Form

Academies severance payments

Guide and form for academy trusts considering and seeking approval for special severance payments.

• From: Department for Education
• Published: 11 March 2014
• Last updated: 17 February 2026 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

Guide to academy trust severance payments

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Academy trust severance payments form

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Details

This guide is for academy trusts considering making special severance payments. It explains what you must consider before making any such payments, and how to seek approval.

The academy trust severance payments form is not accessible because there are tables with complex structures and merged cells. This means it does not meet WCAG success criteria 1.3.2 (meaningful sequence).

We are currently working on an accessible version, which should be available by April 2026.

Published 11 March 2014

Last updated 17 February 2026 + show all updates

1. 17 February 2026

   Updated 'Academy trust severance payments form' with new wording in line 10.

2. 22 October 2025

   Updated information relating to special severance payments following guidance issued by HM Treasury.

3. 5 October 2021

   We have updated this guide with additional requirements following publication of HM Guidance on Public Sector Exit Payments in June 2021.

4. 27 October 2020

   We have updated the severance payments forms and added the guide for academy trusts seeking approval to make non-contractual payments of or over £50,000 so the information is available on one page.

5. 2 February 2016

   The Education Funding Agency (EFA) has updated the severance payments form for academy trusts wishing to seek approval for non-contractual payments over £50,000. The main changes to the form are the need to include a financial assessment and the requirement to demonstrate that all alternative options have been explored before deciding to make a non-contractual severance payment.

6. 11 March 2014

   First published.