The Department committed to keeping the balance of funding across different interventions under review.32 It told us that pupil premium and the disadvantage elements of the national funding formula should be considered together–with pupil premium being specifically directed towards disadvantaged children, and the funding formula using disadvantage as a proxy for wider need.33 The Department explained that the rising incidence and complexity of special educational needs contributed to its decision to increase the disadvantage and deprivation elements of the funding formula given a significant overlap between special educational need and disadvantage.34