1. Funding for 3 – 4 year olds

Universal entitlement funding of 15 hours a week is available for all children the term after their third birthday. Please note that for the purpose of eligibility, the Department of Education states that terms are from 1st January, 1st April and 1st September irrespective of the actual date the term starts.

Taken over term time all children are eligible for a a maximum of 15 hours of funding per week for 38 weeks per year. You can book a mixture of funded hours and full price sessions. The minimum daily booking is 3 hours.

You will receive the necessary form to complete the term before your child is eligible for funding. Brookside Preschool processes the Early Years Funding application and receives the funding direct.

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2. Extended funding for 3 - 4 year olds

From September 2017 the Government is allowing providers to provide up to a total of 30 hours of funded childcare. Children become eligible in the term after they turn three (see  above).

In addition both parents must be working, or the sole parent is working in a lone parent family, and each parent earns on average:

· A weekly minimum equivalent to 16 hours at national minimum wage or national living wage; and

· Less than £100,000 per year

Eligibility for the additional funded hours will be determined by the HMRC which has developed and will maintain a system where parents will undertake their own eligibility check twice per term.

If a parent loses eligibility they will receive a ‘grace period’ – this means they will be able to keep their childcare for a short period.  Once the ‘grace period’ has lapsed, the parent should still be entitled to the universal 15-hour entitlement.

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3. Funding for 2 year olds

Funding for two year olds is dependent upon eligibility and must be made through the local authority.

To claim this, you must be getting one of the following:

 -Income Support

-income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)

-income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

-support through part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act

-the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit

-Child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit) and have an annual income not over £16,190

-the Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)

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For more information, please refer to the following links:

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https://www.stockport.gov.uk/topic/early-years-and-childcare

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https://www.gov.uk/free-early-education

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https://www.stockport.gov.uk/free-childcare-for-2-year-olds

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https://www.stockport.gov.uk/funded-childcare-for-3-and-4-year-olds

 

 

 

The date you can claim funded early years education or childcare depend on your child's birthday is, for example:

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Child’s birthday                    When you can claim

1 January to 31 March       the beginning of term on or after 1 April

1 April to 31 August            the beginning of term on or after 1 Sept

1 Sept to 31 Dec                   the beginning of term on or after 1 Jan