15 & 30 Hour Funding Information For Parents
All eligible children aged from 9 months to school age will receive 30 hours of funded childcare a week, which adds up to 1,140 funded hours per year.
All 3-year-old plus children are eligible for 15 hours per week, for 38 weeks per year of funded childcare and education from the term following their 3rd birthday of 570 hours per year.
Whilst the Government funding is structured for 38 weeks of the year (term time), our places are for 51 weeks of the year and so the funding is ‘stretched’. When stretched, 15 funded hours become 11.18 hours per week, and 30 funded hours become 22.35 hours per week. Normal fees apply for any private hours attended over the funded hours and you will still receive a monthly charge even when claiming funding, this will be for of the additional hours your child attends that is not covered by the 38 weeks stretched funding. The place is not conditional of attending the full day. If you have any queries, please speak with us.
30 hours funding
All eligible parents will then receive an 11 digit code that they must share with their chosen childcare setting. Funding is applied the term after the child turns 9 months, 2 years or 3 years.
How do you apply and where can you get further information?
The government website – https://www.gov.uk/30-hours-free-childcare
Will the 30 hours affect other childcare benefits?
Yes, this website will help you chose the best option https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
How are First Steps delivering the funded hours?
We split the funding equally over 12 months as we are open all year, this gives you consistent monthly funded hours that will not fluctuate. We receive funding for 38 weeks per year, this is stretched to cover the 51 weeks that we are open. The 15 hours funding equates to 47.5 hours per month and the full 30 hours funding equates to 95 hours per month. Funding is provided up to 7 hours per day until the maximum available hours for the child are reached.
For 3 year olds who wish to use the standard 15 hours funding entitlement the term after their third birthday, we just need you to confirm that your child isn’t claiming any of their funding elsewhere and ask you to complete a form.
- Children born in the period 1st January to 31st March. The start of term beginning on or following 1st April after the child’s third birthday;
- Children born in the period 1st April to 31st August. The start of term beginning on or following 1st September after the child’s third birthday;
- Children born in the period 1st September to 31st December. The start of term beginning on or following 1st January after the child’s third birthday.