2026/27 Financial Year Software Notifications
Additional set up guidance for schools Access Group (HCSS) Software 2026 (Version 1 published 11 March 2026)
Message on Teacher Pensions Contribution Rate (11 September 2026)
As we signalled on BSO (14 July), the employer’s contribution to teacher pensions is reducing at April 2027 from 28.68% to 17.68%. The funding that schools receive will be reduced in response to this, but at this time it is difficult to accurately calculate
the value of funding reduction. The key message though is that both costs and funding will reduce and budget forecast scenarios need to reflect this i.e. do not reduce the contribution rate without also reducing funding (otherwise your budget forecast will
be erroneously improved).
We continue to advise maintained schools to forecast their budgets for 2027/28 onwards on the same basis as their original 3 year budget submissions to the Local Authority in May 2026 i.e. do not reduce either funding or the employer’s contribution to teacher
pensions at April 2027.
We are now aware, however, that a national update to the budgeting software has been applied (this is not something that Bradford requested or controls) and this means that:
- In all newly created scenarios (newly created since July), the employer’s contribution to teacher pensions will be automatically set at the reduced 17.68% from April 2027.
- There is an optional update to apply the adjustment to existing scenarios.
We advise schools not to apply the adjustment to existing scenarios.
We advise schools to now double check each of their scenarios and to
change the pensions contribution rate back to 28.68% in all years across all scenarios that they actively use. If this isn’t done, without also adding a funding reduction into your scenario, the school’s budget from April 2027 will be erroneously improved.
To check your pensions contribution rate, open a scenario and go into ‘Data Settings’ and ‘Pay Related Factors’. The line to check is ‘Teacher’s Superannuation Employer’s Contribution’. If this is 28.68% across all years, then no action is needed.
If this is 17.68% in any year, please ‘edit’ to amend back to 28.68% across all years (note - apply to 'all pensionable contracts', as applying to 'all contracts' will add back in the pensions contribution for staff that may have withdrawn from the pension
scheme). You will need to repeat this process separately for each of your active scenarios.
You will then also need to continue to amend the contribution rate back to 28.68% in all new scenarios that you create from now on. We would advise that you double check the contribution whenever you begin a new scenario or copy or upgrade an existing
one.
If you have any questions or need further advice, please contact a member of School Funding Team.
Information from Previous Years
2025/26 Financial Software Notifications
Additional set up guidance for schools Access Group (HCSS) Software 2025 (Version 1 published 7 March 2025)
2024/25 Financial Year Software Notifications
Additional set up guidance for schools Access Group (HCSS) Software 2024 (Version 1 published 14 March 2024)
2023/24 Financial Year Software Notifications
Additional set up guidance for schools Access Group (HCSS) Software 2023 (Version 1 published 9 March 2023)
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