Correspondence

DfE Update local authorities: 23 April 2025

Published 23 April 2025

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2025

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dfe-update-23-april-2025/dfe-update-local-authorities-23-april-2025

1. Information: Universal infant free school meals (UIFSM) and further education free meals funding rate for 2025 to 2026

We can confirm that the Department for Education (DfE) has increased the meal rate for both universal infant free school meals (UIFSM) and further education free meals from £2.58 to £2.61 for the academic year 2025 to 2026.

2. Information: Allocations for the first payment of the breakfast club early adopters grant for the 2024 to 2025 academic year

The allocations for the first payment of the breakfast club early adopters grant for the 2024 to 2025 academic year have now been published.

Allocations will be paid at the end of April 2025 for local authorities, and at the beginning of May 2025 for academies.

The second payment for the summer term will be made in arrears based on uptake of schools’ breakfast clubs.

Early adopter schools will receive further instructions on how to submit uptake data ahead of the reporting week (week commencing 9 June 2025).

3. Information: Launch of section 251 budget collection 2025 to 2026 

The section 251 budget data collection exercise for 2024 to 2025 is now live. The deadline for submission of the budget return is 5pm Friday 9 May 2025.

We have published information about how to complete the section 251 budget collection 2025 to 2026.

4. Information: Advanced learner loans (ALL) – funding and performance management rules for 2025 to 2026, and maximum loan amounts

We have published:

If you have any questions after reading our rules, or if there is anything else you need help with, you can find more support on our customer help portal.

5. Information: Adult skills fund allocations for 2025 to 2026

This week, we plan to issue the adult skills fund allocations for the 2025 to 2026 funding year.

Allocations are available in a digital format on manage your education and skills funding.

You need one of the following roles to view your allocation statement:

  • contract authoriser

  • contract manager

  • contract user

  • data returns and claims authoriser

We will:

For more information, please refer to your funding agreement.

Business case requests

To raise a business case you can use the digital form.

If you have questions after reading our guidance, or if there is anything else you need help with, you can find more support in our customer help centre.

6. Information: Post-16 National Insurance contributions grant

We have published further guidance on the post-16 National Insurance contributions grant.

7. Information: T Level uplift for 2025 to 2026

We have updated T Level guidance with details of a one-year 5% uplift for T Level funding bands for academic year 2025 to 2026.

This is in recognition that although now more established, T Levels continue to be more expensive on average in the early years of delivery.

We aim to revise 16 to 19 funding allocation statements in June 2025 to incorporate the 5% T Level uplift.

We will confirm this in a DfE Update article in May 2025.

8. Information: Tailored Learning – new codes for cost contributions 

We aim to gather more information on funding sources for Tailored Learning.

Currently, we use full or co-funding indicators (FFI) to track learner contributions based on local fee remission policies. 

A new aspect of Tailored Learning is employer-facing provision. This allows providers to develop and deliver new offers with local employers and stakeholders.

We now seek data on employer contributions to Tailored Learning. 

To facilitate this, we have introduced new Learning Delivery Monitoring (LDM)  codes, detailed in the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) provider support manual. These codes are optional for the rest of 2024 to 2025 but will be mandatory from August 2025.

We encourage early adoption to help us to understand your funding and familiarise you with the codes before August. 

From 1 August 2025, these codes will replace the FFI.

9. Feedback: Narrowing the digital divide in schools and colleges – contribute to the public consultation

We want to hear from local authorities about the use of technology in schools and colleges.

Share your views on narrowing the digital divide in schools and colleges (by 11:59pm on Friday 23 May 2025).

This public consultation aims to bring together the sector’s expertise to tackle this issue and break down the barriers to opportunity. It includes a proposal for the future of the digital and technology standards.

We would value your views on your schools’ readiness to meet the standards and your strategic role in supporting schools to have safe and reliable technology in place.

The following questions are specifically aimed at local authorities:

  • Q 16 to 18
  • Q 26 to 27

We want to work with you to ensure that all pupils have access to the opportunities technology can offer.

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