Correspondence

DfE Update local authorities: 15 July 2026

Published 15 July 2026

Applies to England

1. Action: Give your views through the early years funding consultation 2026

 We published a consultation on the changes to funding for early years entitlements on Monday 6 July 2026.

In the consultation, we are seeking views on proposed changes to the early years funding system associated with the current offer of early years entitlements.

These changes to how funding is distributed are targeted at:

• improving access to childcare for families on low incomes
• improving support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in the early years
• expectations for the Best Start in Life strategy
• driving greater efficiency, simplicity and transparency in the way funding is allocated, so every penny can work harder for children and families.

Responses are requested by Monday 14 September.

2. Action: Continue providing free school meals and free meals in further education where eligibility checks are outstanding

In 13 May DfE update we shared guidance on free school meals (FSM) and free meals in further education (FM in FE).  As part of the policy changes, we asked all settings to recheck eligibility for all children and young people currently receiving benefits-based free meals before the start of academic year 2026 to 2027.

We recognise this is a significant undertaking and appreciate the work already underway. Please continue to make as much progress as possible before the start of the new academic year.

Where eligibility checks have not been completed by the start of the academic year, we strongly encourage settings to continue providing free meals to those currently receiving FSM and FM in FE until the checks are completed. This will help avoid disruption for children, young people and families whilst settings complete outstanding reviews.

Complete any outstanding eligibility checks at the start of the academic term. In order for learners to attract funding, settings must record it in:

• October census for schools and academies
• R04 for FE

Thank you for your continued support in delivering this policy and helping children, young people and families.

3. Action: Give your views through the ‘Upfront funding for mainstream schools’ consultation

We have launched a upfront funding for mainstream schools: creating a ‘local SEND inclusion formula’ consultation on increasing the share of high needs funding that mainstream schools receive upfront to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). 

In the SEND reform: putting children and young people first consultation, we said we would seek views on allowing local authorities to pass more high needs funding directly to mainstream schools. 

We are now seeking views on how local authorities, working with schools, could design and implement this approach in practice.  

This is an opportunity to learn how this approach could be delivered ahead of any broader national funding reforms.  

We have published apply to provide upfront SEND funding to mainstream schools guidance to help local authorities understand the application process to be part of this first phase (2027 to 2028).  This guidance may change following the consultation.   

Responses are requested by Friday 18 September.

4. Information: Early years teachers’ pay grant

We published details of the early years teachers’ pay grant for 2026 to 2027 on Wednesday 8 July 2026.

The grant provides £18 million of additional funding to support eligible public sector early years settings with the costs of the teachers’ pay award from September 2026. Eligible settings include maintained schools, academies (including governor-run academies) and maintained nursery schools. 

To support local authorities in distributing this funding, we have published:

• methodology document
• conditions of grant document
• rates table
• calculator tool

The methodology document explains how rates and allocations have been calculated. The conditions of grant set out the requirements local authorities must meet when distributing funding to eligible providers.

Local authority allocations will be based on the January 2026 census and published in October 2026. We have also published a calculator tool to support local authorities estimate local allocations before funding allocations are announced.

Local authorities will receive a single payment in October 2026 covering September 2026 to March 2027.

Local authorities must distribute funding in full to eligible providers. Funding must not be used for contingency funds or for local authority central or administration costs.

If you have any questions, email EarlyYears.FUNDING@education.gov.uk or your regional leads.

5. Information: Further Education Workforce Data Collection opens on Friday 31 July

The 2025 to 2026 Further Education Workforce Data Collection (FEWDC) will open on Friday 31 July and close on Friday 11 September 2026. The updated collection specification is now available. To access the collection or create an account, use the submit learner data sign in process.

The FEWDC is a mandatory statutory return. This means there is a responsibility for all providers to submit the requested data by the submission deadline.

Surgeries and webinars will be running throughout the collection window to support the sector in completing their FEWDC. Email DCT.BetaSupport@education.gov.uk to register your interest.

Thank you for your continued cooperation and support.

If you require any help, contact the Customer Help Portal.

6. Information: Free courses for jobs engineering and manufacturing package

We are continuing to expand the free courses for jobs (FCFJ) offer to support providers to deliver more engineering and manufacturing training.

We have reviewed further engineering and manufacturing qualifications for the national list and have approved 72 qualifications to be added to the list from August 2026.

These courses will be eligible for the £600 and £150 uplifts that apply to FCFJ provision in non-devolved areas. In devolved areas, Mayoral Strategic Authorities will decide whether these courses are funded.

We will publish an update to the funding approval manual in due course which will provide more information about how to submit further engineering and manufacturing qualifications for addition to the FCFJ list.

7. Information: Free breakfast clubs grant 2026 to 2027 academic year

We have now published the free breakfast clubs grant conditions and methodology for the 2026 to 2027 academic year. 

Allocations for the first fixed upfront payment will be published later in the autumn.

8. Reminder: Register now on the new Teachers’ Pensions Employer Portal

The administration of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme will soon move from Capita to Tata Consulting Services (TCS).

To register, if you are the primary contact for your organisation, you should:

• have received an email from info@teacherscorp.co.uk inviting you to register for the new TCS Employer Portal.
• use the link in your email to register, using your personal work email address. Generic email addresses, such as schooloffice@school.gov.uk, can no longer be used.
• set up Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).

If you are not the primary contact, you do not need to register. Your primary contact will add mandatory and optional contacts who require portal access.

If you have not received an invitation, check your junk folder and employerquery@teacherscorp.com.

You can find out more about registering for the employer portal on the Teachers Pensions website.

9. Feedback: Tell us about your experience of our funding service

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

Please complete this short survey by 11.59pm Wednesday 22 July 2026, 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 runs once a year and 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.