25 March 2026 
Joni Rhodes, Projects and Development Manager
BUFDG
If you’d like to understand more about your Human Resources colleagues, what they do in our institutions, and support better collaboration in your organisation, our new CPD certified Human Resources in H E eLearning module is available now to BUFDG pro members.
Our next Demystifying Finance and Budgeting in Higher Education course, which unpicks the complexities of finance for non-accountants, is now open for booking. The programme is delivered in two parts, taking place on 1 and 8 June (online).
Bookings are also open for Intro to TRAC, which provides a comprehensive introduction to the Transparent Approach to Costing across three sessions starting 5 May.
SECTOR
International student recruitment teams will be busy reacting to the Home Office announcement of a rise in student visa application fees from £524 to £558 starting 8 April. The explanatory memorandum highlights the role of immigration income plays in the funding of the migration and borders system, and follows the recent “emergency brake” imposed on visas from four countries “following a surge in asylum claims from legal routes”. In this HEPI post, Sasha Roseneil, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sussex, argues that “government is right to seek to protect the integrity of the immigration system, but it can do this without closing off legitimate educational pathways for students...”
ENGLAND
Following extensive press coverage and mounting pressure, the cross-party Treasury Committee has announced an inquiry into student loans, which will examine terms and conditions, interest rates, how the loan system interacts with taxation, and the wider fiscal impact of all Plans. An experience survey and call for evidence are open until 14 April. Meanwhile, the Student Loans Company (SLC) published official statistics showing that nearly 60,000 graduates collectively over‑repaid nearly £24m in 2024–25, of which £22.3m has already been refunded.
House of Lords amendments to the National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill, including a proposal to exclude salary sacrificed pension contributions from student loan repayment calculations, were rejected by the House of Commons. Ministers argued that the planned £2,000 cap on NI‑free pension salary sacrifice from 2029 means most younger graduates repaying loans will not see any change to their position. The bill will now return to the Lords for further consideration.
The Department for Work and Pensions has announced a youth employment drive that will see the “biggest transformation of apprenticeships in a decade” and apprenticeship that “do not meet the country’s skills priorities or take resources away from opportunities for young people” defunded. Those being “streamlined” include Chartered Manager, which has been widely delivered by universities. Universities UK’s response highlights that “management apprenticeships contributed £119.5 million to GDP, and the skills that they instil in learners are central to the UK’s ambition for a more productive, high-skilled economy.” Wonkhe gets into the numbers and finds that “the government’s priorities for how the apprenticeship levy is used do not match up with those of employers”.
Following a consultation, the OfS has announced plans to introduce new requirements to safeguard the interests of students studying under subcontractual arrangements and protect public money. From 31 March, lead providers must publish how much tuition fee they retain, explain why they subcontract delivery, and show how they identify and oversee risks in these partnerships. On Wonkhe, DK and Jim get into the detail and conclude that a “documentation and transparency regime bolted onto a system where the structural incentives remain entirely intact” will not solve the problem it is trying to fix. The DfE has published new guidance confirming that from 2028 to 2029 any provider with 300 or more franchised students will need to register directly with the Office for Students to retain eligibility for student finance for new entrants.
The OfS has published guidance on the monitoring information required by 14 April from Higher Education Providers (HEPs) that received either formula or competitive capital funding during the financial year 2025-26. A reminder that the next interim financial return is due 2 April. Other OfS updates include the appointment of new non-executive Board members, and changes to the information pages about the introduction of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement.
NORTHERN IRELAND
The Department for the Economy published a summary of an independent Financial Needs Assessment of Higher Education Institutions, commissioned as the first phase of the broader Review of Higher Education Funding. The report examines the financial needs of the sector in the short to medium term, focusing on block grant requirements such as teaching grant and targeted allocations, and finds that financial pressures on NI providers are mounting.
SCOTLAND
With Scottish parliamentary elections looming, MillionPlus has published a briefing calling on all parties to “recognise modern universities and the strategic value of graduate retention in delivering inclusive growth and regional opportunity.” Elsewhere, the IFS continues its pre-election analysis with a first look at Reform UK’s Scottish manifesto finding an ambitious plan “lacking in fiscal credibility.”
Universities Scotland and the Royal Society of Edinburgh have published a new report on strengthening research‑policy exchange, championing Scotland’s potential to become an effective “test‑bed” for evidence‑led policymaking and the “crucial role that research (from universities, government, think tanks and others) has in supporting policy decisions.”
The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has made a “formal offer of up to £40m of additional funding” to support the University of Dundee across 2025-26 and 2026-27, as part of ongoing engagement with the University as it works to return to a position of financial sustainability.
The rest of HEPI’s Scottish Week saw the publication of a blog by Professor Nicholas Forsyth, Provost of the University of Aberdeen and Convener of Universities Scotland Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee, on research, innovation and regional growth, and a final article on universities and skills by Professor Steve Olivier, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Robert Gordon University, calling for a “multi-year financial framework for universities, aligned to clear strategic outcomes [that would] provide the stability needed to innovate.”
WALES
The Welsh government has set out a three-year Local Growth Fund programme worth £547m, providing a strategic framework for investing in productivity growth. The plan aims to “boost productivity, reduce regional, inequalities, and support long-term economic growth”, and highlights the role of regional partners and research organisation in delivering innovation and skills activity.
A new insights report on Participation in Tertiary Education in Wales has been published, as part of ongoing work to build the evidence base to inform future programme delivery.
The Office for Statistics Regulation has recognised that Medr “has established a strong foundation as a new official statistics producer” in an assessment of Medr’s six official statistics.
TAX AND PAYROLL
A reminder that registration for the online BUFDG 2026 Tax Conference is open, and there is an early bird ticket discount until 31 March.
The government has named 389 employers from across the UK who have either intentionally or unknowingly underpaid their employees for National Minimum Wage purposes, and Julia has confirmed that no higher education providers appear on the ‘name and shame’ list.
The first Mastering Global Mobility Tax & Social Security for Universities will take place in Manchester on 12 May; an interactive 3-hour training session to help you navigate the complexities of managing a globally mobile workforce with confidence, through practical guidance on income tax and social security implications for remote workers, business travellers, secondees, and international assignees in higher education.
A recent Treasury letter to the Chair of the Education Committee highlights the cost sharing exemption through Cost Sharing Groups as the solution to sharing of costs without VAT, if certain conditions are met. If you missed the recent Time to Talk on “Mitigating VAT on the sharing of costs” with Big For Tax you can find the recording and related BUFDG resources on the website.
As usual you can catch up on all things tax related in the latest edition of TaxHE.
PROCUREMENT
Two of the outstanding legislative elements of the Procurement Act 2023 came into effect in January this year, namely Section 69 - publication of payments compliance notices (note that Section 69 will commence on 1 April 2026 for Welsh contracting authorities) and Section 71 - publication of assessment of contract performance for England and Wales. The UK17 Payments Compliance Notice will report a public body’s average time taken to pay invoices to suppliers, and demonstrates compliance with 30-day payment terms. The notice covers a 6-month reporting period. The first reporting period started on 1 October 2025 and will end 31 March 2026. Publication of UK17 must be made by the end of April 2026 and the notice will go live on FTS on 1 April 2026. The UK9 Contract Performance Notice will fulfil two functions: recording the performance of suppliers against key performance indicators for public contracts with an estimated value of more than £5m; and recording information relating to particular breaches or failure to perform a public contract.
To support contracting authorities, the Cabinet Office has published a comprehensive guide summarising UK17 and UK9, as well as the two remaining legislative requirements set to be commenced in April this year:
The Energy Consortium (TEC) will be hosting a second Exceptional Market Update webinar on Wednesday 1 April, providing updates on the impact of the conflict in the Middle East, TEC trading actions since the last webinar on 6 March, and scenario analysis of how wholesale energy prices could evolve through the summer.
FINANCIAL REPORTING
BUFDG’s SORP Implementation Forum on 17 March featured implementation case studies from Manchester and UCL, and the recording is a useful watch for those undertaking impact assessments and planning the transition to SORP 2026. A summary of technical discussions from all previous Forums is available, along with useful guidance and webinars via the SORP Knowledge Hub.
From May, forums will operate as a one-hour drop-in session focusing on the sharing of technical queries. Registration is open for the next meeting on 19 May.
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
Research England has reprofiled QR payments for the remainder of the 2025-26 financial year, following changes to UKRI’s own funding profile. The adjustment does not alter any provider’s total QR allocation, but it will shift cash flow for some institutions, with some funding originally scheduled for payment in April and May 2026 moving into March.
Innovate UK is “recalibrating” to align with government missions in the areas where analysis shows IUK can add most value, focusing on six of the eight Industrial Strategy priority sectors and putting IUK “at the heart of the UK innovation system.” If you missed the March Innovate UK drop-in surgery a recording is available until 17 April, and future sessions are scheduled monthly until July.
Amongst the ongoing kerfuffle, UKRI has announced EPSRC Prosperity Partnerships funding to support ambitious, collaborative research programmes.
Science Secretary Liz Kendall published an open letter inviting UK research funders to join a new voluntary charter improving outcomes for women in research, as part a wider package of DSIT measures “to improve retention and progression for women in research and development careers.”
A National Audit Office report examining value for money in DSIT’s investment in research infrastructure finds that DSIT and UKRI have strengthened their strategic approach to research‑infrastructure investment, but long‑term planning gaps, ageing assets, and inconsistent project‑delivery practices continue to undermine the sustainability and effectiveness of the research system. The report coincided with Research England’s confirmation of Research Capital Investment Fund (RCIF) allocations for 2026-27 to 2029-30, which will only sustain current facilities and omit funding for new equipment which will move to competitive capital calls designed to "form a more coherent and transparent infrastructure funding approach”. A new briefing from Jisc warns that “technical legacy is compromising UK university resilience and stalling innovation” and calls for policymakers to remove barriers to collaboration, and for institutions to treat technical legacy as a core risk‑management issue. The Commons Public Accounts Committee subsequently announced an inquiry into investment in research infrastructure.
The Research Collaboration Advice Team (RCAT), launched in 2021 to provide clear government advice on the changing research security landscape, has published an activity report.
Scotland has announced a landmark scheme that brings together research talent from across Europe and Scottish universities to forge relationships and create paths to funding through an International Collaboration Fund, financed by the SFC in association with the Scottish Government.
The next BUFDG Research Finance Forum is scheduled for 11 June.
SUSTAINABILITY / ESTATES
From 1 April 2026, the maximum grant rate for the Workplace Charging Scheme will reduce from £2,500 to £2,000 per chargepoint socket.
Applications are now open for Phase 3 of Scotland’s Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund until 29 April, with assessments between May and July and grant offers expected in August.
Scotland’s International Development Alliance, the University of Strathclyde, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Network Scotland, and other partners including Learning for Sustainability Scotland are hosting a hybrid discussion on Monday 30 March to explore how reshaping Scotland’s National Performance Framework can ensure the SDGs are “at the heart of how Scotland measures success.”
PENSIONS
Universities UK and UCEA sent a joint letter to the Education Committee recommending regulatory change to enable post‑92 institutions to move away from mandatory participation in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) and offering to explore a collective defined contribution model if government provides the necessary flexibility. The letter highlights that rising costs have already driven course closures and redundancies, and the establishment of subsidiary companies that can offer new academic staff more affordable schemes.
JOB OF THE FORTNIGHT
Our featured role is Financial Analysis and Reporting Manager at Nottingham Trent University; an opportunity to lead the University’s financial planning and reporting processes and play a pivotal role driving financial transparency, data quality and performance insights. The closing date is 10 April, with interviews week commencing 20 April.
Find more H E finance vacancies on BUFDG’s jobs page.
