunal appeals.
- SOS!SEN — Free helpline and 1:1 advice specifically on preparing a SEND tribunal appeal.
- Coram Children's Legal Centre — Free education law advice line, including SEN appeals and EHC plan reviews.
- GOV.UK: appeal an EHC plan decision — The official government guide to the appeals process itself — who can appeal, mediation, costs.
Structured outcome breakdown
Structured breakdown — 2019
real, from FOI response
Resolved before hearing — 40 (81.6%)
Contested, council lost — 5 (10.2%)
Contested, council won — 4 (8.2%)
By decision type
By decision type — 2019
| Category (council's own wording) | Appeals | Overturned |
|---|---|---|
| Section I | 22 | — |
| Section B/F/I | 3 | — |
| Section B/F | 3 | — |
| Refusal to Assess | 11 | — |
| Refusal to Issue | 5 | — |
| Section B/F/I+C/D | 5 | — |
By decision type — 2020
| Category (council's own wording) | Appeals | Overturned |
|---|---|---|
| Section I | 26 | — |
| Section B/F/I | 5 | — |
| Section B/F | 1 | — |
| Refusal to Assess | 6 | — |
| Refusal to Issue | 2 | — |
| Section B/F/I+C/D (National trial) | 1 | — |
By decision type — 2021
| Category (council's own wording) | Appeals | Overturned |
|---|---|---|
| Section I | 13 | — |
| Section B/F/I | 15 | — |
| Section B/F | 1 | — |
| Refusal to Assess | 3 | — |
| Refusal to Issue | 1 | — |
| Section B/F/I+C/D (National trial) | 3 | — |
By decision type — 2022
| Category (council's own wording) | Appeals | Overturned |
|---|---|---|
| Section I | 21 | — |
| Section B/F/I | 7 | — |
| Section B/F | 7 | — |
| Refusal to Assess | 5 | — |
| Refusal to Issue | 1 | — |
| Cease | 1 | — |
| Section B/F/I+C/D | 5 | — |
By decision type — 2023
| Category (council's own wording) | Appeals | Overturned |
|---|---|---|
| Section I | 38 | — |
| Section B/F/I | 12 | — |
| Section B/F | 2 | — |
| Refusal to Assess | 5 | — |
| Refusal to Issue | 2 | — |
| Cease | 2 | — |
| Section B/F/I+C/D | 4 | — |
Freedom of Information responses
Partially successful
Appeal reasons by year (totals): 2019=49 (Section I 22, Section B/F/I 3, Section B/F 3, Refusal to Assess 11, Refusal to Issue 5, Section B/F/I+C/D 5); 2020=40 (Section I 26, B/F/I 5, B/F 1, Refusal to Assess 6, Refusal to Issue 2, B/F/I+C/D 1 'National trial'); 2021=36 (Section I 13, B/F/I 15, B/F 1, Refusal to Assess 3, Refusal to Issue 1, B/F/I+C/D 3 'National trial'); 2022=47 (Section I 21, B/F/I 7, B/F 7, Refusal to Assess 5, Refusal to Issue 1, Cease 1, B/F/I+C/D 5); 2023=65 (Section I 38, B/F/I 12, B/F 2, Refusal to Assess 5, Refusal to Issue 2, Cease 2, B/F/I+C/D 4). Outcome table (attended / settled): 2019: Agreed by Consent 10, LA Upheld 4, Not Opposed 24, Parent Upheld 5, Parent Withdrawn 5, Struck Out 1 (total 49, 9 marked 'settled', 39 not). 2020: Agreed by Consent 9, LA Upheld 1, Conceded 1, Not Opposed 15, Parent Upheld 1, Parent Withdrawn 11, Struck Out 2 (total 40, 2 settled, 35 not). 2021: Agreed by Consent 15, LA Upheld 4, Not Opposed 10, Parent Upheld 2, Parent Withdrawn 5, Struck Out 0 (total 36, 6 settled, 30 not). 2022: Agreed by Consent 21, LA Upheld 1, Not Opposed 14, Parent Upheld 7, Parent Withdrawn 4, Struck Out 0 (total 47, 8 settled, 39 not). 2023: Agreed by Consent 4, LA Upheld 6, Not Opposed 23, Parent Upheld 5, Parent Withdrawn 11, Struck Out 0, 16 ongoing (total 65, 11 settled, 38 not).
Caveat: Council does not hold data on legal representation at tribunal, or on cases resolved via full mediation. Could not separate the cost of tribunals from overall team costs. Some 2023 cases were still ongoing at time of response.
Successful
By year — total appeals / progressed to tribunal / LA upheld: 2019: 49 / 9 / 4. 2020: 42 / 2 / 1. 2021: 35 / 6 / 4. 2022: 47 / 8 / 1. 2023: 68 / 13 / 6. 2024: 89 / ongoing. SEND provision spend 2019-2024: £567,273,799. Legal team spend: £0 ('Manchester Local Authority do not use legal teams in tribunals').
Caveat: Part of a nationwide batch sent to 339 authorities. 2024 figures were incomplete/ongoing at time of response.