Early education funding for two, three and four-year-olds
Frequently asked questions
When can a child access a funded place? Section 2.1
2Help places: eligible two-year-old children are funded from the start of the following term after their second birthday until they are eligible for the three and four-year-old Universal Entitlement
Universal Entitlement for three and four-year-olds: all children are funded from the start of the following term after their third birthday, all children are entitled to up to six terms of funded early education before reaching statutory school age (the first term following their fifth birthday)
Working Parent Entitlements: eligible children are funded from the start of the following term after their second birthday until they reach statutory school age (the first term following their fifth birthday). From September 2024, eligible children are funded from the start of the following term after they turn nine months until they reach statutory school age (the first term following their fifth birthday)
Depending on local arrangements for admission to school, many children start full time education in school reception classes before reaching compulsory school age
The start date of each term is on or after:
Autumn term - 1 September
Spring term - 1 January
Summer term - 1 April
What is the minimum funded early education entitlement? Section 2.1
The 2Help two-year-old funded entitlement with an EY Voucher Code, is for up to 570 hours per year delivered over a minimum of 38 weeks of the year (equating to 15 hours a week)
The three and four-year-old Universal funded entitlement is for up to 570 hours per year delivered over a minimum of 38 weeks of the year (equating to 15 hours a week)
The Working Parent (Expanded) Entitlement with an eligibility code, for two-year-olds from April 2024 and for children aged nine months from September 2024, is for up to 570 hours per year delivered over a minimum of 38 weeks of the year (equating to 15 hours a week)
From September 2025, the Working Parent (Expanded) Entitlement with an eligibility code, for children aged nine months is for up to 1140 hours per year delivered over a minimum of 38 weeks of the year (equating to 30 hours a week)
The three and four-year-olds Working Parent (Extended) entitlement with an eligibility code, is up to an additional 570 hours per year delivered over a minimum of 38 weeks of the year (equating to 15 hours a week)
If both the three and four-year-old Universal and Working Parent Extended hours are used, the entitlements are up to 1140 hours funding per year delivered over a minimum of 38 weeks of the year (equating to 30 hours a week)
The funded entitlement is a guarantee of a funded place, but it does not offer a guarantee of a place at any one specific provider or a particular pattern of provision
Parents may need to contact more than one provider to obtain the offer that meets their particular circumstances
What if providers are not open for the full 38 weeks?
A parent can choose a provider that is open for fewer than 38 weeks of the year and receive 15 or 30 hours per week during fewer weeks
The funded entitlement hours cannot be compressed. A parent cannot take more than 15 or 30 hours per week over fewer than 38 weeks of the year
Does it matter which local authority the child is resident in?
All local authorities have a duty to provide sufficient childcare, so far as is reasonably practicable, for the Universal three and four-year-olds entitlement, the 2Help two-year-old entitlement and the Working Parent Entitlements.
Local authorities receive funding for the number of children attending funded Early Entitlement places within their area, regardless of where the children live
No child should be refused a funded place based on where they live and the local authority in whose area the setting is situated will receive and administer the funding
Will parents be expected to make a financial contribution towards their child’s funded early education place? Section 2.5
Parents cannot be required to contribute to the cost of the basic funded entitlement but may be charged fees for meals, other consumables, additional hours or additional services
Parents should be made aware of these charges in advance of their child taking up a funded place
Providers must not levy any fee in respect of the funded entitlement, nor should they charge parents fees in advance for their entitlement to be refunded later (other than a deposit to reserve a place, which must be refunded within a reasonable time scale)
All invoices for parents must clearly show the number of funded entitlement hours they have received completely free, and how the charges have been calculated for any additional hours, services or consumables that the parent has agreed to pay for over and above the funded entitlements
Do parents have a right to a place with a particular provider?
The right to a funded early education place is for a funded place in the local area, not the right to a funded place with a particular provider or for a specific session
What happens to the early years entitlements funding if a child moves from one provider to another during the course of a term? Section 2.3.9 and 2.3.10
Normally the setting where the child is attending during headcount week receives the funding for the whole of the term
Adjustments to payments for the early entitlements funding will only be made in exceptional circumstances as outlined in Section 2.3.11 of the Requirements of Early Education and Childcare Funding Entitlements
What happens if a child attends sessions at more than one provider?
Parents should detail the hours and pattern of attendance for all settings their child attends on the Parental/Guardian Declaration Form
Where a child attends two providers and receives in total more than the minimum funded entitlement, if a local agreement cannot be made on how the funding will be allocated, the local authority will apportion the amount of funding payable in respect of that child, based on the number of hours accessed at each provision on a pro-rata basis
Can parents receive the early entitlements funding if their child attends both a School Nursery and PVI provider?
The same rules apply to the Maintained Nursery Class or School and PVI sector. Parents should detail the hours and pattern of attendance for all settings their child attends on the Parental/Guardian Declaration Form (PDF)
If a child attends two providers and receives in total more than the minimum funded entitlement, if a local agreement cannot be made on how the funding will be allocated, the local authority will apportion the amount of funding payable in respect of that child based on the number of funded hours accessed at each provision on a pro-rata basis
How is funding for the provision of the early years entitlements places allocated to local authorities?
Funding is provided through the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), which is a ring-fenced grant provided to Local Authorities to fund educational provision in all types of providers. This includes Private, Voluntary and Independent providers offering the funded early years entitlements
The Warwickshire Schools Forum approves how the DSG is allocated, and the Early Years sector has representatives who sit on this body. Local Authorities have a statutory duty to secure sufficient funded places for the Universal three and four-year-olds entitlement, the 2Help two-year-old entitlement and the Working Parent Entitlements
Local authorities are responsible for determining the rate at which providers will be funded for delivering the funded entitlements and the arrangements for making associated payments
The Warwickshire Schools Forum and the EY Funding Working Group approves the level of funding rates for early years providers, based on the Department for Education’s guidance
