Please note: the NFF is in a transitional state. Read more about what this means in the section 'LAs must transition further towards the direct NFF in 2026-27' below.
What is the NFF and who is it for?
The NFF is the series of building blocks that the DfE uses to work out state-funded mainstream schools' core funding allocations. If you're in a maintained special school, learn how your school is funded in section 2 of our school funding article.
Each summer, the DfE publishes a ‘notional budget’ at school level, but the end amount your school receives might be different (as we explain below).
The NFF is used for both maintained schools and academies. The key differences for academy trusts are that:
The factors