E-petition debate: Speech and language therapy

E-petition 657935: Increase investment in speech and language therapy 

E-petition 657935: Increase investment in speech and language therapy closed on 30 May 2024. It called for the government to increase investment in speech and language therapy and said the speech and language therapy workforce has not been properly planned for. 

The previous government responded to the e-petition in April 2024. It said it had increased investment in the NHS in real terms since 2019 and was taking steps to increase the speech and language therapy workforce, as well as to ensure children with specialist educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support. 

Background on speech and language therapy 

What is speech and language therapy? 

Speech and language therapy provides treatment, support and care for people experiencing difficulties with communication or eating, drinking and swallowing. Speech and language therapists are allied health professionals who support children, young people and adults in a variety of settings including health settings, education, nursing homes and the justice system. 

For more background information on speech and language therapy, see the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists’ ‘What is speech and language therapy?’ factsheet (pdf). 

Demand for and access to speech and language therapy 

According to Department for Education data, in 2023/24, 369,941 pupils had speech, language and communication needs in England. This has increased by over 64% from 225,245 in 2015/16. 

As of November 2024, 65,114 children were waiting for speech and language therapy. Of these, 29,693, or 45.6%, had been waiting for treatment over 12 weeks. A report on Support for children and young people with special educational needs by the Public Accounts Committee, published in January 2025, highlighted long waits for children’s speech and language therapy and said that “timely access to health expertise constitutes a significant barrier in a struggling system” (p1). 

At the end of November 2024, 23,590 adults were waiting for speech and language therapy. Of these, 7,281 (or 30.9%) had been waiting over 12 weeks. 

Funding for speech and language therapy 

There is no ringfenced central funding for speech and language therapy, so it is up to Integrated Care Boards, which commission health services for their local population, and Local Authorities to decide how much they spend on these services. 

In the Autumn Budget 2024, the government announced an increase of £22.6 billion in day-to-day for the Department of Health and Social Care in 2025/26 compared to 2023/24 outturn. 

The speech and language therapy workforce 

To become a speech and language therapist, an individual can complete an undergraduate university degree, a post-graduate fast-track degree (if they have a relevant degree), or an apprenticeship. 

The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, published in June 2023 under the previous government, set an ambition to increase training places by over 25% to over 18,800 by 2031/32. The plan also includes increasing the proportion of the speech and language therapy workforce joining via an apprenticeship route. 

According to a survey by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists conducted in spring 2024, across the UK, 17% of speech and language therapy (SLT) posts were vacant in early 2024. This figure ranged from 6% in Wales to 19% in England. Scotland had a SLT vacancy rate of 17%, and Northern Ireland had one of 14%. 

32% of non-NHS SLT services said that they had to turn down new or extended contracts in the last year due to recruitment problems. 

Government policy 

Access to speech and language therapy 

In January 2025, the government said it is “committed to reducing long waits and improving timely access to community health services.” 

NHS planning guidance for 2024/25 asks local systems to reduce waiting times for community health services. 

The government has said community health services will be a key part of the government’s commitment to shift to a “neighbourhood health service” and provide more care in the community. The government’s 10 year health plan is expected to be published in Spring 2025, alongside an updated NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. 

Identifying and supporting children with speech, language and communication needs 

The Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework includes an assessment of children’s development in communication and language. To support children with speech, language and communication needs outside of specialist speech and language therapy, the government has said it is (PQ 4029, 11 September 2024): 

• extending the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme for the 2024/25 academic year 
• delivering the early years education recovery programme 
• enabling Family Hubs to train practitioners to help parents learn new skills including providing support for children’s speech and communication 
• working with NHS England to deliver the ‘Early Language Support for Every Child’ pathfinders 
• delivering an ‘Early Language Local Innovation and Excellence’ programme 
• publishing early years SEND assessment guidance and resources, including a dedicated tool for communication and interaction 

For more information on government policy relating to children with special education needs (SEN) see the Library’s briefing on Special Educational Needs: support in England. 

Stakeholder commentary 

The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy (RCSLT), the professional body for speech and language therapists in the UK, has published a briefing ahead of this debate (pdf). 

RCSLT says that people are struggling to access speech and language therapy and are experiencing long waiting lists. It says when people do access therapy, they may face additional waits and do not always receive the number of sessions they need. It also says cuts to services aimed at preventing or intervening early with communication and swallowing needs have led to increased waiting lists, a crisis in the SEND system and adults being unable to return to work after a health problem such as a stroke. Furthermore, it said there is effectively no adult service for people with lifelong conditions, such as Developmental Language Disorder. 

RCSLT says speech and language therapy services have not been properly funded and planning for the speech and language therapy has not been fit for purpose. It says workforce planning has focused on the NHS and healthcare settings, rather than all employers and settings that speech and language therapists work in. 

RCSLT has called for the government to take the following actions: 

• increase investment in speech and language therapy 
• improve workforce planning for speech and language therapists 
• ensure universal and targeted provision are in place everywhere, alongside specialist services, to rebalance the system and make better use of resources