1. Introduction
These directions are to assist billing authorities who’re implementing the centralised nationwide non-domestic charges (NNDR) fee course of for native authority maintained colleges and academies. The Schooling and Expertise Funding Company (ESFA) can pay NNDR payments on to billing authorities on behalf of native authority maintained colleges and academies.
Additional info on this transformation might be discovered on the adjustments to the fee course of of faculties’ enterprise charges web page.
2. Eligibility to assert
The annual course of for billing authorities to verify their NNDR fee course of for 2023 to 2024 concluded in January 2023.
In the event you didn’t affirm to ESFA your intention to implement the centralised fee course of, you need to proceed to invoice your maintained colleges and academies straight.
2.1 Eligible colleges
All native authority maintained colleges and academies, together with 16 to 19 academies that aren’t additional training (FE) establishments, that ship training will fall below the centralised fee course of.
The colleges and academies by billing authority space for nationwide non-domestic charges doc particulars the colleges that fall below the remit of every billing authority.
Maintained colleges
native authority maintained colleges
neighborhood colleges
neighborhood particular colleges
basis colleges
basis particular colleges
pupil referral models (the place a previous association exists)
voluntary aided colleges
voluntary managed colleges
Academies:
pre-16 academy colleges
particular academies
various provision academies
16 to 19 convertor academies
16 to 19 sponsor led academies
particular convertor academies (solely the place a previous association exists)
free colleges
free colleges various provision (solely the place a previous association exists)
particular free colleges (solely the place a previous association exists)
16 to 19 free colleges (solely the place a previous association exists)
studio colleges
college technical schools (UTC’s)
Early years or post-16-provider primarily based provision, which type a part of the general college operation, will proceed to be funded as they’ve been traditionally below the centralised course of. Maintained nursery colleges are out of scope of those adjustments.
Sixth kinds that are a part of secondary colleges may also be funded as they’ve been traditionally below the centralised course of.
Particular colleges and pupil referral models are in scope of the adjustments, nevertheless we’d anticipate these to obtain 100% reduction for charges.
3. When to assert
The deadline to submit your new declare is 11:59am on 26 Could 2023. The deadline to submit in yr changes is 11:59pm on 31 January 2024.
Claims might be amended up till the deadline. It is not going to be doable, below any circumstances, to grant any extensions to the deadline.
4. Accessing the declare type
4.1 Earlier than you begin
Earlier than you begin the claims course of, you’ll have to:
have learn this steerage on how you can make a declare
have a DfE Signal-in account that’s linked to your billing authority
Verify you might be an eligible institution
have ready your information; the information template might be downloaded by accessing the NNDR declare type
5. DfE Signal-in
5.1 Register to your DfE Signal-in account
Observe the steps beneath to entry your DfE Signal-in account:
1: When prompted, enter your DfE Signal-in credentials (your username and password) for authentication.
2: Select the organisation for whom you might be finishing the shape.
3: The subsequent web page will show the main points we maintain in regards to the organisation you chose whenever you signed in. This may present the title, deal with and distinctive identifier of the billing authority, in addition to the title and e mail deal with of the one who signed into DfE Signal-in.
4: If these particulars are right, then all you want do is to pick out ‘Proceed’ to go to the subsequent web page.
5: In the event you imagine these particulars are incorrect, please full the ESFA on-line enquiries type and we’ll examine. You’ll be able to nonetheless proceed together with your submission
6: Full the shape as instructed within the following sections.
For the aim of type completion your account should be related to the billing authority you might be finishing the shape for. That is your organisation kind that may permit entry to this way and is totally different to your native authority. You don’t want so as to add any providers in DfE Signal-in; it’s used for authentication solely.
5.2 In the event you shouldn’t have a DfE Signal-in account
You will have to create a DfE Signal-in account for those who shouldn’t have one by finishing the steps beneath:
1: Choose ‘create a DfE Signal-in account’ the DfE Signal-in web page.
2: Enter your title and e mail deal with (use a legitimate enterprise e mail deal with that comprises your title).
3: We are going to ship you an e mail to confirm your e mail deal with; copy the code from this e mail and paste it into the field on the verification web page.
4: Create a memorable password of 8 characters or extra. Your password should embody 2 uppercase letters, 2 lowercase letters, and a pair of numbers.
5: Register utilizing your new credentials, and request entry to the billing authority for which you wish to submit the kinds. Please guarantee the kind of your organisation is ‘billing authority’ and never a ‘native authority’ when choosing from the search outcomes. Your request will probably be despatched to the approver(s) of your organisation or will probably be handled by DfE Signal-in Assist Group if you don’t have already got an approver.
As soon as your request to entry an organisation has been accepted, you’ll be able to observe the steps outlined below have already got a DfE account to finish the shape.
You might need observed the time period ‘approver’ when creating your account. An approver is somebody at your organisation answerable for controlling who has entry to DfE Signal-in and the providers inside the system. It’s often a senior particular person, corresponding to an administrator or a supervisor.
For safety causes, you will want the approval of certainly one of your organisation’s approvers earlier than you’ll be able to entry the shape.
5.3 Additional help
In the event you need assistance utilizing the DfE Signal-in service, go to DfE Signal-in assist. It is possible for you to to request additional help if required. When elevating a help request, please choose ‘different’.
In the event you imagine you might be eligible to assert however have issues accessing the shape, please contact us by way of the ESFA assist centre.
6. Finishing the shape
You’ll be able to exit the shape at any time and your info will probably be saved to the final level that you simply clicked ‘save and proceed’.
After finishing all obligatory sections inside the declare type you’ll be prompted to finish the required declarations earlier than you’ll be able to submit your type. After you have submitted your type, a proof on what occurs subsequent will observe.
6.1 Declare template file
You’ll be able to select if it’s essential to obtain the claims submission template earlier than you proceed to add your file. It’s best to choose ‘Sure’ if you’re uncertain when you have the proper file model. If you choose ‘No’, you’ll be taken on to the introduction web page to progress importing your file.
Obtain the declare template file
This web page permits you to obtain the template file, for those who chosen ‘Sure’ on the earlier web page. Click on the file hyperlink and this may obtain the file to your gadget. The file will obtain as an .XLSX file kind (Excel). This needs to be ‘saved as’ a CSV (comma delimited) (*.csv) file kind earlier than the finished model is uploaded to ESFA.
Proceed to add
This web page permits you to affirm if you want to proceed to add your accomplished CSV (comma delimited) (*.csv) template file.
Importing the declare file
The file will initially be saved as an .XLSX file kind (Excel) when downloaded utilizing the obtain service. This could then be ‘saved as’ a CSV (comma delimited) (*.csv) file kind earlier than the finished model is uploaded to ESFA. When saving as CSV you need to choose the appropriate choice as highlighted beneath.
Validating your declare file
After you have uploaded the declare file, you need to validate it otherwise you will be unable to proceed to the subsequent stage of this way. To do this it’s essential to choose ‘validate you file’. If the validation fails, you’ll be able to copy your declare enter from offline to a brand new excel sheet and re-upload the brand new file as a CSV file earlier than validating it once more.
7. Troubleshooting
There could also be cases the place your NNDR information comprises a couple of property for a single college.
Each instructional supplier within the UK has their very own UK supplier reference quantity (UKPRN). For most colleges, there will probably be a one-to-one relationship between your account quantity for a property and the UKPRN for a college. Nevertheless, for example, the place an academy has a cut up website, you should have two NNDR account numbers in opposition to the identical UKPRN, that is acceptable. In these circumstances, merely current the numbers as two traces of knowledge in your claims’ submission, every with the identical UKPRN.
7.1 Marking related properties inside your NNDR system
This can be a two-step course of. Relying in your necessities you could have to flag properties in your system with a brand new fee code, and/or add the properties to a brand new fee group.
7.2 Matching colleges to NNDR properties
For this preliminary submission solely, billing authorities might want to map ESFA’s colleges’ information to their NNDR property information.
For maintained colleges and academies, this may be carried out by means of a mixture of matching postcodes and faculty names.
7.3 Coming into your information in to the spreadsheet
For every row/declare, enter the:
title of the college (ratepayer/liable events)
property description
property deal with line 1
property postcode
property reference quantity
account reference quantity
quantity due/web legal responsibility
Don’t add, take away, or change the names of any columns as this may stop the service from accepting your declare.
The title and deal with of the college you might be claiming for, ought to match the equal ESFA information. Nevertheless, we perceive that there could also be minor discrepancies, that is acceptable. ESFA is utilizing this information to assist double-check that the reference numbers and claims values have been positioned within the right row.
7.4 Together with lacking colleges in your declare
If there are colleges related to your billing authority which aren’t within the spreadsheet offered by ESFA, you’ll be able to add them to your declare following these steps:
create a brand new row on the template and add the property reference quantity, the NNDR account reference quantity and the declare quantity
discover the UKPRN, official college title and deal with by utilizing get details about colleges (GIAS)
add the UKPRN, title and deal with to the related row
You don’t want to contact ESFA about these properties. We’ll establish them in the course of the claims’ validation course of.
7.5 Properties you’ll be able to and can’t declare for
The next properties shouldn’t be included in your declare:
maintained nursery colleges/early years settings that aren’t a part of the general college operation for instance run by a non-public supplier
buildings used for non-educational functions, for instance, workplace and premises
rented buildings
FE establishments
personal colleges
Early years provision which is a part of the general college operation (for instance, nursery courses in major colleges) will proceed to be funded as earlier years below the brand new fee course of.
Sixth type provision inside secondary colleges will proceed to be funded as earlier years below the brand new fee course of.
We now have detailed some examples beneath that will provide help to decide whether or not you’ll be able to submit a declare.
A faculty could have a taking part in area on a separate hereditament which is utilized by the college for instructional functions. The billing authority can submit a declare for this.
A faculty has an adjoining nursery, which is a separate hereditament from the primary college. Maintained nursery colleges usually are not a part of the brand new coverage change so no declare might be submitted by the billing authority. The billing authority and the college should make preparations to cowl this charges invoice.
A faculty property could also be made up of a single hereditament which features a nursery.
Because it’s not doable to separate this property for charges functions and it has been beforehand funded by ESFA this may proceed to occur after 1 April 2022.
The place there’s a clear requirement for a cut up the billing authority and faculty should work collectively to have this rated individually. This isn’t a brand new coverage change.
Instance 1:
You could have a taking part in area on a separate hereditament, and it’s utilized by the college, you’ll be able to declare for the taking part in fields. You probably have a nursery which is an element of a bigger major college that could be a separate hereditament from the primary college, you can’t declare for the nursery.
Instance 2:
You could have a single hereditament which features a major college, a maintained nursery college and taking part in fields. As it’s not doable to separate out the hereditament into these areas that are related to ESFA, and if these have been funded beforehand by EFSA you’ll be able to proceed to take action.
7.6 Declarations
After you have accomplished your submission, you’ll be introduced with obligatory declarations.
You will be unable to submit your declare with out agreeing to those declarations and to do this, it’s essential to tick every field.
Additionally, you will be requested to enter your e mail deal with nevertheless this isn’t obligatory. In the event you offered us together with your e mail deal with, we’ll ship you an e mail affirmation of your submission.
After you have accomplished this web page, it is possible for you to to pick out proceed’ to proceed.
Submission abstract
You’ll be introduced with a abstract web page that may assist you to verify all of your solutions earlier than submitting your type.
If you want to vary any solutions, use the ‘change’ hyperlink that seems subsequent to every information entry.
Choose ‘save abstract as pdf’ button, must you want to maintain a breakdown of the data you’ve entered within the type. It’s best to do that earlier than clicking the ‘Submit’ button.
Affirmation
The ultimate web page confirms your declare has been submitted efficiently. You’ll obtain a singular reference quantity in opposition to your submission, adopted by a proof of what occurs subsequent.
You’ll obtain an e mail confirming the profitable submission of your declare.
Make an observation of your distinctive reference quantity as this info is not going to be included within the affirmation e mail.
We are going to then evaluate your declare and will contact you if further info is required.
Amend declare web page
Claims might be amended up till the deadline by choosing the hyperlink to the declare type. The deadline is not going to be prolonged. As soon as a brand new file is submitted, any earlier submission(s) for this declare cycle will probably be overwritten.
ESFA will solely evaluate the newest file.
It’s essential to resubmit the finished file together with your full checklist of claims.
You’ll obtain a brand new distinctive submission quantity for an amended declare.
Making in-year changes
The service is now open for any changes to charges claims. You’ll be able to submit in-year changes for the monetary yr ending March 2024 utilizing the prevailing claims service. Claims might be submitted up till 31 January 2024.
Billing authorities who carried out the centralised fee course of in 2022 to 2023 cansubmit changes for his or her maintained colleges and academies that relate to 2022 to 2023 up till 31 January 2024.
NNDR changes between 1 February to 31 March 2023 might be submitted when the service opens on 3 April 2023.
Historic claims
Billing authorities shifting onto the centralised fee course of in 2023 to 2024 will be unable to submit NNDR prior yr changes for his or her native authority maintained colleges utilizing the claims service. Historic changes for 2022 to 2023 have been submitted by native authorities within the 2023 to 2024 authority proforma instrument (APT).
Billing authorities shifting onto the centralised fee course of in 2023 to 2024 will decide up any prior yr (2022 to 2023) changes for his or her academies utilizing the brand new service.
Academies whose billing authority has remained on the prevailing NNDR course of are in a position to submit adjustments to historic claims which were paid for 2022 to 2023 up till 31 January 2024 by way of the prevailing NNDR academy service.
You could find out extra in regards to the adjustments to fee course of of faculties enterprise charges.
8. Enquiries
In the event you’ve learn this steerage and have any questions in regards to the NNDR course of or how you can full the web type, contact us by way of the ESFA assist centre.
When finishing the enquiry type, choose ‘different’ as your question kind.
9. What occurs subsequent
The knowledge you’ve entered will probably be checked and validated in opposition to your funding allocation. Spot checks on receipted information will probably be carried out.
10. Funds
Billing authorities will obtain funds by way of Bacs.
Funds will probably be made by ESFA as a single lump sum to every billing authority.
All funds will probably be made on the final working day of the month. For brand spanking new claims the primary fee to billing authorities will probably be on 30 June 2023. The deadline for declare uploads for June funds is 26 Could 2023.
Claims submitted after 26 Could 2023 will probably be paid inside 2 months.
Remittance is routinely despatched when a fee is made. We are going to present a separate breakdown of particular person fee quantities with their related account reference numbers.
For reconciliation funds (constructive changes to claims), the primary fee will probably be made on 31 October 2023.
The ultimate fee for changes (which can embody recoveries) will probably be made on 31 March 2024.
The deadline for October funds is 11 September 2023 and 31 January 2024 for March funds.
Any 2022 to 2023 adjustment claims submitted after 31 January 2023 deadline, will probably be paid within the following declare yr.
Changes for 2022 to 2023 can solely be submitted till 31 January 2024.
The place there’s a question on a declare and ESFA require clarification/additional proof we can pay these claims inside 2 months of receiving clarification/proof.
11.1 Making ready your declare file for validation
The place to seek out the declare template file
You’ll be able to obtain the template file to make your declare straight from the NNDR service.
The template file will save as an .XLSX file kind (Excel) by default.
The template comprises the column headers within the actual format wanted by the NNDR service to validate your declare.
It’s essential to not change the column headers in any method in any other case your file will probably be rejected by the service.
The template file needs to be populated together with your school-level declare information. You could find additional help on how to do that within the troubleshooting part.
Don’t included the instance information already populated whenever you’d downloaded your pattern template.
Earlier than taking the subsequent steps, guarantee that you’ve populated columns N, O and Q accurately by utilizing the pre-prepared drop-down lists. These columns are labelled as:
property legal responsibility yr
property is that this an adjustment to a earlier declare for the said yr
property cause for adjustment (solely relevant if claiming an adjustment in any other case go away clean)
11.2 Put together your file for validation and add
To assist your file to be efficiently validated by the service, you need to course of the template file containing your information within the following method.
Methods to copy your information to a brand new clean workbook and save as CSV (comma delimited) (*.csv)
1: Open a brand new clean workbook in Excel.
2: Choose the column headers and your school-level declare information from the populated template file.
It’s vital that you simply solely choose from the template header column vary and solely rows containing your populated information. Don’t included the instance information already populated whenever you downloaded your pattern template.
3: Copy your information and the template column headers.
4: Paste your information and the template column headers into the brand new clean workbook that you simply beforehand created.
5: Choose ‘save as’ OR ‘save a duplicate’ from the file menu.
6: Choose file kind “CSV (comma delimited) (*.csv)” and save. You may give any file title when saving your declare file but it surely should be saved in CSV format or it is not going to be accepted.
Methods to cleanse your information to take away commas
1: All commas must be eliminated out of your information in order that this may be efficiently validated into theNNDR service. You should use the ‘Change’ operate that may be discovered by ‘Dwelling>Discover & Choose>Change’ in Excel to take away all commas from the information.
2: The ‘Change’ tab needs to be chosen within the ‘Discover and Change’ pop up window. Sort a comma into the ‘Discover what’ field and choose ‘Change All’.
Don’t enter something in ‘Change with’ field when performing this motion.
Methods to cleanse your information to verify information codecs
1: The info codecs in columns M and P (NNDR declare money values) are formatted as ‘Basic’ information kind within the template. This might need modified after you have copied throughout your information. These columns are labelled as “Property web legal responsibility (the NEW FULL quantity accountable for the said yr together with any changes) £” and “Property adjustment quantity £”.
2: You’ll be able to verify the information format inside columns M and P by choosing every column. You’ll be able to choose a column by clicking on the column label (M or P). This could spotlight the column.
3: With the column chosen, you’ll be able to change the information kind formatting from the dropdown choice to ‘Basic’. This setting might be discovered within the ‘Quantity’ part of the ‘Dwelling’ menu.
Different checks to make sure profitable validation
1: The NNDR service is anticipating information to be populated in each cell of your return, apart from the final two columns that are just for changes. You probably have missed a area (corresponding to a lacking postcode), then the service will ask you to finish the lacking information earlier than attempting once more.
2: UKPRN values in column G needs to be a legitimate 8-digit quantity (for instance 10012345). You’ll be able to verify UKPRN numbers by looking for colleges straight within the Get Details about Faculties service, or by reviewing the colleges and academies by billing authority space for nationwide non-domestic charges.
3: You probably have copied your billing authority code down the spreadsheet rows, double verify that these have copied accurately, and that Excel has not ‘crammed sequence’ by escalating the quantity by one every time.
11.3 Methods to add your accomplished file into the NNDR service
1: Navigate to the ‘Add your file’ web page inside the NNDR service. The finishing the shape part of this steerage may help you.
2: When you’ve arrived on the ‘Add your file’ web page you need to choose your template file by choosing the ‘Select File’ button.
3: Choosing the ‘Select File’ button will launch a pop-up window. Use this to navigate to your accomplished CSV (comma delimited) (*.csv) file saved in your pc.
4: The service will scan the file for viruses. This may increasingly take as much as a minute, relying in your service supplier.
5: You’ll obtain a ‘success’ message as soon as the virus scan has accomplished.
6: Following the profitable scan, you need to choose the ‘Validate Your File’ button. The file validation checks will then scan the content material of your accomplished template file. It checks for the proper column headers within the right place, lacking information, and accurately formatted information (such because the ESFA reference quantity, UKPRN).
7: You’ll obtain a ‘success’ message which can then assist you to click on the ‘Proceed’ button to proceed by means of the service and submit your declare.
8: The validation operate works by means of every of the checks so as. In case your file fails one of many steps, then the validation operate will cease and offer you a report on display of how you need to proceed to repair the problem. The report will embody the cell reference numbers of any lacking information, or any information gadgets that want correction.
9: It’s essential to open your saved file outdoors of the service to repair any errors. You’ll be able to then proceed to add. You might wish to log off and into the service once more at this level to make sure that you haven’t been ‘timed-out’, earlier than returning and re-uploading your file.