Local authorities can apply local funding formulae in deciding funding for maintained schools and academy trusts. However, the Department limited the extent of local authorities’ discretion from 2020–21 by requiring them to include the minimum per- pupil funding levels in their local formulae.19 By contrast, academy trusts are not required to provide their schools with the minimum per-pupil funding levels. The Department allows multi-academy trusts to pool funding centrally, and they can also re-distribute funding between their schools based on their own assessment of need.20