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Guidance

Related party transactions: information for academy trusts

Guidance for academy trusts reporting or seeking approval for related party transactions (RPTs).

Updates to this page

From:
Department for Education
Published:
22 March 2019
Last updated:
1 September 2025
Show all updates

  1. Updated ATH reference numbers in 'Checklist: related party transactions - preparing evidence for DfE approval'.

  2. Added 'Managing conflicts of interests, related party relationships and related party transactions: good practice guide'.

  3. Removed the link to the 'RPT online tutorial form' as it was out of date. Also updated 'Using the online form: report or seek approval for related party transactions' to reflect changes to the RPT online form portal.

  4. Confirmation added that academy trusts should now report or seek approval for related party transactions from the Department for Education. Replaced references to IDAMS with the RPT online form portal.

  5. Updated 'Checklist: related party transactions - preparing evidence for ESFA approval' to update the references to the Academy trust handbook 2024.

  6. Added 'Checklist - things to consider when transacting with a related party'. Updated all other documents to reflect the Academy trust handbook.

  7. Updated link to 'Submit your related party transaction'.

  8. We've updated the information for related party transactions for the new academic year.

  9. We've added a link to the next Academy Finance Professionals Power Hour on changes to the RPT process.

  10. From 1 September 2023 the reporting requirements for related party transactions (RPTs) will be changing. Please see the new version of the Academy Trust Handbook for more information.

  11. We have updated this page to add the slides used at the academies finance professional event on 17 February 2022 and also the model statement of assurance that academy trusts should use where goods or service provided by a related party exceed £2,500.

  12. We have updated this page to reflect changes to references in the Academy Trust Handbook.

  13. We've updated information in the documents: summary guidance, using the online form, glossary of terms and guidance for church schools. We've also added a checklist to support completion of the online form.

  14. Updated with a guide to using the online form for related party transactions and a link to the online form.

  15. First published.

Applies to England

Documents

Managing conflicts of interests, related party relationships and related party transactions: good practice guide

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Checklist: things to consider when transacting with a related party

ODT, 48.9 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument format

Summary guidance: report or seek approval for related party transactions

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Guidance for academy trusts with a religious authority: report or seek approval for related party transactions

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Guidance for a state funded school or college (including academies) supplier: report or seek approval for related party transactions

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Guidance for a private school, college or university supplier: report or seek approval for related party transactions

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Using the online form: report or seek approval for related party transactions

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Checklist: related party transactions - preparing evidence for DfE approval

HTML

Academy trust model statement of assurance

ODT, 48.8 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument format

Related party transactions: glossary of terms

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Details

From 1 October 2024 academy trusts should report or seek approval for related party transactions from the Department for Education instead of the Education and Skills Funding Agency. There has been no change to the process you follow to do this.

Academy trusts must report all expenditure transactions or seek approval where necessary using the related party transactions online form.

The Academy trust handbook sets out reporting and approval requirements for academy trusts in advance of transacting with a related party.

You can watch the Academy Finance Professionals Power Hour for more details:

Power Hour August 2023: Related Party Transactions

You will need a DfE Sign-in account to use the form. Register for a DfE Sign-in account if you do not have one already.

Academy trusts must report all related party transactions in their end of year financial statements, following guidance set out in the Academies Accounts Direction.

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