CSP request delayed or unanswered in Scotland: key timeframes
The 2026 Scottish guidance describes an eight-week response point for a request to determine whether a CSP is required and a 16-week statutory period for the completed decision, subject to the legal rules and exceptions.
Scotland uses the Additional Support for Learning framework. A Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP) is not the Scottish equivalent of an EHCP for every learner; it has specific statutory criteria.
The eight-week response point
The authority should respond to the request within eight weeks. A failure to respond can be treated as a decision that a CSP is not required, enabling a referral to the Tribunal in eligible cases.
The 16-week period
Where the authority proceeds, the statutory period ends when it provides the completed CSP or notifies the requester that a CSP will not be prepared.
Keep records
Keep proof of the request date and all responses because dates matter if you later need to challenge delay.
Official and authoritative sources
Scottish Government — Supporting Children’s Learning Code of Practice (2026)
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