School leaders are demanding clarity over the government鈥檚 energy price guarantee, with some schools likely to pay tens of thousands of pounds more if it ends in April. Mixed messages from government about extending support next year have raised hopes, dashed and then raised them again. September鈥檚 energy bill relief scheme announcement included a review after six months, determining which sectors would receive continued support. Energy brokers report trusts have been holding off deciding on new contracts 鈥 sometimes against brokers鈥 advice 鈥 to find out whether schools are included. But last week the autumn statement stated public sector organisations would 鈥渘ot be eligible鈥. Government figures have argued 拢2.3 billion extra school funding would help instead. Yet on Tuesday, schools minister Nick Gibb , saying it would 鈥渄etermine support鈥 when asked about school bills 鈥 suggesting an extension is not impossible. Budget boost ‘welcome but not sufficient’ Harnden Julia Harnden, funding specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders, said the sector needs 鈥渃larity鈥 to plan its spending, with April only five months away. The government鈥檚 boost to core budgets is 鈥渨elcome but not sufficient to cover very steep rises in energy costs鈥. Hugh Greenway, CEO of the Elliot Foundation, also welcomed it but said it marked a 鈥渟ignificant shortfall鈥 versus inflation 鈥 and would not reach trusts till September. Energy quotes seen by Schools Week suggest schools taking out 12-month fixed contracts now would pay 42.2 per cent more for gas and 37 per cent more for electricity than the current price guarantee. For the average secondary in a recent small-scale DfE energy survey, that could mean paying 拢47,200 more a year. The figures only cover the wholesale part of bills, with actual costs potentially higher. The average school polled is likely to have already seen wholesale costs more than double if its contract has expired, even with the government鈥檚 price guarantee. Schools face paying five times more for energy Schools Week analysis of Zenergi figures indicates schools face paying five times more from April than the contracts available in April 2021. Wreake Valley Academy in Leicester鈥檚 拢12,282 bill for last month marked a 123 per cent hike year on year. Government support only reduced it by 拢142, according to headteacher Tim Marston. Marston 鈥淧eople think 鈥榳hat will happen if the government help stops in March?鈥 Well the government help has had minimal impact.鈥 The school has managed to reduce electricity usage but only by four per cent, including running IT updates in the day to turn computers off overnight. Its gas is fixed until July, but Marston predicted costs will treble thereafter. 鈥淚t feels like the problem is too big for us to solve. Personally, I think there will be some [support] after March but I鈥檓 an optimist. But until we can budget costs, you don鈥檛 know how much you will be able to invest.鈥 Tim Golding of Zenergi said some school clients were 鈥渄isappointed鈥 by the complicated relief scheme. While households see a fixed cap per unit of energy used, schools receive grants nominally covering the gap between a 鈥渟upported price鈥 and what they pay. Schools saving less than expected But grants are actually calculated based on weekly average prices, not prices schools have agreed 鈥 leaving some saving less than expected and budgeted for. Janine Owen, chief finance officer at Ace Learning, said she was 鈥渇rustrated鈥 her trust would not know its current bills until Christmas, with suppliers still finalising them. One of its schools also uses heating oil, like other schools without local gas access. Uttley The autumn statement confirmed alternative fuel users will have to apply to a still-unfinished scheme, and only receive 拢150, with unspecified top-ups for larger users. But more than 20 Conservative ministers and senior MPs are reported by the i to have claimed 拢16,000 collectively in energy expenses this year 鈥 including a 拢1,808 claim for heating oil by Gibb. The price guarantee is expected to mean much bigger savings for one East Yorkshire secondary in the Education Alliance Trust, however. CEO Jonny Uttley said bills would still cost between 拢125,000 to 150,000, but could have been 拢250,000 without help. A government spokesperson said the energy scheme would reduce school bills and provide 鈥渃ertainty鈥 over the winter, and highlighted a 拢4 billion boost to this year鈥檚 funding.