Guidance

Local authorities planning calendar for the 2024 to 2025 financial year

Published 14 January 2025

Applies to England

漏 Crown copyright 2025

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected].

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at /government/publications/local-authorities-planning-calendar-2024-to-2025/local-authorities-planning-calendar-for-the-2024-to-2025-financial-year

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) closed on 31 March 2025. All activity has moved to the Department for Education (DfE). You should continue to follow this guidance.

1. January 2025

1.1 Local authority action:

1.2 Payment:

1.3 Information:

2. February 2025

2.1 Local authority action:

  • local authorities obtain political ratification of their pre-16 funding formulae as outlined in their APT

  • local authorities issue allocations to maintained schools after sign-off from ESFA and by 28 February 2025

2.2 Payment:

2.3 Information:

  • ESFA issues section 251 (s251) budget guidance on completing the budget template for 2025 to 2026

3. March 2025聽

3.1 Local authority action:

  • S251 budget returns collection for 2025 to 2026 opens

3.2 Payment:

3.3 Information:

Back to top