Management Information Sheet

MI Sheets 85/13 and 133/133 established a process, effective from 1st April 2013, for the provision of High Needs Top-up funding to Norfolk maintained mainstream schools and academies in respect of pupils who belong to other Local Authorities (OLA). Under the process the Schools Finance undertook to administer the recoupment of the High Need Top-up (HNT) costs from the Local Authority and to pass this on to the school the pupil attended.

Unfortunately this process has proved to be extremely problematic and unsustainable because schools have failed to keep the Schools Finance Team updated in respect of leavers, newcomers and newly statemented OLA pupils.

Consequently, the decision has been taken that with effect from the start of financial year 2014-15 mainstream schools and academies will recoup the High Needs Top-up funding directly from the Local Authority (Home Authority) to which a statemented high needs child belongs. This is in accordance with Statutory Instrument 2013 No 492 Education, England and Wales - The Inter-authority Recoupment (England) Regulations 2013.

Procedure:

Prior to the start of the financial year (or early in the summer term) schools should write to the Local Authority (Home Authority) to which a statemented high needs child belongs (i.e. LAC or cross border child) providing the following detail and requesting they accept recoupment of the value of the HNT to be claimed:

• Child's Name, date of birth, address
• Period (start and end date) in the current financial year for which the recoupment is being requested.
• The amount claimed, and the frequency (monthly/termly), that you would like to invoice the Home Authority.

Once the amount and frequency of recoupment is agreed schools will need to keep the Home Authority informed of any changes which may affect the overall amount to be claimed in that financial year.

A list of the OLA contacts with whom Norfolk County Council has recently corresponded with in relation to the agreeing and processing of recoupments is attached at the bottom of this MI Sheet.

Calculating the HNT:

High Needs Top-up arises when the cost of a statemented child's provision, including the Basic Per Pupil Entitlement exceeds £10,000. In 2013 agreement was reached with other Local Authorities that a system of banding, based on statement quantification would be used to calculate each child's HNT. The HNT amounts shown in the following Mainstream HNT Matrix are based on the values previously applied when pupil specific funding was in force.

Where a child attends for only a part of a term or year the amount claimed should be pro-rata for the number of weeks attended based on a 52 week year.If you have any query concerning this new process or require any assistance in relation to the recoupment from other Local Authorities of High Needs Top-up please email barry.parnell@norfolk.gov.uk.

OLA Contacts: