Our response to the Chancellor’s 2022 Autumn Budget

Speech and Language UK responds to the Chancellor’s announcement today that education funding is to be protected for schools 

“We are really pleased that the Chancellor has announced he is to protect funds for schools today. This will give some hope to the 1.7 million children currently behind in talking and understanding words. We hope that the Department for Education will use some of this funding to give schools the tools and training they need to spot children at risk and give them the support they need. Without that, they are at risk of falling behind in reading, writing and maths and developing mental health problems.  

We are also pleased that there will be a review of what we need in health and social care staffing. With other charities and professional bodies, we’ll be doing all we can to make sure speech and language therapists are part of this. 

We remain concerned about the impact of inflation on schools budgets and their ability to recruit staff.” 

Jane Harris, Chief Executive, Speech and Language UK 

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For media enquiries please contact:

Simon Walsh, Press Manager, Speech and Language UK 

Direct mobile: 077 1779 3805, media@speechandlanguage.org.uk 

A recent report from Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives show that at least 1.7 million children- almost one in five school-age children- are now estimated to be behind with talking and understanding words.