DfE Energy for Schools

This is a DfE energy deal. All schools can use this deal to procure gas and electricity, including academy trusts. See the guidance on DfE approved energy deals.

Schools that join Energy for Schools are added to DfE’s V30 energy contract with Government Commercial Agency (GCA), formerly Crown Commercial Service. GCA buys energy for this particular contract over a long period of time, reducing the risk to customers of substantial fluctuations in price.

Benefits

Schools can make significant savings on their gas and electricity costs. Over 1,000 schools have already joined the scheme. The service also:

• helps protect schools from market volatility and high prices
• saves time spent on procurement process
• complies with procurement regulations

Eligibility

All state-funded schools and trusts in England can join Energy for Schools.

Individual schools, like local authority-maintained schools and single academy trusts, can join using the online service.

Multi-academy trusts (MATs) can join by filling in Register your interest form and completing the process offline. A member of the DfE team will then contact you and help you complete the process offline.

The deadline to join the April 2027 basket is 6 November 2026. However, DfE strongly recommends schools submit all necessary information before 26 October 2026 to allow enough time to review and clarify information before submitting documents to suppliers.

We’ll do our best to process information submitted after 26 October 2026. If there are any issues with the information, you may not be included in the April 2027 basket.

You may be placed on an interim rate, depending on your current contract’s end date.

Contact DFE-Energy.SERVICES-TEAM@education.gov.uk for any queries.

Provider: DfE