2, 3 and 4 year old funding

Government funding available for children

At Little Tigers Day Nursery and Pre school we have spaces for children who are receive government funding with the option to extend those hours through paid sessions.

If you are eligible, your child could receive 15 hours per week over 38 weeks of the year (term time) or 11 hours each week of the year free childcare at an Ofsted registered childminder, day nursery or pre-school.

2 year old funding

Eligibility for 2-year-olds

Your 2-year-old can get funded early education and childcare if you get one of the following:

  • income support
  • income based Job Seekers Allowance
  • income related Employment Support Allowance
  • support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • the guarantee element of Pension Credit
  • child tax credit - provided annual income assessed by HMRC does not exceed £16,190
  • working tax credit - provided annual income assessment by HMRC does not exceed £16,190
  • working tax credit “run-on” – the payment someone may receive for a further 4 weeks after they stop qualifying for working tax credit.
  • Universal Credit - if you (and your partner, if applicable) are on a low income from work this usually means a combined income of less than £15,400 a year after tax.

A child can also get funded early education and childcare if any of the following apply:

  • they are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (please provide a recent copy of the letter showing the benefit to support the application)
  • they are a child of Zambrano carers
  • the family has no recourse to public funds with a right to remain in the UK on grounds of private/family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights
  • they are a subset of failed asylum seekers (supported under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999)
  • Children who have a current statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN) or an Education, Health and Care Plan
  • Children looked after by the local authority

3 and 4 year old fundingFunded entitlement

Your child can start their funded entitlement in the funding period following their 3rd birthday until they start a place in school Reception class, which is usually the September following their 4th birthday.

Please note: if your child is starting a school Reception place in September, the funded entitlement cannot be claimed between 1 September and the start of the school term.


When will my child get their 3 year old funding

  • A child who turns 3 on or between
    Will be eligible for their funded entitlement from
  • 1 April and 31 August
    1 September following their 3rd birthday
  • 1 September and 31 December
    1 January following their 3rd birthday
  • 1 January and 31 March
    1 April following their 3rd birthday

All children can receive 570 hours free funding from the government per year and this can be used as:

Term time only - The funded entitlement can be used as up to 15 hours per week over 38 weeks of the year (term-time, generally linked to school term-times).

All year round - The entitlement can also be "stretched", which means that fewer hours can be taken over more weeks of the year, commonly offered as up to 11 hours per week, each week of the year so your child will not have the long gaps during the summer and can continue to enjoy using our setting. Spreading the entitlement over the year is a flexible option, particularly useful for working parents.

3 and 4 year old extended entitlementadditional funding for working families

Working families can receive additional funding on top of their basic funding - this must be applied for

All eligible families can receive an additional 570 hours free funding for eligible children from the government per year making their total funding for the year 1140 hours and this can be used as:

Term time only - The funded entitlement can be used as up to 30 hours per week over 38 weeks of the year (term-time, generally linked to school term-times).

All year round - The entitlement can also be "stretched", which means that fewer hours can be taken over more weeks of the year, commonly offered as up to 22 hours per week, each week of the year so your child will not have the long gaps during the summer and can continue to enjoy using our setting. Spreading the entitlement over the year is a flexible option, particularly useful for working parents.


At Little Tigers Day Nursery we offer a variety of sessions that can fit around funded sessions and also allow families to purchase extra sessions.