High needs funding arrangements: 2025 to 2026
Source: gov.uk (2025-06-30)

Information for local authorities, schools and colleges about high needs funding arrangements for the 2025 to 2026 financial and academic year.

Import/export adjustments 2025 to 2026: for local authorities to notify DfE of data errors

Local authorities can notify us if the January 2025 school census or February 2025 individualised learner record (ILR) R06 data used in the import/export adjustment was incorrect at the time returns were submitted by the school or college. This guidance explains the process for local authorities to notify us of data errors which may impact on their dedicated schools grant funding. The deadline for local authorities to submit their completed templates for this year’s process is 11:59pm on Friday, 18 July 2025.

High needs funding: 2025 to 2026 operational guide

This operational guide:

helps local authorities plan their 2025 to 2026 financial year high needs funding

helps schools, colleges and other education providers plan for the 2025 to 2026 financial and academic year

explains how the high needs funding streams work for all types of provision

Special free schools adjustment: a guide for local authorities

This guide explains how local authorities’ dedicated schools grants (DSG) are adjusted for new and growing special free schools.

High needs place change process

Read the guidance for an overview of the place change process for the 2025 to 2026 academic year, including how to determine place numbers and a timeline.

How to complete the high needs place change workbook

Local authorities should use these instructions to help complete the high needs place change workbook for providers in their area.

Hospital education funding: guidance

Read the hospital education funding guidance to find out how local authorities can apply for changes to their hospital education funding for the 2025 to 2026 financial year.

High needs place change request outcomes: 2025 to 2026 academic year

The high needs place change notification outcomes inform the funded place numbers for the 2025 to 2026 academic year in academies, free schools, further education (FE) colleges and independent learning providers.

Local authorities and providers can raise a query about the outcomes for the 2025 to 2026 academic year if they are not as expected.

Read the enquiry window section of the high needs place change process guidance to find out how to submit an enquiry.

The enquiry window closes on Friday, 31 January 2025.

High needs place, pupil and student numbers in the school census and individualised learner record (ILR): 2023 to 2024 academic year and 2024 to 2025 academic year

The data workbook shows:
- the number of pupils in special academies and special free schools recorded in the spring 2024 school census. It also shows the place numbers for the 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025 academic years
- the post-16 high needs student numbers for further education colleges, independent learning providers, 16 to 19 academies and 16 to 19 free schools, as recorded in the 2023 to 2024 ILR R14 data return. It also shows the place numbers for the 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025 academic years (see the ‘ILR actuals and published places’ tab)
- the post-16 high needs student numbers for special post-16 institutions (SPIs) as recorded in the 2023 to 2024 ILR R14 data return. It also shows the place numbers for the 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025 academic years (see the ‘SPI actuals & published places’ tab)
High needs place process: alternative provision (AP) free school guidance for 2025 to 2026

Guidance on completing and returning the AP free school high needs places workbook.

Further information

Read the schools operational guide: 2025 to 2026 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pre-16-schools-funding-local-authority-guidance-for-2025-to-2026) to help plan the local implementation of the mainstream schools funding system for the 2025 to 2026 financial year.

You can read the national funding formula for schools and high needs (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-for-schools-and-high-needs-2025-to-2026) policy document for further details of the national funding formula (NFF) allocations for mainstream schools and high needs for 2025 to 2026.

You can view the provisional national funding formula allocation tables (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-funding-formula-tables-for-schools-and-high-needs-2025-to-2026) for schools, high needs and central school services blocks for 2025 to 2026.

Read the high needs funding 2024 to 2025: operational guide (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-needs-funding-arrangements-2024-to-2025) for information about the 2024 to 2025 academic and financial year funding arrangements.

View the high needs: allocated place numbers (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-needs-allocated-place-numbers) for a list of allocated high needs place numbers.