All 3 and 4 year old children are entitled to 15 hours a week funded childcare, starting the term after they are three. Where parents and carers are working children may be entitled to up to 30 hours funded childcare each week. Children are eligible for funding at the start of the term following their 3rd birthday.
Me2 funding is offered for 2 years old children based on earning thresholds and income support criteria.
Parents and carers have the choice of stretched or standard funding options for 3 & 4 year olds. Standard funding offers 15 or 30 hours to be taken across 38 weeks of the year, this is similar to school terms. Stretched funding offers 12 or 24 hours taken over 48 weeks of the year. Parents and carers can choose the funding option that best suits.
The government childcare voucher scheme is being phased out and has been replaced with the new tax-free childcare scheme, however, we do still accept childcare vouchers from all of the major providers.
Tax-free childcare is the current government scheme which offers working families up to 20% saving on childcare costs. For every £8 you pay in, the Government will add £2, up to a maximum of £2,000 per child, per year.
Parents and carers who are in receipt of universal credit will be able to claim back up to 85% of childcare costs. In this case, parents and carers will need to book and pay for nursery bookings in the normal way and will thereafter be reimbursed by the government.