Budget Forecast Return (BFR) Deadline – Help and Support  

When is the BFR deadline? 

The academies budget forecast return (BFR) is currently live with a return deadline of 26 July 2022.

If your academy trust was not active by 30 April 2022 you do not need to complete this return. 

Previously new academies' that joined their trusts, were required to submit a BFR outturn and in-year return. These separate returns are no longer required as they have been consolidated into a single BFR.

If you submitted a return last year, the data for September 2020 to March 2021 will be prepopulated. 

Where can I complete a return? 

Returns can be completed here: Academy Trust Data Collections (fasst.org.uk).  

You can only do financial returns at a trust level and will need to have the correct access using our IDAMS system.  Your organisation IDAMS superuser will be able to arrange this access for you.  

Our guidance for how to register for an IDAMS account, provides more detail for academy trusts which can be found here at IDAMS guidance for financial returns

Further information and support on BFR

For more detailed information on Academies budget forecast return: guide to using the online form please follow the link to the guidance at GOV.UK. 

If you have any enquiries; we run regular weekly 30 minutes Microsoft Teams calls. We do not present the form, but it is an opportunity for the sector to ask any questions about the BFR. Details can be found here at GOV.UK.