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Funded Early Education Sessions

Existing Funded Childcare For 2 Year Olds Eligibility Checker Early Years Pupil Premium Eligibility Checker

Changes to nursery and pre-school childcare

If you are enquiring about the NEW Funded Childcare Entitlement for Working Parents of 2 Year Olds, please visit the GOV.UK website for information, and to apply, please use the Childcare Choices website

In March 2023 the government announced it is extending funded childcare to support more parents to return to work or increase their working hours, after their parental leave ends.

By September 2025, working parents of all children over the age of 9 months will be entitled to 30 hours of funded childcare. To enable childcare providers to prepare to deliver such a major expansion, it will be rolled out in phases: ​​

  • from April 2024, working parents of 2 year olds will be able to access 15 hours funded childcare
  • from September 2024, 15 hours funded childcare will be extended to all children from the age of 9 months​​
  • from September 2025, working parents of children from the age of 9 months to 4 years old will be entitled to 30 hours funded childcare per week

As more details become available, this webpage will be updated and the Families Information Team can be contacted on 01325 406222 or email[email protected]. if you have any queries.

15 Hours Funded Childcare for 2 Year Olds

General Information

Some two year olds in Darlington are eligible for 15 hours of funded childcare a week during term time (no fewer than 38 weeks of the year). Parents are also able to ‘stretch’ the offer so that they take fewer than 15 hours a week over more than 38 weeks of the year to enable childcare to be accessed during school holidays.

Eligible children accessing the full entitlement can benefit from up to 570 hours of funded childcare a year. Each session should be no shorter than 2.5 hours long or no longer than 10 hours long and your child must attend the setting for a minimum of two days per week to receive their full entitlement.

All places are subject to availability at the chosen provider. This entitlement is funded at the point of access for parents but should parents/carers require childcare for additional hours, over and above the entitlement, the provider will charge for this.

You should ask for a breakdown of fees detailing the number of funded hours that are being provided, and the hours that are being charged for.

Eligible children become entitled from the following dates:

Entitlement dates
Child's 2nd birthday between Entitled from
1 January - 31 March 1 April after their 2nd birthday until they access their early years entitlement
1 April - 31 August 1 September after their 2nd birthday until they access their early years entitlement
1 September - 31 December 1 January after their 2nd birthday until they access their early years entitlement

 

Eligibility Criteria

Children of families who are in receipt of the following benefits may be eligible:

  • Income support.
  • Income based Jobseekers Allowance.
  • Income related Employment and Support Allowance.
  • Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
  • The guarantee element of State Pension Credit.
  • Universal Credits (for children born after 31st December 2015, if a parent is entitled to Universal Credit they must have an annual net earned income equivalent to and not exceeding £15,400, assessed on up to three of the parent’s most recent Universal Credit assessment periods).
  • Tax Credits and have an annual income of under £16,190 before tax.
  • The Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment parents receive when they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit).

To check if your child is eligible you can use the 15 hours funded childcare for 2 year olds online checker. You will need your national insurance number. You will need your national insurance number. You should not run the online check more than two terms before your child may be eligible.

You can also speak with your childcare provider about eligibility or you can ring the Families Information Team on 01325 406222 (option 7) or email [email protected].

If the online eligibility checker indicates you are not eligible under the Free School Meals criteria, you may be eligible under other criteria.

The following children are also eligible under non-income based criteria:

  • They have a current statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN) or an Education, Health and Care Plan
  • They get Disability Living Allowance
  • They have been adopted from Local Authority care
  • They have left care under a Special Guardianship Order, Child Arrangements Order which specifies with whom the child lives or an Adoption Order
  • They are looked after by a local Council.
  • Their parents are excluded from claiming public funds as a consequence of their immigration status, or their lack of immigration status
  • Their parents are in receipt of support under section 17 of the Children Act 1989.

From September 2022, the Department for Education has extended the eligibility for the 2 year old early education entitlement to children from all families with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF), subject to the maximum income thresholds as follows:

  • £26,500 for families outside of London with one child.
  • £34,500 for families within London with one child.
  • £30,600 for families outside of London with two or more children.
  • £38,600 for families within London with two or more children.
  • A maximum capital threshold of £16,000 in all areas.

Families with No Recourse to Public Funds include, but may not be limited to children of:

  • Zambrano carers
  • families who have no recourse to public funds with a right to remain in the UK on grounds of private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights
  • families receiving support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 who are also subject to a no recourse to public funds restriction
  • those who have claimed asylum in the UK and are waiting for a decision (known as ‘part 6’)
  • a subset of failed asylum seekers supported under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • Chen carers
  • families holding a BN(O) passport
  • spousal visa holders
  • work visa holders
  • student visa holders
  • those with no immigration status
  • those with a UK Ancestry Visa
  • those with temporary protection status under Section 12 of the Immigration and Nationality Act
  • those with pre-settled status who do not meet the qualifying right to reside test.

If you believe you meet any of the above non-income based criteria please speak with your childcare provider or you can contact the Families Information Team on 01325 406222 (option 7) or by emailing [email protected]

We will then be able to confirm whether you are eligible and provide you with the supporting documentation to enable you to approach your chosen childcare provider to request your funded place.

15 Hours Funded Childcare for 3-4 Year Olds

If your child is three or four years old, they will be entitled to to up to 15 hours of flexible funded early education sessions every week. Parents will be able to claim the 15 hours per week over at least two days. However, for some children it may be more appropriate for a child to access their 15 hour entitlement over more days per week for shorter periods of time.

Children are eligible from the term after their third birthday until they go into reception class, or up to and including the term in which the child turns five years old.

Entitlement dates
Child's 3rd birthday between Entitled from
1 January - 31 March 1 April after their third birthday up to and including the term in which the child turns five.
1 April - 31 August 1 September after their third birthday up to and including the term in which the child turns five. 
1 September - 31 December 1 January after their third birthday up to and including the term in which the child turns five.

How does my child qualify?

Your child must:

  • Be attending either a private day nursery, playgroup, pre-school group, independent school or accredited childminder who are registered with Darlington Early Years Service and who provide early education for children aged three and four years.
  • Be attending your chosen setting on the 'headcount' date. This is usually the third Thursday in each new school term.

How do I apply?

Your provider will apply on your behalf however, you will be asked to sign a form to declare whether your child is attending another early education setting either in Darlington or in an other Authority.

How do I receive the grant?

The grant is paid to the provider. If your child is only attending the setting for 5 x 3 hour early education sessions then you should not be asked to pay anything. However, if you are purchasing additional services then the provider will pass the grant onto you in the form of reduced fees.

How is the grant allocated?

  • The grant is allocated depending on the number of sessions your child attends (totalling no more than 5).
  • If your child attends more than 1 setting, each provider will receive a proportionate amount of the grant. You cannot choose which provider will receive the grant.
  • If your child attends a LEA nursery school/unit for any number of sessions the grant is allocated to the school.

Working Parents Entitlement for 2, 3, & 4 4 Year Olds

General Information

From April 2024, 2 year olds of eligible working parents will be able to access an early education and childcare place of up to 15 hours a week. Some 3 and 4 year olds in Darlington will be able to access an extended early education and childcare place of up to 30 hours a week. In other words, in addition to their weekly universal entitlement of 15 hours a week, they will also be eligible for an additional 15 hours a week.

This additional entitlement must be taken over no fewer than 38 weeks of the year or during term-time. However, parents/carers can ‘stretch’ this entitlement so that they take fewer hours per week but extend these to cover school holiday periods. For example, if you require childcare all year round and you use a day nursery or a childminder which is open for 50 weeks a year, you could take 22.8 hours of funded childcare a week. The relevant dates for access to the 30 hours childcare are the same as those for the universal entitlement as above.

Children are eligible from the term after their appropriate birthday, depending upon the entitlement they are accessing, until they go into reception class, or up to and including the term in which the child turns five years old.

No session is to be longer than 10 hours and the entitlement cannot be taken before 6am or after 8pm. Parents/carers may use a maximum of up to three providers in a single day to access the entitlement but are limited to taking up the funded entitlement across two sites in a single day.

If you are using more than one childcare provider or a school and a childcare provider to access your 30 hours you must let each setting know that you are using other provision. The entitlement can be accessed in appropriate private day nurseries, playgroups, childminders, out of schools clubs and in nursery schools and nursery units.

A list of providers is available from the Families Information Team on 01325 406222 (option 7) or by e-mailing [email protected]. All places are subject to availability at the chosen provider. The entitlement is funded at the point of access for parents but should parents/carers require childcare for additional hours, over and above the entitlement, the provider will charge for this.

You should ask for a breakdown of fees detailing the number of funded hours that are being provided, and the hours that are being charged for.

The 15 or 30 hours a week funding which a provider receives is not intended to cover the costs of meals, other consumables, additional hours or additional services. Providers can charge for meals and snacks, for consumables such as nappies or sun cream and for services such as trips and yoga, however, these charges must be voluntary for the parent.

Where parents are unable or unwilling to pay for meals and consumables, providers who choose to offer the funded entitlements are responsible for setting their own policy on how to respond, with options including waiving or reducing the cost of meals and snacks, or allowing parents to supply their own meals. Also, providers should not charge parents “top-up” fees (the difference between a provider’s usual fee and the funding they receive from the local authority to provide funded places) or require parents to pay a registration fee as a condition of taking up their child’s funded place.

If parents are charged a deposit to secure their child’s funded place, the deposit should be refunded in full to parents within a reasonable time scale.

Providers should ensure that they distribute the funded entitlements consistently, so that all children within a setting accessing any of the funded entitlements receive the same quality and access to provision, regardless of whether they opt to pay for optional hours, services, meals or consumables.

Providers should be completely transparent about any additional charges, for example, for those parents opting to purchase additional hours or additional services. In addition, providers should publish their admissions criteria and work with parents to ensure parents understand which hours/sessions can be taken as funded provision.

Not all providers will be able to offer fully flexible places, but providers should work with parents to ensure that as far as possible the pattern of hours are convenient for parents' working hours.

Providers should ensure their invoices and receipts are clear, transparent and itemised allowing parents to see that they have received their child's funded entitlement completely free of charge and understand fees paid for additional hours or services.

Invoices and receipts should include the provider's full details so that they can be identified as coming from a specific provider. 

Eligibility Criteria

A child qualifies for the Working Parents Entitlement if they meet the following criteria:

  • Both parents are 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.
  • Working includes employed persons, self-employed persons and parents on zero hours contracts who meet the criteria.
  • Parent means a person who has parental responsibility for the child or care of the child. In cases where a parent has remarried or is living with a partner, the step-parent or partner must also meet the earnings threshold.

Families where one parent does not work (or neither parent works) will not usually be eligible for the Working Parents Entitlement. However, the Working Parents Entitlement will be available where:

  • both parents are employed but one (or both parents) is temporarily away from the workplace on parental, maternity or paternity leave;
  • both parents are employed but one (or both parents) is temporarily away from the workplace on adoption leave;
  • both parents are employed but one (or both parents) is temporarily away from the workplace on statutory sick pay;
  • one parent is employed and one parent has substantial caring responsibilities based on specific benefits received for caring; or
  • one parent is employed and one parent is disabled or incapacitated based on receipt of specific benefits.

Please note – H.M. Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has developed a service that allows parents to apply for the Working Parents Entitlement and Tax-Free Childcare at the same time. 

Applications are accepted via the Childcare Choices website [external link] not via the Council and you will need your national insurance number. Places are funded from the beginning of the term following a ‘yes’ decision from HMRC where this was made partway through a term.

Parents who receive confirmation from HMRC that their child is eligible will receive a unique eligibility code and should then approach their chosen childcare provider who will validate this code before offering a Working Parents Entitlement place**.

Parents will be required by HMRC to re-confirm eligibility every three months from the date of the eligibility check until the child is in reception class.

** Please note, if you are already accessing childcare provision for 30 hours or more a week and you are eligible for the Working Parents Entitlement, funding will not automatically be allocated, you must present your unique eligibility code to your childcare provider as soon as possible.

For more information about Tax Free Childcare visit the GOV.UK Tax-Free Childcare: 10 things parents should know webpage [external link]

  • Step By Step Guide [Word document] which shows you how to find your 11 digit code once you have successfully applied online.
  • Tips on using your 30 Hours Childcare [PDF document]
  • 30 Hours Childcare Process[PDF document]
  • Top things parents need to know [PDF document]

Children in Foster Care

Children in foster care who are aged 2, 3 or 4 years old (excluding children in reception class) will be able to receive Working Parents Entitlement, if the following criteria are met: 

  • accessing Working Parents Entitlement is consistent with the child’s care plan (this should be confirmed by the designated person for example, Darlington Borough Council Social Worker, Social Work Supervisor or Independent Reviewing Officer); and
  • where there is a single foster parent family, the foster parent is engaging in paid work outside their role as a foster parent (there is no requirement on type of work, no minimum earnings limit, or minimum number of hours per week worked to qualify, self-employment qualifies, foster parents do not have to access the full 30 Hours to be eligible); or
  • where there are two foster parents in the same fostering household, both are engaging in paid work outside their role as a foster parent (again, there is no requirement on type of work, no minimum earnings limit, or number of hours per week worked to qualify, self-employment qualifies, foster parents do not have to access the full 30 Hours to be eligible).

In a two parent household, where there is one foster parent in paid work and a partner who is not a foster parent, the standard 30 Hours eligibility rules apply to the non-foster parent. Foster parents who think they have a child who may be eligible for the working Parents Entitlement, should speak with their social worker. Further information is also available from Darlington Families Information Service on 01325 406222 (option 7) or [email protected].

Process for Service Families

During the Spring 2020 term, the MOD, DfE and HMRC have agreed, designed and implemented a manual process for service families posted outside of England.

This process has been developed due to these families not being able to apply digitally for a code for the following term, when they are aware they will be returning to England after a term start date.

The MOD, where possible, deliver the Working Parents Entitlement to families serving overseas. To ensure these parents are not disadvantaged upon their return, as per the Armed Forces Covenant, a manual code process is now in place.

This is a process for service families only and does not apply to other families working outside of England. All Working Parents Entitlement eligibility criteria will be the same as regular applications, and MOD staff will provide HMRC with evidence of a family’s posting before a code will be issued.

Parents serving abroad may contact providers before a new term starts, to try and gain a place in a setting for their child when they return. Depending upon the return date of the family, some places may not be taken up until mid-way through a term. These parents will be subject to the standard code checks by providers/ the Local Authority.

Service Family parents can call the HMRC Childcare Service Helpline on 03001234097 to ask for a manual Working Parents Entitlement application due to serving abroad with the MOD.

EEA (European Economic Area) Nationals and the early education entitlements

On 31 December 2020, the UK ended the trade and transition period. This means that from 1 January 2021, EEA nationals will be treated as third country nationals coming into the UK, and will need to meet additional immigration requirements to access Working Parents Entitlement or Tax-Free Childcare. EEA and Swiss nationals already resident in the UK before 31st December 2020 will need to ensure they have applied for EU Settled Status by 30th June 2021 if they want to keep accessing their funded childcare entitlements and Tax-Free childcare. In the meantime, they should continue to apply for, and reconfirm, their Working Parents Entitlement places as usual using the Childcare Service.

There have been no changes to the Working Parents Entitlement application and code verification process for local authorities or childcare providers as a result of EU Exit. HMRC will continue to determine eligibility for Working Parents Entitlement and to issue codes.

The DfE does not expect EU Exit to have a significant effect on local authorities and providers offering the 2 year old entitlement. The eligibility checking service (ECS) will continue to be used to assess whether parents are eligible to take up a place. 

Universal 15 hours for 3 and 4 year olds remains unaffected by changes to EEA criteria. All three- and four year-olds living in England are entitled to the universal entitlement irrespective of the immigration status of the child or their parent.

Other government departments will be supporting the drive to promote Settled Status applications by the end of June 2021.  Further information on the application process can be found on GOV.uk. 

A range of charities, local authorities and voluntary organisations across the UK have been funded by the Home Office to provide help and information to vulnerable EU, EEA and Swiss citizens applying to the EU Settlement Scheme. For further information about these organisations, see the GOV.UK List of organisations webpage [external link]. Parents and providers may also wish to use the postcode checker [external link]

Where can I get my funded childcare from?

Only approved settings can receive funding - a list of local providers will be supplied to you should you be eligible for the funding. The list is also available from the Families Information Team by phoning 01325 406222 (option 7) or by emailing [email protected]

I'm not eligible for funded childcare, can I still get help?

The cost of childcare can seem daunting, but there is still help available:

  • The Childcare Choices website [external link] has information on the different financial support available to help parents with childcare costs.
  • An HMRC Childcare Calculator [external link] is available to support parents to check what help they could get with childcare costs.
  • If you are working, you may be able to claim tax credits for your childcare costs. Call the Tax credits helpline on 0345 300 3900
  • Lone parents looking for jobs or training may be able to get help for childcare costs through Job Centre Plus - 0845 606 0234
  • Some families will be eligible for funded childcare whilst training
  • If you are paying for childcare the funded entitlement will be deducted from your costs.

Disability Access Fund

3 and 4 year olds who are in receipt of child Disability Living Allowance and are receiving the funded entitlement are eligible for the Disability Access Fund (DAF). From April 2024, 2 year olds who are in receipt of child Disability Living Allowance and are receiving the funded entitlement will also be eligible for the Disability Access Fund. 

DAF is paid to the child’s early years setting to help them provide support for the child, it is a fixed annual rate of just over £900 per eligible child. Eligible children who are splitting their funded entitlement across 2 or more providers, can only access one payment annually with one provider.

Parents should nominate which provider will receive the DAF.

If you believe your child is eligible for DAF, please speak to your provider.

Early Years Pupil Premium

3 and 4 year olds in Darlington accessing early education sessions in a registered private day nursery, playgroup, with a childminder or in a nursery school or nursery unit will be eligible for the Early Years Pupil Premium if they meet at least one of the following criteria:

  1. Their family gets one of the following:
    1. Income Support
    2. Income based Jobseeker’s Allowance
    3. Income related Employment and Support Allowance
    4. Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
    5. the guarantee element of State Pension Credit
    6. Universal Credits (for children born after 31st December 2015, if a parent is entitled to Universal Credit they must have an annual net earned income equivalent to and not exceeding £15,400, assessed on up to three of the parent’s most recent Universal Credit assessment periods)
    7. Tax Credits and have an annual income of under £16,190 before tax
    8. The Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment parents receive when they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit).
  2. they are in local authority care
  3. they have left care through special guardianship, an adoption order or a child arrangements order which specifies with whom the child lives.

The Early Years Pupil Premium is a grant paid to registered providers to improve the education they provide to 3 and 4 year olds and for a child who is accessing their full entitlement of 15 hours a week over 38 weeks of the year, it equates to around £380 a year. From April 2024, 2 year olds who meet the criteria and are receiving the funded entitlement will also be eligible for the Early Years Pupil Premium.

Early years providers are responsible for identifying eligible children and informing the local authority so if you think your child is eligible, then please speak with your childcare provider or nursery school/unit as soon as possible.

Please note, the Early Years Pupil Premium is not a grant which is passed on to parents to offset childcare costs, it is paid to the childcare setting or nursery school/unit to improve provision.

You can see if your child is eligible for the Early Years Pupil Premium by using the early years pupil premium online checker. You will need your national insurance number. You can also speak with your childcare provider or school about eligibility or for further information, you can ring the Families Information Team on 01325 406222 (option 7) or email [email protected].

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