Government Funding

Currently, there are 3 possible funding schemes available to eligible parents:

1. Tax-Free Childcare

If you qualify for Tax-Free Childcare, you can receive up to £500 from the Government every 3 months (up to £2,000 a year) for each of your children to help with the costs of childcare.

To check your eligibility and apply, visit www.gov.uk/applyfortaxfreechildcare.

You can get Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as Universal Early Years Funding or Extended Childcare Entitlement for working families, if you are eligible for both.

2. Universal Early Years Funding for Three and Four-Year-Olds

The Government’s universal funding scheme is available for all 3 and 4-year-olds from the term after their third birthday. 15 hours of childcare are applied across 38 weeks of the year.

3. Extended Childcare Entitlement for Working Families

Eligible working parents of children from 9 months upwards will be able to access 30 hours of childcare support across 38 weeks a year.

To maintain your Extended Childcare Entitlement, your details need to be updated every three months. This can be done by checking on the government tax-free childcare website.

Once you have applied for and received an 11-digit code, this should be shared with the Nursery alongside your National Insurance number of the parent who applied for the code.

Where can parents get their funding code?

In order to get your funding code, you should apply via the ‘Best Start in Life’ parent hub. Please find a link to this website below:
www.beststartinlife.gov.uk

When does funding begin for my child?

For those that are eligible, funding starts the qualifying term after your child turns a specific age, e.g. 9 months or 3 years.

How funding is allocated at Playdays Nursery:

The Universal Early Years Funding and Extended Childcare Entitlement for working families funding is provided for 38 weeks per year. At Playdays Nursery, funded hours are ‘stretched’ over the 51 weeks that the nursery is open. For each of the 51 weeks your child attends nursery, you will receive approximately 11 funded hours per week from the Government’s Universal Early Years funding or approximately 22 hours per week for the Extended Childcare Entitlement for working families, if eligible for it. We ensure that the full number of free hours allocated to your child by the Local authority is shown on your invoices.

Parents accessing a funded only place may choose to pay the consumables charge voluntarily, or to provide essential extras and consumables not covered by funding. If you are looking for a funded only place, then please contact us and let us know at the point of registration.

Free funding entitlement is subject to your child’s eligibility and nursery availability. Please speak to the nursery manager to find out more.

Sessional and Additional Optional Charges:

The government funding is not intended to cover the full cost of childcare. It does not include essential extras like meals, nappies, wipes and additional hours. You are still responsible for these items even if you are eligible for funding.

As part of our curriculum, we offer baby yoga, music& movement classes, French lessons and outdoor learning. Therefore, there is no additional charge, however, the days are set each week and not guaranteed with your child’s place.

Additional charges will be charged according to the following table: (Please click on your preferred nursery location)