Updated for the academies accounts return (AR) 2025 to 2026.
Confirmed the opening date and submission deadline for the academies accounts return (AR) 2025 to 2026.
Readded the accounts return login button.
Updated the home page to reflect that the academies accounts return 2024 to 2025 has closed.
Updated as the academies accounts return 2024 to 2025 submission deadline has now passed.
Updated 'Academies accounts return 2024 to 2025: Excel workbook' to revise the company number dropdown menu for trusts.
Updated 'Academies accounts return 2024 to 2025: additional information requirements' to clarify that the revenue income contribution from academies to trust should match the distribution in note 11 'Central Services' of the academy accounts direction model accounts. Updated 'Academies accounts return 2024 to 2025: Excel workbook' to fix formulas for land and building opening balances.
Updated the guidance and resources to help academy trusts complete their academies accounts return for 2024 to 2025. You can now submit your return. The submission deadline is 28 January 2026.
Updated the academies accounts return 2023 to 2024: Excel workbook.
Updated to show the deadline to submit the accounts return for 2023 to 2024 has now passed.
In the 'How to contact us if you have queries' section, the link, meeting ID and passcode have been added for the Teams meetings.
Join the meeting now
Meeting ID: 377 019 977 046
Passcode: VgU5kW.
Dial in and webchat dates and timings updated.
Updated documents for the 2023 to 2024 academies accounts return. Added dates and times for sector calls and webchat sessions.
The accounts return will go live by 5 November this year and the deadline will be 28 January 2025 for academy trusts in scope.
The accounts return deadline has now passed.
We've updated the guidance for how to record an FRS102 irrecoverable pension surplus in the accounts return.
We have published the workbook to help you prepare for the accounts return 2022/23.
The academies accounts return (AR) 2022/23 is now open for trusts to, download their draft trusts financial statements (only for trusts using automation) and complete their AR, the deadline for AR submission is 30 January 2024.
The accounts return webpage has been updated with the latest pension example statements and other associated documentation.
AR return 2021/22 is now in read-only mode. The AR 2022/23 go live dates confirmed 12 sept 2023- 30 Jan 2024.
Update for the deadline to submit the academies accounts return (AR) 2021/22 has now passed.
We have published version 1.1 of the academies accounts return 2021/22: Excel workbook.
We have updated this page as the academies accounts return (AR) 2021/22 is now available for all trusts to complete their return.
We have updated this page with guidance and resources to help academy trusts complete their academies accounts return 2021/22
Update to notify the availability of the draft trust financial statements download via the accounts return for those trusts using automation.
We have published the academies accounts return 2021/22 updates and additional information requirements.
We have updated this page to confirm the schedule for the 2021/22 accounts return. The online form will go live on 18 October 2022. The deadline for submission is 19 January 2023.
The Excel workbook has been updated to version 1.2 with updated guidance on the SoFA tab for fields DON010, DON020, ORG042 and CAS220. Formula updates have also been applied on the benchmarking tab for fields BAI010 and BAE090.
We have updated the Excel workbook attachment. The formula has been updated for field BAI010 'DfE and ESFA revenue grants' on the benchmarking tab.
We have updated this page with guidance and resources to help academy trusts complete their academies accounts return 2020/21.
We have updated this page to add the document: Academies accounts return 2020/21:Updates and additional information requirements.
We have published the key dates for the academies accounts return. The online form will be available from 4 November 2021 and the deadline is 25 January 2022.
We have updated this page as access to 2019/20 academies accounts return form is now only available to 'read only'.
We have updated the Excel workbook to change the formula to allow standing data to flow through the workbook.
We have updated this page with the link to the academies accounts return 2019/20 online form, which is now live and available to input data.
We have updated this page to add the Excel workbook to help academy trusts to prepare their academies accounts return for the 2019/20 financial year.
We have updated this page with guidance and resources to support trusts completing their academies accounts return for 2019/20.
We have updated the page to change the deadline for submitting the 2019/2020 accounts return to 23 February 2021.
We have added a new document 'Academies accounts return 2019/2020 – updates and additional information requirements'.
This purpose of this document is:
- to highlight the updates to information required for the 2019/2020 accounts return
- to set out the differences between the financial statements prepared by trusts in accordance with the [Academies Accounts Direction](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/academies-accounts-direction) and the information required for the accounts return
Landing page updated to include information about changes to the counterparty sections of the academies accounts return 2019/2020.
The accounts return is now live, please log in and complete your return by the deadline 20 January 2020.
We have updated the accounts return page for the latest guidance and updates for the upcoming return.
We have added a document to the academies accounts return guidance page to help trusts and their auditors prepare for the accounts return later this year. The document provides details about the key differences between the trust’s financial statements and the accounts return. The deadline for the accounts return is Monday 20 January 2020.
We've updated the Excel template for trusts that have ceased operating since September 2018.
We have updated the excel workbook with a new version.
We have updated the "Barnett Waddingham- Actuarial Result Schedule 2018" and the "List of trusts and academies included within the aggregated balance counterparty entry" documents.
We've updated the dates for the skype call - the next call will be on 3 December 2018 between 13:00 and 14:00.
We've added details on how to contact us via webchat and updated the skype contact details.
We've added a new version of the Excel workbook for users.
Page updated to reinstate the link to the online form for the academies accounts return.
Please note: The online form for the academies accounts return is currently unavailable due to technical issues. We expect to restore the system by 10am on 31 October 2018
Updated to include extra guidance on how translate a trust's pension statement into the accounts return. Also updated Excel workbook and details for the validation error mapping to the Excel workbook.
Updated with a link to the accounts return online form which is now live for academy trusts to use to complete and submit their accounts return by 21 January 2019.
We have published the accounts return online form guidance, the form will go-live in October and your external auditors must submit your return by 21 January 2019
We have updated the accounts return page to include a new document that explains the differences between the preparation for the financial statements and that of the accounts return. We will update this page next in September 2018 with the detailed guidance for the accounts return.
We have addded a guidance video to provide further details about the accounts return process
Updated as the accounts return online form is now closed for the 2016 to 2017 collection. It'll re-open in October 2018 for the 2017 to 2018 collection with a deadline of the 21 January 2019.
Updated to add the Accounts return 2017 to 2018 Excel workbook for academy trusts that close or transfer between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018.
Updated with corrections to the Excel workbook and to add a new doument that provides a list of trusts and academies included within the aggregated balance counterparty entry.
We've added a link to the most recent accounts return webinar.
We've updated this page to include a link to the webinar broadcast on 9 November 2017 which introduces ESFA’s academies accounts return.
Guidance updated (page 23, paragraph 103) to make clear that trusts should only use full time equivalents when calculating the staff gender analysis. Excel workbook updated following changes to the online form and some formula updates.
Page updated to correct a formula in the Excel worksheet and to correct information about trustee remuneration on page 24 of the guide to completing the return.
First published.
Applies to England
Academies accounts return
The academies accounts return (AR) 2025 to 2026 will go live by early November 2026.
The submission deadline is 26 January 2027.
The AR 2024 to 2025 will remain available to trusts in read only mode.
New academy trusts that opened their first academies at any point from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2026 will be expected to complete an AR for the 2025 to 2026 academic year.
New trusts need to register for an account on DfE Sign-in to access the accounts return online form.
Closed trust and academies transfers
Academy trusts that ceased operating or whose academies all transferred to a new trust between 1 September and 31 August must submit a final AR. We will contact these trusts direct.
If the submission is made when the AR is available online, the return must be done through DfE sign-in. If the submission is made while the AR is not live, then the return must be made via the AR 2025 to 2026 Excel workbook.
1 September 2026 transfers
For trusts that ceased operating on 31 August 2026, with all their academies transferred to another trust on 1 September 2026, we must be able to identify the transferring balances to the receiving academy trust.
This requires the closing trust to complete a one-day standalone AR for 1 September 2026, as if the trust were operational on that day. This one-day AR should be submitted via the AR 2025 to 2026 Excel workbook by 30 January 2027.
Your auditors must sign off the closing AR and it must reflect all the transferring and closing balances of the trust. You can complete this while preparing the final financial statements for the trust.
Detailed guidance for academy trusts and auditors on preparing and auditing academy trusts’ annual financial statements can be found in the Academies accounts direction.
AR Excel workbook
The AR Excel workbook for the 2025 to 2026 accounting year is available to help you prepare your AR.
The Academies accounts return workbook is not accessible because there are tables with complex structures and hard-to-read text contrast. This means it does not meet WCAG success criteria:
For illustrative purposes only, we have mapped the 4 actuarial reports of AON, Howden (formally Barnett Waddingham), Hymans Robertson and Mercer to the AR online form using the form’s referencing.
These example reports have been annotated by the AR team to show the translation to your final pension actuarial statement.
This should help you to complete the pension information tables, which can be found within the balance sheet funds and disclosure section of the AR.
These example actuarial reports are not accessible because they fail to meet several WCAG success criteria.
We are working to fix them by November 2027.
Getting support
If you have any queries about the AR process, contact us using the customer help portal.
Select the query type ‘DfE returns and data requests’. Enter ‘Academies accounts return’ in the ‘Add a short title’ field. Provide your trust’s unique provider identification number (UPIN) when outlining your query.