Responding to your MP

Persuading an MP can take time. That means that after we write to or meet with our MPs, we need to keep following up, answering their questions, advocating for schools and proving that we'll keep on insisting that they do the right thing for schools.

Use the tools on this page to find out more about where your MP stands, share any responses you receive and respond to their replies to yourself.

🔎 Check the MP Database

✏️ Log your MP's response

💬 Continuing the conversation

🔎 Check the MP database

We're tracking how many letters MPs have received from us about School Cuts and what they're saying in response. Check the database to find out more about your MP.

Check the database

✏️ Log your MP's response

You can contribute to the Stop School Cuts MP database too - just log any response you've received from your MP and we'll add it to the searchable database (your name and personal contact information will be redacted before sharing).

Check the database

💬 Continuing the conversation

Contacting your MP is one of the most impactful ways to make a difference as we work to beat back school cuts across the country.

Below we’ve put together draft replies which you can use when you get a response to your initial outreach. Armed with this information, you’re ready to make the case for our schools and push back where needed.

If your MP says ...

"Funding was increased in the autumn budget."

💬 Some MPs say:

"In July 2024, the Government confirmed that it would provide schools with around £1.1 billion of additional funding in the 2024/25 financial year.

As part of the Autumn Budget, the Chancellor announced that schools funding would be increased by a further £2.3 billion in 2025/26."

➡️ Suggested reply:

The additional funding announced last year was welcome but after 14 years of cuts, school budgets are still in crisis.

According to data from the NEU, schools’ costs for 2025-26 are estimated to rise by 3.4%, while mainstream school funding will increase by just 2.2%.

This means that 76% of primary schools and 94% of secondary schools will need to make additional cuts this year. That puts school funding at its lowest rate since at least 2010.

"The new Government is changing course."

💬 Some MPs say:

"The new Labour Government is changing course and giving schools the resources they need. "

➡️ Suggested reply:

There have no doubt been positive changes made to support education in the past several months, but after 14 years of damaging school cuts – we expected this new Labour Government to take strong action to restore what was lost.

Ask any teacher or head, look at any classroom or school building. Children have less access to arts, sports and music, they are taught in larger classes, by fewer teachers. We need bold action to turn the tide on more than a decade of cuts, not simply more of the same.

The recent announcement that this year, salary increases would not be funded by the Government leaves schools with a £700 million bill.

"Teachers are getting a pay rise."

💬 Some MPs say:

"In July 2024, the Government decided a pay award, whereby school teachers and leaders would receive a fully funded 5.5% pay uplift from September 2024."

➡️ Suggested reply:

The July 2024 pay award was welcome support for educators whose salaries have not kept up with the cost of living crisis for years.

But it was followed by an unfunded pay award for 2025-26 that is wrecking havoc on school budgets across the country.

Chancellor Reeves decision not to fully fund the 2025-26 pay award puts the burden on schools whose budgets have no more efficiencies to be made, amounting to an additional £700 million being cut from school budgets.

When you reply, keep reminding your MP of what you’re asking for:

Will you write to the Chancellor and ask her to fully fund teacher pay once again this year?
Will you meet with our school community to see the impact cuts have had on our school?

Do you need a reply not listed here? Send us a message at: campaigns@schoolcuts.org.uk