ESFA Update local authorities: 17 July 2024
Published 17 July 2024
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2024
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Information: National funding formula indicative allocations for 2025 to 2026
Due to the timing of the general election, the department will not be in a position to publish indicative schools and high needs national funding formula (NFF) allocations for 2025 to 2026 to the usual timescale in July. Across government, budgets for 2025 to 2026 are still to be agreed; this includes the 2025 to 2026 schools’ budget, which, as usual, the department will need to agree across government.
This means our annual funding cycle will differ from previous years. For example, the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) will not publish the schools and high needs operational guides in July. We will confirm the new timelines following decisions on the core schools budget settlement for 2025 to 2026.
Our aim is to give you as much information and certainty as we can, and we will seek to minimise the impact this has on local authorities’ financial planning. We have invited local authority finance officers to 2 workshops in July to set out what local authorities can be working on in advance of the publication of the indicative NFF allocations, and the support we will offer.
If you have not received an invitation but would like to join the workshop, please contact la.disapplications@education.gov.uk.
Information: Department’s response to the school teachers’ review body 2024
We recognise that schools are also awaiting confirmation of the 2024 teacher pay award, alongside the department’s final position about how it expects costs to be managed, to inform budgets.
The timing of the election caused a delay to the cross-government decision process, but this is now underway, and we are working hard to take these decisions as soon as practicable.
We understand schools’ frustration when such matters are not resolved before the end of the school term and are working hard to resolve as soon as possible.