Early years funding guidance for parents and carers
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Targeted funded childcare for 2-year-olds
Your 2-year-old can get up to 15 hours of funded education/childcare per week if you receive one of the qualifying benefits. Eligible children can access the 2-year-old funding from the start of the funding period following their 2nd birthday. The earliest you can apply is the start of the funding period in which your child turns two.
2-year-olds can also get funded childcare if they are looked after by a local authority, have an education, health and care (EHC) plan, get Disability Living Allowance or have left care under an adoption, special guardianship or a child arrangement order.
If you’re a non-UK citizen who cannot claim benefits
If your immigration status says that you have ‘no recourse to public funds’, you may still get funded childcare for your 2-year-old.
You will need to complete the Application for funded early education for two-year-olds from families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF) and attach this to your online application, along with any supporting evidence.
Please check your eligibility online at devon.cc/tyf or by telephone: 0345 155 1013
You will need to show your childcare provider proof of entitlement.
The confirmation email or portal message will contain a code starting ‘TYF878’
Universal-funded childcare for 3 and 4 year olds
All children aged 3 and 4 years old are entitled to up to 15 hours of funded education and childcare per week.
Extended entitlement for 3 and 4 year olds
In addition to the universal 15 hours of funded education and childcare for 3 and 4-year-olds, some children of working parents may be eligible for an additional 15 hours.
Parents need to be working the equivalent of 16 hours per week at the National Minimum Wage. In joint households, both parents need to be working and satisfy the criteria. However, there are some circumstances i.e., 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, where you may still be eligible.
It’s important to remember that children are eligible to receive this funding from the start of the funding period following their second or third birthday.
| Child’s birthday between: | Funding can start from: |
| 1 January & 31 March | 1 April |
| 1 April & 31 August | 1 September |
| 1 September & 31 December | 1 January |
Expansion to Early Years funding
From April 2024, eligible working parents of 2-year-olds will be able to access up to 15 hours of funded childcare.
From September 2024, the 15 hours of funded childcare will be extended to eligible working parents of children from the age of 9 months.
From September 2025, eligible working parents of children from 9 months to school age will be eligible for up to 30 hours of childcare per week.
Children of eligible working parents will be able to receive the entitlements from the beginning of the funding period following their reaching the relevant age.
If you are eligible, you will be provided with a code that needs to be presented to your childcare provider, along with your National Insurance Number, so they can check you are eligible. The codes will need to be reconfirmed every 3 months in order to remain eligible. Children cannot access the working parent entitlement without a valid code.
All funding can be accessed by using 15/30 hours per week over 38 weeks of the year, or you may be able to ‘stretch’ the funding by using fewer hours over more weeks of the year if you require childcare all year round.
There are many ways in which you can use the funding so please speak to your chosen childcare provider.
Your childcare provider will claim the Early Years Funding on your behalf. You will need to show a copy of your child’s birth certificate or other form of ID evidence and complete a registration form confirming your details.
Tax-free childcare
Working parents may also be eligible for Tax-Free Childcare to help pay for education/childcare costs. If you are eligible, you will need to set up an online account for your child which you use to pay the childcare provider. For every £8 you put into the account, the government adds another £2. You can get up to £500 every three months for each child, or £1,000 if your child has a disability. Click here to start your application.
Disability Access fund
Disability Access Funding is for early years providers to support children with disabilities or special educational needs. It aids access to early years places by supporting providers in making reasonable adjustments to their settings.
This funding is available for eligible children who are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance and accessing some or all of their Early Years Funding.
Parents of children who attend more than one provider need to be aware that only one payment can be made per year and the parent must complete the form for the provider that they wish to receive the funding.
Please visit Childcare Choices for more information about the help that is available for childcare costs.
You can find more information from the Devon Early Years and Childcare Team.
This guidance has been translated into several languages. Please see our Bilingual Resources section.