Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the increase in energy prices on school budgets.

The department is aware that schools are facing cost pressures, especially around energy costs. We pay close attention to the financial health of the sector, and we are constantly considering what further support we can provide schools to reduce their costs.

The department also recognises that schools will be tackling other inflationary pressures. However, this should be seen in the wider context of funding for schools. Increases in funding have been frontloaded to rapidly get money to schools, so that in the 2022/23 financial year alone, core schools’ funding will increase by £4 billion compared to the 2021/22 financial year. This includes an additional £1.2 billion for schools in the new schools’ supplementary grant for the 2022/23 financial year, to meet the costs of the Health and Social Care Levy, and wider cost pressures. Overall, there will be a £7 billion cash increase in core schools funding by the 2024/25 financial year, compared to the 2021/22 financial year.

Any additional support will sit alongside our range of School Resource Management tools. These help schools get the best value from their resources, to direct funding towards improving outcomes for their pupils. These include recommended deals for energy costs and ancillary services relating to energy. The department is updating and strengthening guidance on a regular basis to inform schools of the market and commercial position, with practical advice on exiting existing and entering new contracts.

The Get Help Buying for Schools service will also be able to offer support to schools in switching and entering new contracts. It is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-help-buying-for-schools. The department knows that every school’s circumstances are different, and where schools are in serious financial difficulty, they should contact their local authority or the Education and Skills Funding Agency.