COLLECT guidance for completing the Section 251 budget return
Updated 3 April 2025
Applies to England
漏 Crown copyright 2025
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This publication is available at /government/publications/section-251-2025-to-2026/collect-guidance-for-completing-the-section-251-budget-return
Summary
This publication provides non-statutory guidance from the Department for Education. It has been produced to help local authority finance officers to complete their section 251 budget returns using the COLLECT system.
Expiry or review date
This guidance will be reviewed before March 2026.
Who is this publication for?
This guidance is for local authority finance officers.
Accessing COLLECT
Access to COLLECT is via Sign-in.
If you do not have an account, you will need to sign up for one.
You can then request access to your organisation and COLLECT on the Organisations tab.
Your request will be sent to your organisation鈥檚 approvers.
If you have already been added to your organisation, you can request access to COLLECT on the Services tab.
If you have COLLECT access but are unable to see the budget collection, check with one of your organisation鈥檚 approvers whether you have been given access to the collection.
You can find out who these are on the Services tab under 鈥楽ee approvers at an organisation鈥�.
If you still need assistance, please submit a query using the .
Uploading an XML file聽
On the Source page click on 鈥楿pload Return from file鈥︹€�
To upload the return, click on the 鈥楤rowse鈥︹€� button to navigate to the required XML file. You then need to select 鈥楿pload鈥� to load the data.
If data is already loaded, you will be asked if you want to overwrite it. Answering no will stop the data load, answering yes will delete the existing data and load the new data.
Caution: Uploading a new XML file will cause the return to be revalidated and any errors/queries will need to be addressed again.
Once the file has been successfully loaded the following message will appear.
The data return has now been placed in a queue to be validated. When COLLECT is busy this process may take some time and users may come back later to view any validation errors present within the return.
When you click on 鈥極K鈥� you will return to the 鈥楽ource page鈥� and the status will be 鈥榃aiting_for_validation鈥�. When the return reaches the front of the queue, the status on the 鈥楽ource page鈥� will change to 鈥榁alidation_in_progess鈥� and then 鈥楲oaded鈥� when it is finished.
Addressing errors and queries聽
When a return has been uploaded, a number of validation checks are run against the data in that return and will trigger errors or queries.
All errors and queries are highlighted in red against the relevant data item.
Viewing all errors and queries on the return聽聽
Click on 鈥楢ll Errors鈥� at the top of the screen.
You will then be shown a list of all errors and queries relating to your return. You may also find it helpful to download an error report.
Correcting errors聽聽
Click on the 鈥楧etails鈥� button to see which data items the validation is checking; these will show to the right of the screen. If you click on one of the underlined fields you will be directed to the corresponding data item in the return.
Change the mode of the form to 鈥榚dit鈥� and then click on the data item that needs to be changed and update it.
Providing clarification/supplementary information聽
If you are satisfied that the value is correct, please enter a brief but meaningful note next to the error/query (rather than 鈥極K鈥� or 鈥楥orrect鈥� etc.).
To enter a note, first click on the pen icon next to the error/query.
Then click 鈥楢dd New Note鈥�.
Type your note in the box provided and click 鈥楥reate鈥�.
You must enter a note for all errors/queries, except year-on-year queries (3.1.1 and 1007).
For year-on-year queries you may either enter a note or use the drop-down menu at the bottom of the screen to confirm the figure is correct.
To return to the list of errors, click on the 鈥楨rror鈥� button.
Editing data within your return聽
LA Table聽
Use the blue hyperlinks at the bottom of the screen to navigate to the part of your return you wish to edit.
Warning: Using the hyperlinks on the left-hand side may result in unexpected behaviour.
Change the mode of the form to 鈥榚dit鈥� and then click on the data item that needs to be changed and update it.
Click on 鈥榁iew鈥� followed by 鈥楧rill Up鈥� to return to the previous screen.
High Needs Places Table聽
Click on the appropriate hyperlink to take you to the High Needs Places Table.
Use the 鈥楨dit鈥� button to edit the data or the 鈥楢dd鈥� or 鈥楧elete鈥� buttons to add or remove schools from the table.
Click on 鈥榁iew鈥� followed by 鈥楧rill Up鈥� to return to the previous screen.
EY Table聽
Click on the appropriate hyperlink to take you to the required section of the EY Table.
Click on 鈥楥lick to view individual column descriptors鈥�. This will allow you to view the data entered for this line.
Use the 鈥楨dit鈥� button to edit the data or the 鈥楢dd鈥� or 鈥楧elete鈥� buttons to add or remove rows.
Click on 鈥榁iew鈥� followed by 鈥楧rill Up鈥� to return to the previous screen.
Downloading reports聽
On the 鈥楽ource Page鈥�, click 鈥楲aunch Reports鈥�.
Select the relevant report and click 鈥楲aunch Report鈥�.
Export the report in the desired format.
Submitting your return聽
Return to the 鈥楽ource Page鈥� by clicking on 鈥楤ack to My COLLECT page鈥� at the top of the form.
Then select 鈥楽ubmit Return鈥�.
