Funded Places at Fordfield Nursery
The government will be expanding its existing childcare support offering to help working families with the cost of childcare.
9 MONTH - 3 YEAR OLD FUNDING
Eligible working parents of children aged 9 months up to 3 years can access 15 hours of child care support. By September 2025, eligible working families with children aged between 9 months and 5 years will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare support.
3 - 4 YEAR OLD FUNDING
Eligible working parents and carers of children aged 3 - 4 can get an additional 15 hours of childcare support, bringing the total support they can get up to 30 hours a week.
Fordfield nursery is open for 48 weeks of the year. 38 weeks are funded and 10 are unfunded.
STRETCHED FUNDING
If you do not use the amount of hours per week that you claim then you can stretch your funding so that it covers the 48 weeks that we are open for example, if you claim 30 hours of 3 - 4 year old funding but your child attends for 2 days (20 hours) then your funding can be stretched for the 48 weeks we are open.
ELIGIBILITY
Eligible working families in England are considered those where each parent is earning under £100k per year and at least £167 per week (equal to 16 hours at National Minimum or Living Wage).
If you are eligible you will be given an ‘Eligibility code’. You will then enter this code on your declaration form. Every 3 months you must confirm your details are up to date or your code will expire. You should get an email reminder to do this.
HOW DO YOU APPLY FOR FUNDING
Applications for funding can be made here
You’ll need to make sure you have the following information to hand before starting the application:
your national insurance number (or unique taxpayer reference if you are self-employed)
the date you started or are due to start work
details of any government support or benefits you receive
the UK birth certificate reference number (if you have one) for your child.
You may find out if you’re eligible straight away, but it can take up to 7 days.
Once your application has been approved, you’ll get a code to give to Fordfield Nursery.
Government funding is intended to deliver 15 or 30 hours a week of high quality, flexible childcare. It is not intended to cover the costs of other consumables. Each hour of funded childcare at Fordfield Nursery will have an associated hourly fee depending on your child’s age.
Further information can be found here
ADDITIONAL SERVICES
Government funding covers a limited number of hours but is not intended to cover certain costs associated with childcare such as meals, nappies and other consumables. Funded sessions are subject to an additional services charge
CAN I APPLY FOR A CODE WHEN I AM ON MATERNITY LEAVE
If you are applying for childcare for an older child, who is not the subject of the parental leave, you can apply as normal.
You can also apply for the child that is the subject of the parental leave, but when you return to work will affect when you can take up the childcare:
WHAT HAPPENS IF I MISS MY RECONFIRMATION WINDOW
If you miss your reconfirmation window, your eligibility for Tax-Free Childcare and/or your childcare entitlements will lapse. However, if your child is already in a place a grace period for your free childcare will apply. This means your child can continue in their place for a short time, but you need to submit another application as soon as you can to keep getting the childcare entitlements and/or Tax-Free Childcare.
EXISTING CHILDCARE SUPPORT PACKAGES
TAX-FREE CHILDCARE
For every £8 you pay in, the government will automatically add £2, up to the value of £2,000 per child per year (or £4,000 for disabled children).
You can get Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as 15 or 30 hours free childcare if you’re eligible for both.
ELIGIBILITY
Your eligibility depends on:
whether you’re working (employed, self-employed, or a director)
your income (and your partner’s income, if you have one)
your child’s age and circumstances
your immigration status
IF YOU’RE WORKING
You can usually get Tax-Free Childcare if you (and your partner, if you have one) are:
in work
on sick leave or annual leave
on shared parental, maternity, paternity or adoption leave and you’re going back to work within 31 days of the date you first applied
UNIVERSAL CREDIT
If you pay for childcare while you go to work, Universal Credit can pay some of your childcare costs. If you live with a partner, you both need to be working, unless your partner cannot look after your children.
You have to pay for your childcare costs yourself. Then you report them to Universal Credit, and Universal Credit pays some of the money back.
You will only get the money back with Universal Credit after the childcare actually happens.
You should try to arrange monthly payments with your childcare provider and report those costs as soon as they are paid. This should mean your childcare costs are included in your Universal Credit every assessment period.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR UNIVERSAL CREDIT CHILDCARE COSTS
You need to be either:
in paid work
starting a job in the next month
If you live with a partner, you both need to be in paid work, unless your partner cannot look after your children.
It does not matter how many hours you work – there is no minimum.
It must be paid work, so you’re not eligible if you are volunteering and only getting money for expenses.