DfE Update academies: 2 September 2026
Published 2 September 2026
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2026
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Information: Budget forecast return
The academies budget forecast return (BFR) deadline is Thursday 24 September 2026. Trusts will be working to finalise their BFR ahead of the deadline. This includes ensuring that their governing body has agreed the forecasts and the assumptions underpinning them, before submitting the return.
As is always the case, trusts should use the best information available to them at the time of preparation. For information to help support forecasting assumptions, refer to the academies BFR guidance.
Information: Funding agreement publication on GOV.UK
From September 2026, the department will stop publishing academy funding agreements on GOV.UK.
Academy trusts must publish redacted versions of their funding agreements on their own websites. This is set out in What academies and further education colleges must or should publish online. Clause 4.23 in the 2020 master funding agreement also sets this out.
Funding agreements on trust websites must redact personal information. This includes signatories, titles and names. Trusts must do this to meet their duties under the Data Protection Act 2018.
This change does not affect the legal status of academy funding agreements.
Information: Free school meals for children from households receiving Universal Credit, regardless of household earnings
Children from households receiving Universal Credit can now receive free school meals (FSMs), regardless of household earnings. Families who wish to receive FSMs for the first time will need to apply. Temporary protections previously in place for some pupils have ended, so eligibility is now assessed based on a family’s current circumstances.
The FSMs guidance for schools and local authorities explains which settings must provide FSMs, who is eligible and how eligibility should be assessed. Resources are also available to help explain the changes to families and support applications. Where eligibility rechecks are still underway, we strongly encourage continued provision of free meals to current recipients until checks are completed.
We appreciate the work schools and local authorities have already done to support families.
Please continue to promote FSMs, raise awareness of the expanded eligibility criteria and help families submit applications.
Feedback: Help shape procurement services at DfE
Are you involved in, or responsible for, procuring goods and services for your school, academy or trust?
At DfE, we want to keep listening and learning from the people using our services so we can make them as useful and effective as possible.
There are lots of ways to get involved, from quick surveys and testing new features in your own time, to informal chats with our researchers about your experiences.
We will always contact you beforehand, and it’s completely up to you, which activities you’d like to take part in.
Register your interest, we’d love to hear from you.
Events and webinars: Academies chart of accounts technical updates 2026 to 2027
Thursday 10 September 2026, 11am to midday. Register on Eventbrite.
Events and webinars: Q&A drop-in sessions: academies chart of accounts and automation
Tuesday 15 September 2026, 2pm to 2:30pm. Register on Eventbrite
Events and webinars: Risk Protection Arrangement members only: competent person workshop
Wednesday 16 September 2026, 10am to midday. Register via Teams