Guidance

Get financial advice for schools

A list of financial advisers for schools that need to buy external advice, and what school leaders should consider before choosing a supplier.

Applies to England

Find a financial adviser

There are 2 spreadsheets available to help you find a financial adviser:

  • an interactive version that allows you to search for suppliers
  • an accessible version that displays the complete list of suppliers

The spreadsheets include only those suppliers that have added themselves to the list, so they are not comprehensive. Their services have not been checked by the Department for Education (DfE), so their inclusion in the list is not an endorsement by DfE.

Alternatively, you may want to find your own financial adviser or manage your school’s finances without external advice.

Email school.resourcemanagement@education.gov.uk if you think a supplier should be removed from the list.

Select a financial adviser

You should always follow your own procurement process when buying goods or services. Read the buying for schools guidance on how to buy services.

Before you approach a supplier, decide how you will assess their services and what factors are most important to you.

Consider:

  • cost
  • quality
  • experience
  • qualifications
  • timescales

Choose at least 3 suppliers for your competitive procurement process and send them:

  • your requirements
  • your assessment criteria
  • a date by which to respond

When choosing a supplier, investigate:

  • other schools or trusts for which they have provided financial services
  • which members of their team will deliver the services
  • the skills, knowledge and experience of the team
  • how well they understand the challenges schools face
  • how well they understand your school’s circumstances
  • how long and what form their review will take
  • how much they charge for their services
  • what information you will need to provide them with
  • how they will deliver the results of the review
  • if they deliver follow-up support and what this would include

Register to provide financial advice to schools

If you are a financial services provider with schools expertise, you can add your details to the list.

Updates to this page

Published 27 March 2019
Last updated 25 September 2024 + show all updates
  1. Removed the contact details of the Confederation of Schools Trust from both spreadsheets, as it no longer provides financial advice to educational settings. Updated the contact details of Services4Schools.

  2. New suppliers have been added to 'Financial advice suppliers for schools: supplier database and service information'.

  3. Updated the 'Financial advice suppliers for schools: search for suppliers and service information (interactive version) and 'Financial advice suppliers for schools: supplier database and service information' accessible version to include new suppliers.

  4. Updated the 'Financial advice suppliers for schools: search for suppliers and service information (interactive version) and 'Financial advice suppliers for schools: supplier database and service information' accessible version to include new suppliers.

  5. Updated lists of financial advice suppliers for schools to add new supplier, Durham County Council, and update contact details for existing suppliers.

  6. Added an accessible version of the interactive tool listing the suppliers and the service information.

  7. Added new version of the 'List of financial advice suppliers for schools'.

  8. Updated 'List of financial advice suppliers for schools' to include new suppliers.

  9. Replaced document 'List of financial advice suppliers for schools' with updated version.

  10. First published.

Sign up for emails or print this page