Early Years Education Funding
The 3 & 4-year-old universal funding (also known as 15 hours funding) is available to ALL children the term after their 3rd birthday and continues until they start school. The 3 & 4-year-old universal funding entitles you to 570 hours a year.
2 Year Old Supported Funding
We are pleased to be able to offer 2-year-old supported funded spaces.
Families with 2-year-old children who meet the criteria below can apply for supported funding for 2-year-olds. Somerset County Council will pay for a place for up to 570 hours over the year at a registered childcare provider. A maximum of 15 hours per week is available term time only. Children become eligible in the funding period after their second birthday. (Extract taken from Somerset.gov.uk)
Am I entitled?
Families who receive any of the following are entitled to funding for 2 year olds:
- Universal Credit
- Income Support (IS)
- Employment Support Allowance (Income Related) - not Contribution related
- Income-based Job Seekers Allowance (IBJSA) - not Contribution based
- Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Child Tax Credit with an annual taxable income (as assessed by HM Revenue and Customs) of less than £16,190
- Working Tax Credit with an annual taxable income (as assessed by HM Revenue and Customs) of less than £16,190
Children are entitled if any of the
following apply to them:
- Children who are 2 and receive Disability Living Allowance
- Children who are 2 and have been adopted, or who have left care through special guardianship or child arrangement orders
- Children who are 2 and have a Statement of Special Educational Needs/Education Health and Care Plan
- Children who are 2 and are looked after by the local authority
3 - Year Funding
Somerset provides the opportunity for the “Stretched Entitlement” offer, this means your child is allocated 570 hours per year. This is given the term after their 2nd (check eligibility) or 3rd birthday.
If you opt for your child to attend nursery on an all-year-round basis your entitlement will automatically be 'stretched' across the year, this means that the 570 your child is entitled to will be divided by the 50 weeks we are open leaving you with either a maximum of 11.4 a week to be claimed.
If your child attends 'term time only' they will only attend for 38 weeks of the year (compared to 39 for most schools) and your funding will be split equally across the 38 weeks leaving you with a maximum of 15 a week to be claimed.
If you are unsure of what funding may be available to you visit the childcare choices website where you will be able to see what you are eligible for.
Allocation
You are allocated 570 hours the term after your child’s birthday. At present our hourly rate for funded hours is £3.70.
570 x £3.70 = £2109.00 per year
If you would like more information please email us.
Restrictions
No more than 10 hours to be used a day
EYEF does not cover extra costs, such as meals and extra activities
No more than 15 hours per week, if used on a ‘Term Time Only’ place
No more than 11 hours per week, if used on an ‘All Year Round’ place
Funding can only be used for our ' educational sessions' for more information please ask
Funding Term dates
Autumn Term Dates
1st September to 31st December
Spring Term Dates
1st January to 31st March
Summer Term Dates
1st April to 31st August
Working Families Funding Explained
From September 2025 eligible families of children who are 9 months + will be able to access 30 hours working families funding the term after their child turns 9 months old.
Parents of these children will need to meet the following criteria in order to be eligible for up to 30 hours of funded childcare:
You, and any partner, must each expect to earn (on average) at least £152 per week (equal to 16 hours at the National Minimum or Living Wage).
If you, or your partner, are on maternity, paternity or adoption leave, or you're unable to work because you are disabled or have caring responsibilities, you could still be eligible.
You can't get 30 hours of free childcare if either you or your partner, each individually expect to earn £100,000 or more.
You can find out more information on this and the government's new Tax-Free Childcare scheme by visiting Childcare Choices and answering a few simple questions. Otherwise, pop into The Olive Tree Nursery and we will be more than happy to help.
PLEASE NOTE
This funding is only available for 38 weeks of the year. If you wish to use this funding on an 'all year round' basis it will not equate to 30 hours a week. If you use these hours on an ' all year round' basis you will have 22.8 hours per week.
30-hour funding x 38 funded weeks = 1,140 hours per year.
1,140 funded hours / 50 weeks of the year = 22.8 hours per week.