The Department for Education (DfE) is responsible for children’s services, education and wider skills across England. This includes early years, schools, further and higher education and apprenticeships. Since July 2024, DfE has framed its objectives and activities around the government’s Opportunity Mission, which it leads. DfE also has a role delivering the people aspect of the growth mission to invest and support the labour market, with involvement across other missions

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In 2024-25, DfE spent £95.5 billion, including:

  • £64 billion on schools
  • £15 billion on skills
  • £8 billion on families
  • £5.5 billion on capital

As part of the Spending Review 2025, DfE will receive £1.34 billion to drive efficiencies – with a focus on prevention.

But there are key risks DfE faces in ensuring resilience:

  • the systems supporting children with special education needs (SEN), and those in residential care, have been struggling to meet rising demand
  • the school estate faces a £13.8 billion maintenance backlog, bringing into question long-term resilience

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