Documents to help local authorities comply with section 251 of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009.

This page contains links to information to help local authorities prepare and submit annual budget and outturn statements about their planned and actual spending to the Secretary of State.

The statements cover spending for education and children’s social care functions as required under section 251.

Section 251 replaces section 52 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 in England. Section 52 still applies in Wales.

The statements are the primary means of informing schools and the public about local authority funding and spending plans. They provide detailed information in a form that allows benchmarking by schools forums and authorities.

Section 251 queries

If you have any questions or need further information about section 251, please contact us via ourcontact form.

Section 251: 2020 to 2021

This guidance contains information for local authorities, schools and the general public about local authority education funding and expenditure plans for 2020 to 2021.

Local authorities must submit their budget statements by 30 April 2020.

  1. Section 251: 2020 to 2021
    • Guidance

Other section 251 documents

This guidance contains information about section 251 budget statements between 2016 to 2017 and 2019 to 2020.

  1. Section 251: 2019 to 2020
    • Guidance
  2. Section 251: 2018 to 2019
    • Guidance
  3. Section 251: 2017 to 2018
    • Guidance

Published 19 February 2013
Last updated 2 March 2020 + show all updates

  1. We have added the section 251 guidance page for 2020 to 2021.

  2. We’ve added a link to the section 251: 2019 to 2020 guidance.

  3. We’ve added the section 251 2018 to 2019 documents to the collection.

  4. Updated with links to section 251: 2017 to 2018 guidance page.

  5. Update to add 2016 to 2017 Budget guidance and tables.

  6. Added ‘Section 251 outturn: 2014 to 2015 data’.

  7. Updated to add 2013 to 2014 outturn data.

  8. Updated to add budget workbooks for 2014 to 2015.

  9. Updated to include the section 251 administrative direction and with the 2013 to 2014 outturn guide for local authorities.

  10. First published.

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