EARLY DAYS DAY NURSERY
Childcare Funding and Help with Childcare Costs
INFORMATION PACK

Early Days Day Nursery offers a range of private and government-funded childcare options for eligible families. Depending on your child’s age and your family’s circumstances, you may be eligible for:

• Free Childcare for Working Parents

• Universal 15-hour childcare for three- and four-year-olds

• 15-hour childcare for eligible two-year-olds

• Tax-Free Childcare

• Universal Credit childcare support

• Childcare support through your college

• Childcare Grant for eligible university students

Our team can explain the childcare options available at our nursery and support you with the nursery registration process. However, parents and carers are responsible for checking their eligibility and completing any applications required by the government, their college or university, or the relevant benefits service.

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Important information about availability

Eligibility for government-funded childcare does not automatically guarantee a nursery place or a particular attendance pattern.

All funded places and attendance patterns are subject to:

• Nursery availability

• Staffing arrangements

• Room capacity and staff-to-child ratios

• Your child’s age

• Your preferred starting date

• A valid eligibility code, where required

• The nursery’s admissions and funding policies

Please speak to the Nursery Manager before making any arrangements based on the availability of a funded childcare place.

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Government-Funded Childcare

 

Free Childcare for Working Parents

Eligible working parents in England may receive up to 30 hours of funded childcare per week for children aged from 9 months to 4 years.

Parents can apply from when their child is 23 weeks old. If the application is approved, they will receive an 11-digit eligibility code to give to the nursery.

Parents must reconfirm their eligibility through their childcare account every three months.

Check your eligibility and apply through GOV.UK

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Universal 15 Hours for Three- and Four-Year-Olds

All three- and four-year-old children in England are entitled to:

• 15 funded hours per week

• 38 term-time weeks per year

• A total of 570 funded hours per year

The entitlement normally begins at the start of the school term following the child’s third birthday.

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Funded Childcare for Eligible Two-Year-Olds

Some two-year-old children may qualify for 15 hours of funded early education and childcare each week.

Eligibility may be based on the family’s financial circumstances or the child’s individual needs. This may include children who:

• Have an Education, Health and Care Plan

• Receive Disability Living Allowance

• Are looked after by a local authority

• Have left care under an adoption order, special guardianship order or child arrangements order

Check what childcare support you may be entitled to

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Funding Models at Early Days Day Nursery

Our funding models are designed to provide the full annual entitlement:

• 15-hour entitlement: 570 hours per year

• 30-hour entitlement: 1,140 hours per year

Families must select one of the nursery’s approved attendance patterns. Places within each pattern may be limited to maintain safe staffing levels, appropriate staff-to-child ratios and fair access for families.

15-Hour Funding

Term-Time Model

15-Hour Funding

The 15-hour funded entitlement is offered over:

• 15 funded hours per week

• 38 term-time weeks

• 570 funded hours per year

Parents must choose one of the following attendance patterns.

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Option 1: Two Full Days

• Two days per week

• 9:00am–4:30pm

• 7.5 funded hours per day

• Total: 15 funded hours per week

• Meals and consumables: £70 every six weeks

Option 2: Five Morning Sessions

• Monday to Friday

• 9:00am–12:00pm

• Three funded hours per day

• Total: 15 funded hours per week

• Meals and consumables: £40 every six weeks

Option 3: Five Afternoon Sessions

• Monday to Friday

• 1:00pm–4:00pm

• Three funded hours per day

• Total: 15 funded hours per week

• Meals and consumables: £40 every six weeks

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30-Hour Funding

Eligible families may choose either a stretched model or a term-time-only model.

Option A: Stretched over 48 Weeks

The annual entitlement is divided across 48 weeks:

• 23 hours and 45 minutes per week

• 48 weeks per year

• Total: 1,140 funded hours per year

• Funded attendance is available between 8:00am and 6:00pm, according to the approved patterns below

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Pattern 1: Five Morning Sessions

• Monday to Friday

• 8:00am–12:45pm

• Four hours and 45 minutes per day

• Total: 23 hours and 45 minutes per week

• Meals and consumables: £100 every six weeks

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Pattern 2: Five Afternoon Sessions

• Monday to Friday

• 1:00pm–5:45pm

• Four hours and 45 minutes per day

• Total: 23 hours and 45 minutes per week

• Meals and consumables: £100 every six weeks

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Pattern 3: Two Full Days and a Wednesday Half-Day

Parents may choose one of the following patterns:

Beginning of the week

• Monday: 8:00am–5:45pm

• Tuesday: 8:00am–5:45pm

• Wednesday morning: 8:00am–12:15pm

Or

End of the week

• Wednesday afternoon: 1:00pm–5:15pm

• Thursday: 8:00am–5:45pm

• Friday: 8:00am–5:45pm

Total: 23 hours and 45 minutes per week

Meals and consumables: £100 every six weeks

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Option B: Term-Time Only

The full 30-hour entitlement is provided over 38 term-time weeks:

• 30 funded hours per week

• 38 term-time weeks

• Total: 1,140 funded hours per year

Parents must choose one of the following attendance patterns.

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Pattern 1: Three Full Days

• Any three agreed days

• 8:00am–6:00pm

• 10 funded hours per day

• Total: 30 funded hours per week

• Meals and consumables: £100 every six weeks

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Pattern 2: Five Six-Hour Sessions

• Monday to Friday

• 9:00am–3:00pm

• Six funded hours per day

• Total: 30 funded hours per week

• Meals and consumables: £100 every six weeks

 

Additional Hours and Charges

Government funding covers eligible early education and childcare hours. It does not automatically cover every service provided by the nursery.

The following may be charged separately:

• Early starts between 7:30am and 8:00am

• Time outside the selected funded attendance pattern

• Additional or extended hours

• Extra days or sessions

• Ad hoc or emergency bookings

• Holiday childcare for children attending on a term-time-only basis

• Meals and snacks

• Nappies and other consumables

• Optional trips or activities

All additional charges will be explained clearly and itemised separately on nursery invoices.

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Additional Session Prices

• Extra hours of up to three hours: £15 per hour

• Part-hours may be charged in hourly blocks

• Sessions lasting more than three hours: £55 half-day rate

• Full day: £75

• Full week: £375

• Emergency full day: £80

Any changes to our fees will be communicated to parents in accordance with the nursery agreement.

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Bank Holidays and Nursery Closures

• Term-time funding is available only during the nursery’s published funded term dates.

• The stretched entitlement is calculated across 48 weeks.

• Funded hours cannot normally be transferred, exchanged or made up if a child does not attend.

• Sessions missed because of illness, holidays, absence, bank holidays or scheduled nursery closures cannot normally be moved to another day.

• Parents should refer to the nursery calendar and Parent Agreement for full details of closure dates and payment arrangements.

 

Transparent Invoicing

To ensure our invoices are clear and transparent:

• All government-funded hours will be shown as £0.00.

• Any meals, consumables, additional hours or optional services will be listed separately.

• There will be no compulsory top-up charge for funded hours.

• Funded hours will not be sold, discounted or exchanged.

• Fully funded places are available, subject to eligibility, availability and the nursery’s admissions arrangements.

• Parents may discuss reasonable alternatives with the Nursery Manager if they do not wish to purchase optional extras.

 

Tax-Free Childcare

Early Days Day Nursery accepts payments through the Tax-Free Childcare scheme.

For every £8 an eligible parent pays into their childcare account, the government adds £2. Eligible families may receive up to £2,000 per child each year, or up to £4,000 for a disabled child.

Tax-Free Childcare may be used towards:

• Private nursery fees

• Additional childcare hours

• Meals, nappies and trips where these are provided by the nursery

• Holiday or extended childcare

Parents must reconfirm their eligibility every three months.

Check your eligibility for Tax-Free Childcare

 

Universal Credit Childcare Support

Working families receiving Universal Credit may be able to claim back up to 85% of their eligible childcare costs.

Parents will normally need to:

1. Pay the childcare costs.

2. Report the payment through their Universal Credit account.

3. Provide evidence, such as a paid invoice, receipt or bank statement.

Support with upfront childcare costs may also be available when starting work, increasing working hours or returning from parental leave.

Parents cannot normally receive Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit childcare support at the same time.

Find out about Universal Credit childcare support

 

Childcare Support for College Students

Childcare support for further education students depends on the student’s age, course and individual circumstances.

 

Students Aged Under 20

The Care to Learn scheme may help with childcare costs if the student:

• Is under 20 at the beginning of their course

• Is attending an eligible publicly funded course in England

• Uses an eligible registered childcare provider

Find out about Care to Learn

 

Students Aged 19 or Over

Students aged 19 or over who are attending a further education course and experiencing financial hardship may be eligible for Learner Support.

Learner Support may help with childcare costs. Applications must be made directly through the student’s college or learning provider.

Find out about Learner Support

Early Days Day Nursery can provide the nursery information and supporting documents requested by the college. However, eligibility and funding decisions are made by the college or the relevant funding scheme.

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Childcare Grant for University Students

Eligible full-time higher education students may receive help with childcare costs through the Childcare Grant.

The grant may be available to students who:

• Are studying a full-time higher education course worth at least 120 credits per year

• Are eligible for student finance

• Have a child under the age of 15

• Have a child under the age of 17 with special educational needs

The Childcare Grant does not normally have to be repaid and is paid in addition to other student finance.

University students must apply through Student Finance England and follow the Childcare Grant Payment Service process.

Check your eligibility for a Childcare Grant

 

Apply for a Funded Place

Before a funded place can be confirmed, please provide:

• Your child’s full name

• Your child’s date of birth

• Your preferred starting date

• The days and hours you require

• The type of funding or childcare support you intend to use

• Your valid eligibility code, where applicable

• The parent’s National Insurance number, where required for validation

• Any relevant college, university or funding documents

The Nursery Manager will check your child’s eligibility, the relevant room capacity and the availability of your preferred attendance pattern.

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