Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of inflation on school budgets in Fylde constituency.

Having prioritised spending to meet the teachers pay award, schools will now be receiving £65.3 billion in 2025/26 compared to £61.6 billion in the 2024/25 financial year.

The local authority that covers Fylde is Lancashire, and Lancashire is receiving £1.1 billion through the dedicated schools grant (DSG) for mainstream schools in the 2025/26 financial year. This represents a 2.4% increase in per pupil funding compared to the 2024/25 financial year (including premises but excluding growth funding). The additional funding being provided following the teacher pay announcement is on top of what is being provided through the DSG in the 2025/26 financial year.

The department recognises that most schools will need to supplement the new funding they receive in the 2025/26 financial year with improved productivity and smarter spending. However, schools are not alone in their efforts to better manage their spending. The department will be further developing the current suite of initiatives to support schools with their workforce, commercial and asset management. Schools are already making savings and bringing core operating costs down. For example, the 400 schools who participated in the department’s new energy for schools offer will save 36% on average compared to their previous contracts.