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Your legal right, your choice of method, your pace. This guide covers the law in all four nations, the main approaches, costs, exams, and how to handle the local authority.
Key facts
111,700+
Home-educated children in England (2024/25)
0
Qualifications needed to home educate
4
Different legal frameworks (one per nation)
£0
Minimum cost (free resources exist)
Legislation is changing
The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 (Royal Assent 29 April 2026) introduces a mandatory “Children Not in School” register in England. The home-education provisions await regulations and statutory guidance before commencing (earliest 2027), so no register requirement applies in practice yet. Wales has consulted on similar proposals. Scotland and NI have no current plans for a register.
Home education is legal in all four UK nations, but the rules differ. Understanding your rights is essential.
There is no "right" method. Most families use an eclectic mix and evolve their approach over time.
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Home education can cost £0 or £10,000+/year. It depends entirely on your approach.
| Item | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum materials / textbooks | £0–500/year | Free resources available (Khan Academy, BBC Bitesize, library books). Full curriculum packages cost more. |
| Online school | £2,000–6,000+/year | Full-time online provision with tutors. Part-time options available at lower cost. |
| GCSE exam entries | £30–80 per subject | Private candidate fees. You'll also need to find a centre — some charge admin fees on top. |
| Tutors | £25–60/hour | Common for GCSE subjects. Some families share tutors to reduce cost. Online tutoring is often cheaper. |
| Activities / groups | £0–200/month | Home ed groups are often free or low-cost. Sports clubs, music lessons, and trips add up. |
| Resources / equipment | £100–500/year | Science equipment, art supplies, educational software. Libraries and resource-sharing reduce costs. |
Home-educated children have no automatic right to sit exams at their local school. Here's how it works.
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Many families home educate because the school system isn't meeting their child's needs. Some rights continue, but the council's duties change when you take over, and they differ by nation.
EHCPs stay in place (England)
If your child has an EHCP, the LA keeps maintaining it and annual reviews still happen. But once you have made suitable arrangements yourself, the LA no longer has to arrange the special educational provision in it (Children and Families Act 2014, s.42(5)); the plan should record that you are home educating. If the LA decides your home education is not suitable, that duty returns. If the LA placed your child at a special school, you need its consent to take them off the roll.
You can request an EHCP assessment
Home-educated children can be assessed for an EHCP. The LA cannot refuse solely because the child is home educated. The 20-week assessment timeline still applies.
Wales: IDPs continue
Under the ALN Act 2018, Individual Development Plans continue for home-educated children. The LA retains its duties. If the LA placed your child at a special school, you need its consent to take them off the roll.
Scotland: no statutory support off the school roll
The council’s duties under the Additional Support for Learning Act, including Co-ordinated Support Plans, do not extend to children who are not on a school roll, so it has no legal duty to support a home-educated child’s additional support needs. You can ask it to use its discretionary powers to assess your child and consider what support it could offer. Discuss this with the council before you ask to withdraw your child.
NI: Statements continue
The Education Authority retains duties for children with Statements of SEN.
Practical reality
Support for home-educated children with additional needs varies widely, so get advice before you withdraw your child. IPSEA and SOS!SEN (England), SNAP Cymru (Wales), Enquire (Scotland), SENAC (Northern Ireland), and the National Autistic Society can provide free advice and support.
Sources
This guide draws on the Education Act 1996, Education (Scotland) Act 1980, Education and Libraries (NI) Order 1986, the Children and Families Act 2014, the School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024, the Education (Pupil Registration) (Wales) Regulations 2010, DfE Elective Home Education guidance (2019), Welsh Government home education guidance, Scottish Government Home Education Guidance (2025), the ALN Code for Wales, Education Otherwise, and HSLDA UK research. This guide is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. For complex cases, consider seeking advice from a solicitor or a free advice service: IPSEA, Coram Children’s Legal Centre or your local SENDIASS in England; SNAP Cymru in Wales; Enquire in Scotland; or SENAC in Northern Ireland. Last reviewed September 2026.
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