Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has made an estimate of the amount of income lost by schools that usually raise funds through building lettings during the covid-19 outbreak.

The Department does not hold data specifically on the income schools generate through building lettings.

We know that around 4% of schools’ total income is self-generated and in 2018-19 around half of this came from facilities and services. This includes letting premises and wrap around childcare services among other things.

We recognise that over the last three months, schools may have lost some of this income and this could put pressure on budgets.

Where schools have members of staff delivering these services, we have advised that they should first look to redeploy these staff or use existing budgets to absorb the cost. Having looked at all other options, schools can then consider using the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to ease this pressure. The Department has provided additional guidance for schools in this situation:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-education-early-years-and-childrens-social-care.