Helping you prosper
Now that most trusts have completed their year-end audited financial statements for 31 August 2025, there is only one more final compliance reporting requirement before attention can be turned to reporting issues for 2025/26. That is the completion of the Academies Accounts Return 2024/25.
The Accounts Return is required as the Accounts Return and audited financial statements follow different financial reporting frameworks. The Accounts Return requires more detailed information than that has been reported in the audited financial statements.
What additional information is required?
Examples of the additional information to be report in the Accounts Return is as follows:
- grants – revenue and capital are broken down into categories for DfE and other
- direct and support costs require more detailed analysis of types of expenditure
- staff costs are analysed into 3 categories:
- teachers
- leadership
- administration and support
These categories are further analysed between permanent and temporary employed staff.
Gender analysis is also required on a full-time employee (FTE) basis as well as the number of trust sick days.
For further details of the complete list of additional reporting requirements, please view the Academies Account Return 2024 to 2025 Additional Information Requirements.
Key changes
The main changes to the Accounts Return 2024 to 2025 from previous years are as follows:
- teaching school hub fields have been removed
- COVID-19 grant fields have been removed
- overview section is now available in downloadable reports
Common reporting errors
The most common errors when reporting on the Accounts Return occur in:
- the number of full-time employees whose emoluments exceed £60,000, as this should be based on full time equivalents rather than whole persons
- staff numbers reported should be the average FTEs based on contracted hours rather than on whole persons
- the manual reallocation of values in the Accounts Return, when completing the automated online form
Submission deadline
The Accounts Return requires to be submitted by 28 January 2026 to the DfE.
The next steps
If you need any help in completing the Academies Accounts Return for 2024 to 2025, please contact your local UHY academy adviser who will be able to provide you with the help and guidance required.
