Need-to-know: Academy Trust Handbook 2026 published

The Academy Trust Handbook has been updated, but won't take effect until 1 October 2026. Changes of note include an explicit focus on inclusion, new financial training expectations for trustees and tighter controls over executive pay.

Last reviewed on 16 July 2026

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The new Academy Trust Handbook (ATH) has been published but doesn't come into force until 1 October 2026. Your trust must comply with the 2025 handbook until then.

Changes in the 2026 handbook include:

A new focus on inclusion
New financial training expectations for trustees
Stricter rules for appointing chief financial officers
Enhanced requirements for procurement and purchasing
Tighter controls for executive pay and staff pensions, benefits and severance payments

Read a more detailed summary of the changes in our other article.

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