The Department for Education has published updates covering academy trust budget forecasts, academy funding agreements, adult skills funding, exceptional learning support, further education free meals, procurement research, early years qualifications research and September events. Academy trusts must submit governing-body-approved budget forecast returns by Thursday 24 September 2026, using the best available information and current academies BFR guidance. From September 2026, trusts must publish redacted funding agreements on their own websites after the department stops publishing them on GOV.UK; personal information must be removed under the Data Protection Act 2018, without changing the agreements’ legal status. The department has published the adult skills fund calculation rule-base for 2025 to 2026, including source code showing how learner data and earnings from individualised learner records are processed. For funding year 2026 to 2027, providers must submit an exceptional learning support cost form through the Customer Help Portal for each qualifying DfE-funded learner whose support exceeds £19,000. Young people from households receiving Universal Credit can now qualify for further education free meals regardless of household earnings, although first-time applicants must apply. Existing recipients should continue receiving meals while eligibility rechecks are completed. The DfE is also seeking participants for early years qualifications research and procurement feedback, and lists September events on accounting, automation and Risk Protection Arrangement requirements.