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1. Information: Publication of the academy trust handbook 2025

We have published an updated version of the Academy trust handbook (ATH). This handbook will come into effect on Monday 1 September 2025.

There are minimal changes from last year’s edition, that are detailed in the summary section.

There is more information about the handbook in this letter to academy trust accounting officers.

Using the new handbook

You can print or save a PDF copy of the handbook by clicking ‘Print this page’ under the contents list. Choosing ‘Save as PDF’ will allow you to save a copy.

2. Information: Publication of new guidance: Financial support and oversight for Academy trusts

We have published new guidance to sit alongside the Academy trust handbook (ATH) called Financial Support and Oversight for Academy Trusts.

It sets out how the DfE will support academy trusts to manage their financial health and provides clarity on how the department will engage with academy trusts in financial difficulty and on regulatory compliance.

The guidance:

• helps academy trust leaders understand how the financial oversight of academy trusts will be managed by DfE and how we will work with them in matters relating to financial health and compliance with the Academy trust handbook (ATH)
• provides academy trust leaders information about how and when they can access advice and support from DfE

3. Information: Pupil premium allocations for 2025 to 2026 financial year: confirmed allocations

We have published the confirmed allocations for pupil premium allocations 2025 to 2026 financial year.

These allocations include pupil referral units (PRUs) and alternative provision (AP) academies that completed the January 2025 census.

Quarter one payments will be made to academies on Tuesday 8 July 2025.

We have uploaded a statement in  for each academy trust showing the unsuppressed pupil premium allocations for the academies in each trust.

Statements can be viewed and downloaded from the ‘Documents received from DfE’ section when signing in to Document exchange with your academy trust UKPRN account details in DfE sign-in.

If you have any questions, you can contact us through the .

4. Information: Universal infant free school meals conditions of grant for 2025 to 2026

We have published the UIFSM conditions of grant and provisional allocations for academic year 2025 to 2026.

These allocations will apply the updated per meal rate of £2.61.

We have also published the final UIFSM allocations for 2024 to 2025.

5. Information: Good practice guide: managing conflicts of interests, related party relationships and related party transactions

We have published a good practice guide on Related party transactions: information for academy trusts.

The guide will help academy trusts to:

• understand and manage conflicts of interest, related party relationships and transactions with related parties
• be confident you are complying with both the statutory and DfE’s regulatory requirements for related party transactions

We have also published a , designed to support you with managing related party relationships and compliance with the statutory and regulatory requirements.

6. Information: Individualised learner record returns

We have published the individualised learner record (ILR) returns for 2025 to 2026 academic year, which is for all institutions that complete the ILR data return.

• We have made changes on the requirements for returning final claims for the 2025 to 2026 funding year. We have clarified the process and dates on under performance and overperformance calculations.   

• We have updated Annex C to reflect the most up to date calculation steps and timelines for recoveries.  

• We have updated the list of PDSAT reports to reflect the post-16 funding reports that are available.  

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

7. Information: 16 to 19 funding update

We have published increased rates and programme cost weightings to reflect the £190 million additional investment we announced in May for colleges and other 16 to 19 providers.

Revised funding allocations reflecting these changes and where applicable, confirming free meals funding, have now been issued. Payments will begin from the start of academic year 2025 to 2026.

8. Your feedback: Tell us about your experience of our funding service

If you receive education and skills funding, we want to hear about your experience.

Complete this  by 11.59pm Wednesday 2 July 2025; it should take you 5 to 10 minutes to complete.

We aspire to run an excellent education and skills funding service that gives providers as much certainty as possible.

The survey, run twice a year, asks whether we deliver:

• certainty on what we pay you and when
• clarity on how to comply with funding rules
• services that are accessible and easy to use
• answers when you have funding-related queries

We will keep your personal data confidential, and your feedback will help us to improve the service.

9. Your feedback: Complete the 2025 survey of school business professionals

We are inviting school business professionals (SBPs) to complete a short online survey.

We are asking for details about their role as an SBP, their training and development needs, their school or trust’s use of integrated curriculum and financial planning (ICFP) and their approach to income generation.

The survey is open to SBPs whose responsibilities include one or more of finance, procurement, estate management, HR, and operational leadership roles.

Complete the  by Friday 11 July 2025; if you have any questions, contact the sbp.policy@education.gov.uk.

You can find out more about how we protect your information on Privacy information: education providers’ workforce, including teachers.

10. Webinar: Complete the 2025 survey of school business professionals

Q&A drop-in sessions: Academies chart of accounts and automation

Wednesday 25 June 2025, midday to 12:30pm. .

11. Webinar: Academies technical update 2025 to 2026

Academies technical update 2025 to 2026

Thursday 26 June 2025, midday to 12:45pm. .

12. Webinar: Academies technical update 2025 to 2026

Academies technical update 2025 to 2026

Friday 27 June 2025, 10:30am to 11:15am. .

13. Webinar: Academies technical update 2025 to 2026

Academies technical update 2025 to 2026

Tuesday 1 July 2025, 11am to 11:45am. .

14. Webinar: Get help buying for schools

Get help buying for schools

 Tuesday 8 July 2025, 9:30am to 10:00am. .

15. Webinar: Hiring supply teachers and agency workers for your school or trust

Hiring supply teachers and agency workers for your school or trust

Tuesday 8 July 2025, 11:00am to 11:30am. .

16. Webinar: RPA members only: Crime resilience workshop

RPA members only: Crime resilience workshop

Thursday 10 July 2025, 10am to midday. .