Guidance

Local authorities planning calendar for the 2025 to 2026 financial year

Updated 17 June 2025

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2025

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authorities-planning-calendar-2025-to-2026/local-authorities-planning-calendar-for-the-2025-to-2026-financial-year

1.  April 2025 

1.1  Local authority action: 

1.2  Payment: 

  • The Department for Education (DfE) makes the first payment of the dedicated schools grant (DSG) for the 2025 to 2026 financial year (3 April) 
  • DfE makes the second PE and sport premium payment for the 2024 to 2025 academic year (30 April) 
  • DfE makes the first fixed payment of the breakfast clubs grant to local authorities for early adopters, for academic year 2024 to 2025

1.3  Information: 

  • DfE issues updated DSG allocations for the 2025 to 2026 financial year, for in year recoupment and high needs deductions

2.  May 2025 

2.1  Local authority action:                

2.2  Payment: 

2.3  Information:

3.  June 2025 

3.1  Local authority action: 

3.2  Payment: 

3.3  Information: 

4.  July 2025 

4.1  Local authority action: 

4.2  Payment: 

  • DfE makes fourth payment of the DSG for the 2025 to 2026 financial year (3 July) 
  • DfE makes payment for the early years expansion grant for the 2025 to 2026 financial year

4.3  Information: 

5.  August 2025 

5.1  Local authority action: 

  • submit s251 outturn statements for the 2024 to 2025 financial year 

5.2  Payment: 

  • DfE makes fifth payment of the DSG for the 2025 to 2026 financial year (5 August) 

5.3  Information: 

6.  September 2025     

6.1  Local authority action: 

6.2  Payment: 

  • DfE makes sixth payment of the DSG for the 2025 to 2026 financial year (3 September) 
  • DfE makes second quarterly pupil premium payment for the 2025 to 2026 financial year (30 September) 
  • DfE makes payment for the NICs grant to local authorities for the 2025 to 2026 financial year
  • DfE makes payment for the post-16 NICs grant to local authorities for the 2025 to 2026 financial year
  • DfE makes payment for the EY NTPG to local authorities for the 2025 to 2026 financial year
  • DfE makes second payment of the CSBG grant for special and AP schools, covering the NICs element of this grant for the 2025 to 2026 financial year
  • DfE makes first payment of initial teacher training (ITT) mentoring  to settings for the 2024 to 2025 academic year (30 September)

6.3  Information: 

  • DfE issues second quarterly updated pupil premium allocations for the 2025 to 2026 financial year
  • DfE issues s251 raw budget data for the 2025 to 2026 financial year

7.  October 2025 

7.1  Local authority action: 

  • complete autumn school census 
  • 2026 to 2027 high needs place change process begins - discussions of place requirements with providers

7.2  Payment: 

  • DfE makes seventh payment of the DSG for the 2025 to 2026 financial year (3 October) 
  • DfE makes NNDR payments for positive in-year adjustments for the 2025 to 2026 financial year (31 October) 
  • DfE makes payment of the NICs grant for 2025 to 2026 to mainstream academies
  • DfE makes payment of the SBSG for 2025 to 2026 to local authorities for maintained mainstream schools, mainstream schools with SURPs, and local authority centrally employed staff (CES)
  • DfE makes second payment for 16 to 19 teachers’ pension scheme employer contribution grant (TPSECG) for maintained schools and academies with 16 to 19 provision for the 2025 to 2026 financial year
  • DfE makes third payment for 2025 to 2026 of the CSBG for special and AP schools covering the SBSG element of this grant

7.3  Information: 

8.  November 2025

8.1  Local authority action: 

  • complete the 2025 autumn term early years data collection
  • submit 2026 to 2027 high needs place change workbook to DfE
  • submit DSG chief finance officer assurance statement and note to the accounts for the 2024 to 2025 financial year  

8.2  Payment: 

8.3  Information: 

  • DfE issues updated DSG allocations for in year recoupment and high needs deductions for the 2025 to 2026 financial year
  • DfE issues updated final DSG allocation for early years for the working parents’ entitlements for 2-year-olds and under, and early years pupil premium for 2-year-olds and under (to reflect 2025 summer term headcount) for the 2025 to 2026 financial year 
  • DfE issues breakfast club updated allocations to local authorities for early adopters, for the 2024 to 2025 academic year

9.  December 2025 

9.1  Local authority action: 

9.2  Payment: 

  • DfE makes ninth payment of the DSG for the 2025 to 2026 financial year (3 December) 
  • DfE pays third quarterly pupil premium payment for the 2025 to 2026 financial year (31 December) 

9.3  Information: 

10.  January 2026

10.1 Local authority action:

10.2  Payment:

  • DfE makes 10th payment of the DSG for the 2025 to 2026 financial year (5 January)

10.3  Information:

  • DfE issues high needs place change outcomes for 2026 to 2027 and 2-week enquiry window opens
  • DfE issues update to the DSG for the 2025 to 2026 financial year for in-year recoupment 

11.  February 2026

11.1  Local authority action:

  • final deadline for submitting NNDR adjustment claims for the 2025 to 2026 financial year, for claims made after 11 September 2025 (2 February)
  • local authorities obtain political ratification of their pre-16 funding formulae as outlined in their APT
  • local authorities issue DSG allocations to maintained schools after sign-off from DfE and by 28 February 2026

11.2  Payment:

  • DfE makes 11th payment of the DSG for the 2025 to 2026 financial year (4 February)
  • DfE makes payment of the Care to Learn grant to local authorities for the 2025 to 2026 academic year
  • DfE makes initial payment of the Vulnerable Bursary to local authorities for the 2025 to 2026 academic year

11.3  Information:

  • DfE issues s251 budget guidance on completing the budget template for the 2026 to 2027 financial year 
  • DfE issues updated allocations of the NICs grant, covering the finalised allocations for new and growing mainstream schools for the 2025 to 2026 financial year
  • DfE issues updated allocations of the SBSG covering the finalised allocations for new and growing mainstream schools for the 2025 to 2026 financial year
  • DfE issues updated PE and sport premium allocations for newly eligible schools for the 2025 to 2026 financial year

12.  March 2026 

12.1  Local authority action:

  • s251 budget returns collection for 2026 to 2027 opens

12.2  Payment:

  • DfE makes 12th payment of the DSG for the 2025 to 2026 financial year (4 March)
  • DfE makes 13th payment (adjustments) of the DSG for the 2025 to 2026 financial year (23 March)
  • DfE pays fourth quarterly pupil premium payment for the 2025 to 2026 financial year (31 March)
  • DfE makes NNDR adjustment payment for the 2025 to 2026 financial year, for claims made after 11 September 2024 (31 March)
  • DfE makes adjustment payment for CSBG for special and AP schools grant to local authorities covering the SBSG element of this grant for the 2025 to 2026 financial year
  • DfE makes second payment for NICs grant for mainstream schools with SURPs and new and growing mainstream schools for the 2025 to 2026 financial year
  • DfE makes safety valve payments (31 March) 
  • DfE makes adjusted payments for risk protection for the 2025 to 2026 financial year (24 March)

12.3  Information:

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