Early Years Education Funding

Two Year Old Funding

Government Funding is available for two year olds, the term after their second birthday, if the following criteria is met:

Children must meet either criterion A, B or C to be eligible for funding.

Criterion A – Economic:

Children whose parents/guardians are in receipt of one or more of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Income based Job Seekers Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The Guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit and have an annual gross household income of no more than £16,190 as assessed by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs
• Working Tax Credits and have an annual household gross income of no more than £16,190, as assessed by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs

N.B. If receiving Working Tax Credits please enclose a copy of your TC602 Tax Credit Award Notice with your fully completed Request Form.

Criterion B – Children looked after by the Local Authority:

• Child in Care
• Child Leaving Care in Special Guardianship, adoption or residence order

N.B. Details of a Social Worker able to verify the above information is required

Criterion C – Child with Special Educational Needs and / or Disability as defined by:

• Children in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• Child with a Statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN)
• Child with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC Plan) - details to come

(Taken from Services for Young Children, 2014)

We offer a Standard Funding option and a Stretched Funding option.  Please see the nect page for more information.

Three & Four Year Old Funding

All Children are entitled to 570 hours per year (Universal Entitlement) of Early Years Education Funding the term after their third birthday, until they start school.  Government fund 38 weeks per year often term is 40 weeks extra weeks will be funded by parents or children will not attend.  The table details the funding start dates on the next page: 

An ‘Extended Entitlement’ of a further 15 hours may be available for working parents, totalling 1170 hours for those who meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Both parents (or lone parent if you are a single parent family) work at least 16 hours per week/ earn at least £120 per week (£6000 per year).

• Both parents (or lone parent if you are a single parent family) earn less than £100,000 each, per year.

If you think you meet the above criteria please visit ‘Childcare Choice’ to find out what support is available to you.  You can apply for the ‘Extended Entitlement’ by visiting: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

You will then be given an Eligibility Code which you will need to pass onto us along with your National Insurance Number and a copy of your child’s ID, either their birth certificate of passport.  This information will be collected on the Registration Form on page 16. It is the parent’s responsibility to check your eligibility with HMRC every 3 months so you can continue to receive the ‘Extended Entitlement’.  

We offer two different options of funding known as the Standard Offer and the Stretched Offer.

Standard Offer

This option entitles your child to 15 hour of free funding (or up to 30 hours if eligible for the ‘Extended Entitlement’) during Term-Time only.  If your child attends during the holidays too, full fees will apply during this time. 

Stretched Offer

This option entitles you to 11 hours free funding (or up to 22 hours if eligible for the ‘Extended Entitlement’) all year round (50 weeks of the year), including the school holidays.

Declaration forms are distributed and you can either choose to claim for the upcoming term or the whole year ahead.  For more information, please do not hesitate to ask one of the team.