Funding your childcare
What can childcare funding do for you?
In our current day and age childcare is a necessity for many families, but especially working ones - the government offers eligible families funding towards care to ensure that parents and carers can continue to work, and lead normal lives without the large financial burden early years care can bring in the current cost of living crisis. Funding can vary from 15 hours to 30 hours, depending on eligibility, age, and income.
Best Start in Life
Best Start in Life is a sector of the government website regarding funding, early years education, advice, support, and more - spanning pregnancy to beginning school. This website offers eligibility checkers for all early years funding, alongside important information for raising a healthy child, ranging from development to school readiness.
Working Parent Funding
Working parents may be eligible for up to 30 hours of funding per week for any children over the age of 9 months, until the age of 4. This funding can vary between either 15 hours, or 30 hours depending on eligibility.
For example, if allocated 15 hours a week for your child, they can attend nursery for 38 weeks of the year (term-time only) - however, these hours can be stretched to provide childcare year-round, but would need to be discussed directly with your childcare provider for availability. Stretched funding could either be 11 hours a week (15 funded hours), or 22 hours a week (30 funded hours), stretched across the year to include the school holidays.
Working Parent Funding must be applied for, regardless of age, and must be renewed once per 90 days to ensure eligibility for the next term.
To qualify for the free 30 hours funding your child must be with an approved childcare provider, here is some important information you should know:
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Funding stops when your child starts reception class, or reaches the compulsory age for school age, if enrolled later.
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Funding becomes available the school-term after your child has turned 9 months old, beginning on 1st of January, 1st of April, or the 1st of September.
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You will have to pay for extras such as meals, nappies, additional hours, and additional activities such as trips. You can ask your provider for more information about their extras directly.
Applications are now open for working parents and funding must be secure by:
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31st of December to qualify for the upcoming January term.
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31st of March to qualify for the upcoming April term.
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31st of August to qualify for the upcoming September term.
The amount of free childcare offered for working parents depends on these factors:
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Your immigration status.
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Your income (and your partner's income, if you have one).
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Whether you're working (employed, self employed, or a director).
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Your child's age and circumstances.
If you foster a child, you can claim Free Childcare for Working Parents under the criteria that you:
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You're in paid work outside of your fostering role.
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Your 'adjusted net income' is under £100,00
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Free childcare can be applied for, however you will need to do this via your social worker and the local authority. A digital application is not available for children in foster care.
You will not be eligible for Free Childcare for Working Parents if:
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Your child does not usually live with you.
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you or your partner have an expected 'adjusted net income' of over £100,000 in the current tax year.
Baby Funding
Working parents of children aged 9 months and over, may be entitled to up to 30 hours of weekly free, funded childcare - if they meet the specified criteria.
A child may be allocated either 15 hours, or 30 depending on eligibility, and funding would become available from the age of 9 months old, starting in the next term, for example, September 1st, January 1st, & April 1st.
Applications are now open for working parents and funding must be secure by 31st of August, 31st of December, or 31st of April to qualify for the respective term.
2 Year-old Funding
Some 2 year-old's may be eligible for up to 30 hours of funding per week, this could be either 'Working Parent' funding, or 'Extra Support' funding.
As of September 2025, the working parent funding extended to a potential 30 hours for a 2 year-old child. This funding must be applied for, and parents must meet specific eligibility criteria to be awarded either 15 hours, or 30 hours per week.
Funding becomes available the school-term after your child has their 2nd birthday, beginning on 1st of January, 1st of April, or the 1st of September.
You may be eligible for extra support funding if you currently receive any of the following support:
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You get Universal Credit, and your household income is £15,400 a year or less after tax (not including benefit payments).
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You get Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA), or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
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You get the guaranteed element of Pension Credit.
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Your child has an education, health and care (EHC) plan, also known as an EHCP.
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Your child gets Disability Allowance (DLA).
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Your child has left care under an adoption order, special guardianship order, or a child arrangements order.
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Children in care also eligible.
If you're a non-UK Citizen who cannot claim benefits, you may still be able to claim free childcare funding for your 2 year-old. However your household income after tax must be no more than:
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£26,500 for families outside of London with one child.
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£30,600 for families outside of London with two or more children.
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£34,500 for families within London with one child.
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£38,600 for families within London with two or more children.
For further information regarding your county's 2-year-old funding please follow the following links:
Have you received a golden ticket?
Some families in Suffolk may receive a 'Golden Ticket' in the post for their 2 year old, which lets some eligible families know that they qualify for some free funding - this also makes it easier for these families to apply for a childcare provider. Golden tickets are only available directly from Suffolk County Council, and not receiving one doesn't mean that your child isn't eligible for funding - it just means you will need to apply for the funding yourself.
These tickets are non-transferrable, and include a unique reference number which parents can take with them to their chosen preschool playgroup, day nursery, or childminder as proof of their eligibility for up to 15 hours free funding. Applying for further funding (up to 30 hours), has to be done separately, and is not covered by a golden ticket reference number, or receival.
Golden Tickets can only be redeemed at registered Ofsted childcare providers with either a "Good" or "Outstanding" rating. The tickets do have expiry dates, and must be redeemed via a childcare provider before that date to apply for the childcare. This funding will only apply from the term after your child's second birthday, for example if they turn 2 years old on February 3rd - they would be entitled to funding as of the new school term beginning in April. Once this funding has been applied and received, it will continue even if your circumstances have changed.
Parents who did not recieive a golden ticket can still apply for funding for their 2 year old, check availability below;
3 & 4 Year-old Funding
All children ages 3-4 years old in England receive 15 hours free government funding regardless of your circumstances, and no code is required. This funding can be stretched to all-year round, rather than term-time only, if needed and discussed with the child's setting directly.
You can claim an additional 15 hours of funding per week if you are a working parent, under the right criteria. This would allow for 30 hours of funding weekly for your 3-4 year old.
Funding becomes available the school-term after your child has their 3rd birthday, beginning on 1st of January, 1st of April, or the 1st of September.
Invoicing & Extra Charges
Our invoices are clear, understandable, and offer further information for those who need it. They include 3 pages, the main page will have all information such as invoice numbers, contact details, the invoice amount, and more - with the second and third pages detailing booking patterns and extra charges, complete with dates and itemised lists for further information.
This allows a transparent and easy to follow invoice receipt to be viewed, saved, and understood effectively by the recipient. We always aim to be clear about fees, hours used, and extras - and welcome any queries.
Find below the PDF version of our invoices for further information regarding each section and a look into what our invoices look like!
Extra charges not included in funded hours can include the following, and are optional:
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Food.
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Nappies.
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Extra Hours.
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Trips & Excursions.
Important Information you may need to know
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Name of Governing Body; Ofsted.
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Name and address of childcare provider; Scribbles Day Nursery, 217 High Street, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, NR31 6RR/ Unit 15 Wellington Park, Beacon Park, NR31 7BB, Seashore Nursery, Crown Score, Seashore House, Lowestoft, NR32 1JH.
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Our Ofsted Numbers;
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Gorleston - EY473569.
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England's Lane - 2774873.
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Beacon Park - 2508021.
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The Cove - 2669836.
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Seashore - 2784456.
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Tax Credit Helpline Telephone Number - 0345 300 3900
