EXPANDED CHILDCARE FUNDING IS COMING SOON!!

Earlier this year the government announced the expansion of childcare funding for working families with children from 9 months to 3 years old.

Currently for working families childcare funding is available for children aged 3-4 years.

• Up to 30 hours of early education over 38 weeks of the year.
• To access childcare funding, parents have to complete applications prior to the beginning of each term, for which children are eligible for childcare funding.
• Some providers will allow you to ‘stretch’ the hours over the whole year, using fewer hours per week (approximately 11 or 22 hours).
• Nurseries may apply additional charges to cover the costs of providing food, nappies, wipes, suncream, trips and external instructors for your children.
• To be eligible for 30 hours childcare funding you must earn more than £125 per week but less than £100,000 per year, this applies to both partners for couples. Up to 15 hours of early education over 38 weeks of the year are available universally for all families with children aged 3-4 years, even if they do not meet the eligibility criteria for 30 hours.

WHEN CAN YOU GET YOUR CHILDCARE FUNDING

From Apr 2024 – Up to 15 hours for eligible working families in England with a 2-year-old.

From Sept 2024 – Up to 15 hours for eligible working families in England with a child between 9 and 23 months old.

From Sept 2025 – Up to 30 hours for eligible working families in England with a child from 9 months old up to school age.

HOW TO APPLY FOR CHILDCARE FUNDING

Parents of children aged 2 as of 1st April 2024, will be able to apply for the new 2-year funding for the Summer Term 2024 from 2nd January 2024

Go to www.childcarechoices.gov.uk for information updates and for making applications for childcare funding.

If you haven’t already got one, you will first need to set up a government gateway account which you can do from the same website. During the application, you will be requested for information such as National Insurance and Passport numbers to verify your ID. You will be asked to confirm that you meet the eligibility criteria.

We will be providing more updates soon, but if you have any questions or issues, we are here to help. Give us a call or pop into the nursery for an informal chat.

Tiny Toes Nursery Ltd, 59 Ware Road Hoddesdon, Herts. EN11 9AB: Tel 01992 450437