Section 251: 2023 to 2024
Information for local authorities, schools and the general public about local authority education funding and expenditure plans for 2023 to 2024
Applies to England
Documents
Details
Introduction
Section 251 is part of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009.
Local authorities submit statements of planned and actual expenditure on education and children’s social care.
The Department for Education uses the data for publishing statistics, constructing benchmarking tables, answering parliamentary questions and responding to other data requests.
Comparing information is important for schools forums and others in discussions about budget levels and use of funds.
Section 251 outturn
Read the section 251 outturn guidance 2023 to 2024 to find out how to complete the outturn statement.
Use the section 251 outturn XML generator 2023 to 2024 to provide details of actual expenditure for your schools.
Please note, this file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology. If you require this file in a different format, contact: ESFA.GOVUK-ENQUIRIES@education.gov.uk.
The administrative direction outturn 2023 to 2024 is the formal request prepared on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education.
Section 251 budget guidance
The administrative direction is a formal request for the collection of section 251 data. It’s prepared on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education.
Read the section 251 budget guidance to find out how local authorities record their budget statements.
Use the section 251 XML generator to provide details of actual expenditure for your schools.
Read the COLLECT guidance for section 251 budget to find out how to use the COLLECT system to upload, amend and submit your data.
Section 251 benchmarking data
The benchmarking tables of planned expenditure are drawn from the published section 251 budget statements for the 2023 to 2024 financial year and are primarily aimed at schools forums and local authorities.
The following tables give detailed information on each local authority’s planned expenditure on education in a form which enables comparison between local authorities.
Section 251 local authority table (net) information: per capita (MS Excel spreadsheet) shows section 251 net budget data on a per capita (per pupil or per head of population) basis, to enable easy comparison between local authorities.
Section 251 local authority table (gross) information: per capita (MS Excel spreadsheet) shows section 251 gross budget data on a per capita (per pupil or per head of population) basis, to enable easy comparison between local authorities.
Pupil numbers 2023 to 2024 (MS Excel spreadsheet) shows the pupil and population numbers used to calculate the ‘per capita’ figures used in the other tables.
Changes in local authority planned expenditure between 2022 to 2023 and 2023 to 2024 (MS Excel spreadsheet) shows year on year changes in selected items of planned spending to enable easy comparison across financial years.
Additional local authority benchmarking tables show additional information on planned expenditure, including dedicated schools grant allocations and the percentages of schools with minimum funding guarantee.
Local authority planned expenditure benchmarking tables: 2023 to 2024: explanatory note and local authority planned expenditure benchmarking tables: 2023 to 2024: additional information provide information on how to use the local authority benchmarking data.
Updates to this page
Last updated 29 July 2024 + show all updates
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We have published the following outturn information for 2023 to 2024: - Section 251 financial data collection 2023 to 2024 guidance for local authorities compiling their outturn statement - Section 251 outturn generator 2023 to 2024 - Administrative Direction Outturn 2023 to 2024 - July 2024
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The additional information spreadsheet which provides additional information on planned expenditure has been added to this publication.
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We have added the local authority benchmarking tables for 2023 to 2024 and have included an explanatory note and additional information to support using these.
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First published.