Academies budget forecast return
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-01)

Information to help academy trusts submit their budget forecast return (BFR).

Academies budget forecast return (BFR)

The 2025 academies budget forecast return (BFR) has closed.

If you need a copy of your academy trust’s prior submission, log in to the BFR and select ‘download return overview’ or ‘download historic return overview’ to extract as a PDF or excel file.

Log in here (https://services.signin.education.gov.uk/)

Completing the BFR

The BFR is a collection that spans the past, current and future financial years. It collects data in a format to allow for academic and financial year analysis by the Department for Education (DfE).

BFR 2025 covers these periods:
- September 2023 to March 2024 and April 2024 to August 2024 (part pre-populated from previous BFR return)
- September 2024 to March 2025 and April 2025 to August 2025
- September 2025 to March 2026 and April 2026 to Aug 2026
- Summary forecasts for September 2026 to August 2027
- Summary forecasts for September 2027 to August 2028
You should complete the BFR if your academy trust was active on 30 April 2025.

You can find out more about how to complete the BFR online form in the Academies budget forecast return: guide to using the online form (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academies-budget-forecast-return-guide-to-using-the-online-form).

There are 2 versions of the Excel workbook to help you prepare your BFR:
- a single-page version
- a multi-page version structured to look like the online form
Both versions have the same questions and validations contained within the online form.

(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6863f88b3464d9c0ad609dea/BFR_2025_traditional_workbook_v1.3.2.xlsm)

BFR 2025: traditional workbook (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6863f88b3464d9c0ad609dea/BFR_2025_traditional_workbook_v1.3.2.xlsm)

268 KB

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx). Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6863f82a08bf2f5376121af2/BFR_2025_multipage_workbook_v1.3.2.xlsm)

BFR 2025: multi-page workbook (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6863f82a08bf2f5376121af2/BFR_2025_multipage_workbook_v1.3.2.xlsm)

334 KB

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx). Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

These workbooks are not accessible because they contain locked cells, merged cells and poor colour contrast. This means they do not meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/) success criteria:
- 1.3.1: info and relationships
- 1.3.2: meaningful sequence
- 1.4.1: use of colour
- 1.4.3: contrast
We are currently working on an accessible version, which should be available by May 2026.

Recording in-year academy transfers

You must include any academies transferring in or out of your trust in the BFR. The re-brokerage of academies (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academies-budget-forecast-return-guide-to-using-the-online-form/re-brokerage-of-academies) guidance contains details of what you need to include based on the month of transfer.

Access your BFR online form

The BFR form uses the DfE Sign-in registration service. Academy trusts must be registered and set up to use the service before they can access the form. You can find out how to register and set up the online forms for the BFR (https://help.signin.education.gov.uk/moving-to-DfE-Sign-in).

Log in here (https://services.signin.education.gov.uk/)

Getting support

If you have any questions about the BFR, you can contact us using the customer help portal (https://customerhelpportal.education.gov.uk/).

You can also use the BFR chatbot (https://askonline.education.gov.uk/chatbot/budget-forecast-return) to help resolve any queries you may have.