Academy trust handbook 2026: What finance leaders and trustees need to know

The new academy trust handbook 2026 and a supporting letter to accounting officers have been published by the Department for Education (DfE). The handbook is available to download from the government website – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academy-trust-handbook.

The academy trust handbook is the key governance and financial management guide for academy trusts in England. Published annually, it sets out the requirements and expectations trusts must follow to ensure effective governance, strong financial oversight and accountability for public funds.

When do the new requirements take effect?

The implementation date for the new handbook is later than usual, with the requirements taking effect from 1 October 2026. This gives academy trusts additional time to understand and implement the changes.

Key changes in the academy trust handbook 2026

The 2026 edition introduces a number of updates that academy trusts will need to consider ahead of implementation. The most significant changes include:

Finance leadership and governance

Chief financial officer qualifications

For large trusts with more than 3,000 pupils, the chief financial officer (CFO) should hold a professional accountancy qualification.

From 1 October 2026, recruitment exercises should specify that candidates should be a qualified accountant and/or hold the CIPFA Level 7 qualification. From 1 September 2027, recruitment exercises must specify this requirement.

Trustee skills and financial oversight

Boards should identify and maintain the skills and experience needed to hold executive leaders to account. This should include appropriate financial training covering financial management, control, monitoring and reporting.

Financial transparency and accountability

Financial reporting requirements

Multi-academy trusts must publish a summary statement on their website by 31 January each year, explaining how funds are distributed across their schools. The DfE has provided an example format to support compliance.

Executive pay

From 1 October 2026, any new appointment with remuneration exceeding £174,000 (pro rata for part-time staff) will require DfE approval before the role can be advertised.

Going concern responsibilities

The accounting officer must notify the trust board where there is a risk to the trust’s going concern status. Trustees are expected to take ownership of the issue, implement any necessary actions and notify the DfE where appropriate.

Procurement changes

Trusts must consider DfE-approved procurement opportunities when making purchasing decisions.

This includes:

• Procuring supply staff through the Government Commercial Agency’s supply teachers and education recruitment framework.
• Using DfE Energy for Schools or another DfE-approved energy deal, unless alternative arrangements provide comparable rates.
• Ensuring all management information system (MIS) contracts are aligned with the DfE’s MIS framework by September 2027.

Inclusion and community responsibilities

The handbook includes new content confirming that trusts must comply with their legal responsibilities relating to:

• Safeguarding
• Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
• Admissions
• Place planning

These additions reflect the government’s longer-term policy direction for schools, as outlined in the Every Child Achieving and Thriving white paper.

Employee benefits and pensions

Electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes

The handbook confirms that electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes do not require prior DfE approval, provided the trust is not subject to a ‘notice to improve’ and has appropriate safeguards in place to ensure no cost or liability falls on the trust if an employee fails to meet their contractual obligations.

Alternative pension arrangements

Trusts must obtain DfE approval before proposing any alternatives to the teachers’ pension scheme (TPS) or local government pension scheme (LGPS).

What should academy trusts do next?

While many of the changes clarify existing expectations, several introduce new requirements around financial transparency, executive pay, procurement and governance. Trust leaders, trustees and finance teams should review the handbook carefully and begin planning for implementation ahead of October 2026.

Academy schools’ webinar 2026

We will be covering the changes to the handbook, and other key sector updates, in more detail during our academy schools’ webinar on 8 September.

To register for your free place, please follow this link: https://meet.zoho.eu/qssw-kgv-idw.

If you would like to discuss the changes, or any other academy-related matter, please contact your usual PKF Francis Clark adviser or one of our education specialists, listed below.