Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much their Department has spent on (a) advertising and (b) marketing in each of the last three years.

The department's combined expenditure on advertising and marketing for the last three financial years is shown below:
•  2022/23: £34,652,453.53
•  2023/24: £45,761,086.36
•  2024/25: £ 49,833,936.25

This paid marketing activity directly supports operational delivery by helping to recruit more school and college teachers and early years staff, and by ensuring parents are aware of the support available to them and their families, including childcare entitlements and Best Start Family Hubs. It also raises awareness and understanding, and encourages take-up, of government-funded technical qualifications, skills and training offers amongst young people and adults, which is vital to economic growth and opportunity across the country.

The rising spend reflects the changing media landscape and high levels of media inflation, and where paid-for advertising and marketing is used, it is subject to Cabinet Office spending controls, which ensure taxpayer money is spent cost-effectively and reflects professional best practice.

Where possible, activity is delivered in-house as part of cross-government campaigns or at low cost through partner coordination.