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Funding Information

Funding information for local governments

Devolved formula capital (DFC)

Funding is allocated each year to nursery (maintained), primary and secondary schools for priority work on buildings, ICT and other capital needs.

The grants may be used for improvements to buildings and other facilities, including ICT, or capital repairs/refurbishment in accordance with priorities set by each school and in line with the local asset management plan.

Grants are administered via local authorities to voluntary controlled, community and foundation schools, and directly to voluntary aided schools.


Local Authority Capital Maintenance and Local Authority Co-ordinated Voluntary Aided Programme (LCVAP)

Funding is allocated at local authority area level to improve the condition of the school and Sure Start estate. Priorities for investment in school buildings and facilities are decided locally, in line with priorities set out in local asset management plans.

Grants are administered to local authorities for voluntary controlled, community and foundation schools and Sure Start Centres (i.e. for local authority prioritised projects), and directly to voluntary aided schools, for projects agreed through the Local Authority Coordinated Voluntary-Aided Programme (LCVAP) process.

The resources available are allocated to local authority areas on the basis of "relative need". For this purpose 'need' is measured in terms of schools and pupils, for those schools which are expected to be maintained by the local authority during the academic year. Weightings are applied to take account of whether or not schools have been modernised.

Allocations are also adjusted to reflect the relative costs of building work in different regions across the country.


Basic Need Funding (New Pupil Places)

The Department for Education's Basic Need Allocation supports the capital requirement for providing new pupil places by expanding existing#10 maintained schools, free schools or academies, and by establishing new schools. Funding is allocated to support local authorities in their statutory duty to ensure sufficient school places, by ensuring the provision of new school places where they are needed. While allocations are made to local authorities, the funds should be used to provide places in any type of school.

The resources available are allocated to local authority areas on the basis of relative need. For this purpose 'need' is measured in terms of forecast pupil growth for the period compared to current pupil numbers and school capacity. Weightings are applied to take account of whether places are in primary or secondary schools, and are also adjusted to reflect the relative costs of building work in different regions across the country.

Funding is allocated to Local Authorities to distribute. Basic Need Funding is available as follows: £0.8billion in 2014-15; 1.1billion in 2015-16; £1.2billion in 2016-17.

Targeted Basic Need Programme

This additional funding, over and above existing allocations, will provide further high quality pupil places. The funding is targeted to provide additional support to those local authorities experiencing the greatest pressure on places through the funding of new academies and free schools, as well as enabling investment to expand good and outstanding schools with high levels of demand.


Academies Capital Maintenance Fund

On 1 March 2013, the Secretary of State announced details of the capital funding of around £4 billion that will be made available to create new school places and to carry out maintenance and repair work to existing school buildings.

The Academies Capital Maintenance Fund (ACMF) is available for academies to improve the condition of their school buildings and expand their facilities. The ACMF is administered by the Education Funding Agency (EFA).

Academies can apply for up to two projects to tackle building condition issues or expand facilities.
Applications are be submitted through an online application portal, with two rounds of funding available per academic year.

The maximum funding available per project will be limited to £4 million.


Universal Infant Free School Meals Capital

The total Universal Infant Free School Meals Capital budget of £150million is split across various sectors using pupil numbers from the January 2013 school census. Pupils counted for this funding are those in national curriculum year groups Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, in all maintained primary and secondary schools, special schools, pupil referral units, academies and free schools.

Provided by the Department for Education, the capital is divided amongst Local Authorities, the Academies Capital Maintenance Fund and Voluntary Aided schools nationwide.