Paying for devices and MDM: buying routes and funding questions

Devices are only part of the cost. Management licences, cases, charging, support, insurance and eventually disposal all add up. This guide sets out the buying routes the DfE describes and the costs to plan for.

About grants

We don’t list grants or funding schemes on this site unless we can check them on an official source, because schemes open and close and are easy to misdescribe. If you are looking for funding, ask your local authority or trust, check GOV.UK, and be wary of any company that promises a “government grant” in return for signing a contract.

Plan before you buy

The GOV.UK guidance on buying ICT and computer hardware for schools says many parts of ICT are interlinked, so you shouldn’t buy hardware, software or broadband in isolation. It suggests:

• assessing your needs by talking to pupils, parents, staff, governors and trustees, school hubs, public sector buying organisations and other local schools;
• avoiding last-minute purchases, which can be more expensive, unsuitable, incompatible or quickly obsolete;
• checking what you already have — refurbishing or repurposing may give the same outcome for less;
• checking compatibility with your existing systems (GOV.UK’s example: Apple laptops won’t be directly compatible with an existing Windows set-up).

The DfE’s free Plan technology for your school service lets schools self-assess against the digital standards and get recommendations.

Buying routes

GOV.UK describes two options: use a framework, or run your own procurement.

Frameworks have already been through a competitive tender and compliance checks. The DfE’s Get help buying for schools service lists DfE-approved options and offers free procurement advice. On 6 November 2026, its list for laptops, printers and ICT hardware included:

• GCA purchasing platform catalogue — Government Commercial Agency (catalogue);
• ICT hardware and peripherals equipment — CPC (framework);
• IT, hardware, ITAD & associated services — Procurement Services (framework, including secure disposal);
• Multifunctional devices and associated products and services — CPC;
• Multifunctional Devices, GovPrint Hardware, Managed Print Provision and Digital Workflow Software Services — Government Commercial Agency;
• Sustainable hardware, asset recycling and data destruction — YPO;
• Technology products and associated services 2 — Government Commercial Agency (catalogue and framework).

Check the service for the current list and any expiry dates.

Your own procurement: for lower-value purchases, GOV.UK says to research the market and get at least three quotes. Above the public procurement threshold you must advertise the contract and run a competitive tender. Your trust or local authority may have its own financial rules.

Licences and subscriptions

Management is usually a licence per device or per user, and the terms vary:

• Chromebooks: Google says standalone ChromeOS Education Upgrade is perpetual — it covers the life of the device it is enrolled to — while devices can also be bought with the upgrade bundled. The ChromeOS Enterprise Upgrade is annual. See Managing Chromebooks.
• MDM services for iPads, Macs and Windows are commonly subscriptions. Check what happens to your devices and data if a subscription lapses.

The DfE cyber security standard asks schools to record licence expiry dates in a contracts register so finance staff can budget for renewals, and to review that register each term.

The whole-life cost

When comparing quotes, include:

• Support and updates: the DfE devices standard asks for 3 years of support and security patches for tablets and 5 years for laptops and desktops, and warranties of 2 years for tablets and 3 years for laptops and desktops.
• Protection and accessories: cases, styluses, headphones and display adapters — see classroom kit.
• Storage and charging: trolleys and cabinets, plus space and power where they will live.
• Connectivity: more devices need reliable Wi-Fi and broadband. Our sister site Broadband for Schools explains the DfE connectivity standards, and Broadband for Education covers colleges.
• People: who will set up, support and repair devices.
• The end of life: secure disposal with certificates — see Retiring school devices safely.

A note on buying from Amazon

This site links to Amazon.co.uk for accessories, and we earn from qualifying purchases. For large orders, your school’s financial regulations, VAT handling and warranty support may point you to a framework or an education reseller instead. Many charging trolleys and education cases are mainly sold through resellers.