Academies budget forecast return: guide to using the online form
Guide to help academies complete the budget forecast return
Applies to England
Documents
BFR lines quick reference guide
PDF, 4.51740 MBKB, 35 pages
Details
Details
This year’s BFR willdeadline, open29 August 2024, has passed.
Thank you to all of the trusts who submitted on 3time. JuneIf 2025your trust has not submitted your BFR yet, log into your return and thecomplete deadlineyour isreturn 28as Augustsoon 2025.as possible.
Guidance
We have published the guide for the academies budget forecast financial return (BFR). This guide is to be used to help all users complete the BFR.financial Youreturn. canFor find more details onsee the academiesmain budget forecast returnoverview page. This- this includes the Excel workbook to help you prepare for your return.
Sector calls
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Questions
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Update history
2025-03-28 14:27
Updated the ‘BFR lines quick reference guide’ and the ‘Re-brokerage of academies’ attachments. Removed ‘BFR ICT guidance- HTML attachment’ as this has now been incorporated into ‘Academies budget forecast guidance for completing the online form’. Updated this attachment with improved line numbers guidance and details for new and transferring academies.
2024-09-09 12:04
This year’s BFR deadline, 29 August 2024, has passed. If your trust has not submitted your BFR yet, log into your return and complete your return as soon as possible.
2024-08-02 10:15
Updated ‘Academies budget forecast guidance for completing the online form’ to include details for the School Teachers Review Body’s (STRBs) recommendations and provide links to new guidance for the Core schools budget grant (CSBG) 2024 to 2025 which will paid from September 2024.
2024-05-29 10:51
The academies budget forecast return (BFR) is now open, the deadline to complete your return is 29 August 2024. Added in the sector calls arrangements, if you have queries. Added sections 1.4 and 14 to ‘Academies budget forecast guidance for completing the online form’ to include privacy notices.
2024-04-03 10:18
BFR go live and deadline dates addedDfE Sign In (DSI) has replaced IDAMs so trust users must have a DSI account to access BFRICT Spend actual and forecast figures requirements has been added to the guidanceBuildings repairs and maintenance line (379) is a new addition to separate out what trusts spend on buildings repairs and maintenance and the percentage funded through capital grants (DFC, CIF, SCA)Line 399 removedPay award rates and assumptions for staff and support staff has been added to the three year forecast section to help the department understand trusts intentions/plansRAAC funding and expenditure guidance has been provided to inform trusts where to report these on the BFRScenarios added in for lines to complete if a new or existing academy joins or leaves a trustQuick reference guide added for BFR lines
2023-12-20 11:44
We have updated the BFR guidance to include details for the new data required for the BFR 2024. This covers extra details for ICT spend and for building maintenance and improvements.
2023-09-01 11:31
The academies budget forecast return (BFR) deadline of 31 August 2023 has passed. Thank you for all the academy trusts who submitted by the deadline, if your academy trust has not yet submitted your BFR use the link on the webpage to complete your BFR as soon as possible.
2023-07-11 14:39
We have updated the dates in section 2.11, ‘Re-brokerage of academies’. We have also added additional information in section 4.4, ‘Surplus transfers on conversions’.
2023-06-06 09:00
The BFR form is now live. The deadline for completion is 31 August 2023.
2023-05-03 13:30
We’ve added details about the BFR deadline for this year, 31 August 2023, including updated guidance and supporting information.
2022-07-27 09:30
The academies budget forecast return deadline has now passed, please submit your returns as soon as possible if you haven’t already done so.
2022-07-01 14:59
Updated to clarify the process of how to report the NNDR rates reclaim in the BFR form
2022-06-27 14:33
Updated BFR line 101 to make reference to the NNDR rates consultation outcome to pay rates directly to local authorities rather than to academy trusts.
2022-06-20 10:00
The weekend service update was successful and the budget forecast form is accessible again from the dashboard.
2022-06-07 17:04
The online form for the academies budget forecast is now live. The deadline for academy trusts to complete and submit their return is 26 July 2022.
2022-04-27 10:14
We have updated the BFR form guidance with information about arrangements for academy trusts with revenue reserves of 20% or more.