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<p>The department recognises the concern that schools will be facing cost pressures
in the coming months, particularly due to the increase in energy prices. We are looking
carefully at how this will impact schools and considering what additional support
we can offer.</p><p>The department knows that the vast majority of school expenditure
is devoted to staff costs. This means that even while energy costs are rising, inflation
in this area would have an impact on a small portion of a school’s budget overall.
Energy costs represented 1.3% of local authority maintained schools spending in the
2019/20 financial year and 1.4% of academy trust spending in the 2019/20 academic
year. The department pays close attention to the financial health of the sector, and
we are closely assessing where energy costs may more significantly impact schools’
financial health.</p><p>Cost increases should be seen in the wider context of funding
for schools. The government is delivering a £4 billion cash increase in the core schools
budget next year, taking total funding to £53.8 billion. This includes an additional
£1.2 billion for schools in the new schools supplementary grant for the 2022/23 financial
year. Overall, this represents a 7% cash terms per pupil boost, which will help schools
meet the pressures we know they are facing.</p>
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