Funding Information

As of 01 January 2026

Early Years Funding

Early Years Funding is a national scheme, administered by local authorities, which offers funded childcare hours with an Ofsted registered provider. A variety of funded hours are available depending on the child’s age and the family’s situation. Childcare providers can choose how to offer the Early Years Funding as long as the following parameters are met: -

• Funded childcare cannot be longer than 10 hours in a single day;
• Funded childcare must be accessed between 6am and 8pm; and
• Funded childcare is available at a maximum of two childcare sites in a single day.

How Georgie Porgies offers Early Years Funding

We want to make sure that families use their funding to its full potential.

At our nursery families are able to maximise their funded childcare by using up to 10 hours of funding a day without purchasing additional hours and without any artificial break in the day.

As an all-year-round childcare provider we stretch the early years Funding  instead of limiting it to 38 weeks of term time.

Stretched Funding

• 15 hours of funded childcare over 38 weeks (term time) equates to 570 funded childcare hours a year. Stretched this equates to .......
• 30 hours of funded childcare over 38 weeks (term time) equates to 1,140 funded childcare hours a year. Stretched this equates to ........

Funding is available in 10-hour blocks and begins when the nursery opens.

• Where a parent is eligible for ?? funded hours a week and books 2 full days or more a week at nursery the remaining ?? funded hours per week will be allocated to the second day.
• Where a parent is eligible for ??  funded hours a week and books 3 full days or more a week at nursery the remaining ??  funded hours per week will be allocated to the third day.

Georgie Porgie Nursery reserves the right to make exceptions to its funding framework on a case-by-case basis at its sole discretion.

Information on all the Early Years Funding eligibility criteria can be found here: http://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Consumable Charge  

Early Years Funding is intended to cover the delivery of childcare only. It does not cover the cost of meals and snacks, non-food consumables, or additional hours. To cover costs not included in the Early Years Funding we request parents pay a non-mandatory Consumable Charge for every funded hour booked. **Consumable Charges are detailed on the Consumable Charge Tab

Parents can opt out of the Consumable Charge in writing which will prompt a meeting with the Nursery owner to fully understand the implications of the opt out. 

Georgie Porgie Nursery  does not allow families to bring their own food (such as packed lunches) into the nursery to avoid allergen risks and storage/handling issues.

Georgie Porgie Nursery  will not exclude children who want to participate in group activities.

Types of Early Years Funding

Supported Two-year-old funding

A child will be entitled to 570 funded hours a year from the term after both the child has attained the age of two and the child or parent meets the eligibility criteria.

Where a child is in receipt of Supported Two-year-old funding they will continue to receive their funded place until the point when the child becomes eligible for the Universal Funding, even if the child or parent ceases to meet the eligibility criteria during this time.

The Essentials and Extras fee is not charged when Supported Two-year-old funding is accessed.

Only one type of Two-year-old funding can be claimed at a time.

Universal Three- and- Four-year-old Funding

All three- and four-year-olds are entitled to 570 funded childcare hours a year. Regulation requires us to validate a child’s age. Parents will need to provide evidence of a child’s birth date (normally a passport or birth certificate) and copies may be taken and retained as evidence of compliance.

Working Families Funding

Working Families Funding is for qualifying working parents with a child aged 9 months or older, 2, 3 or 4 years old. A child will be entitled to 570 funded hours a year from the term after they have attained the relevant age and the eligibility criteria, set by the government, has been met.

Parents must apply for a positive determination of eligibility from HMRC via Childcare Service Account i.e. a valid eligibility code. This eligibility code must be provided to us before the Early Years Funding can be claimed. The parent is responsible for re-validating the eligibility code every three months when reminded by HMRC. Failure to do so may result in the Working Families Funding being withdrawn.

Parent Declaration Form

Regulation requires childcare providers to enter into a separate funding agreement with parents, called the Parent Declaration Form.

Local authorities require parents to enter into a Parent Declaration Form covering the Early Years Funding. The local authority Parent Declaration form must be signed each term. If the local authority Parent Declaration Form is not signed and returned to us Early Years Funding cannot be claimed and the full fees (without the Early Years Funding applied) will be charged to you.

Georgie Porgie Nursery collects the parent declaration forms by an admin system called  "Funding Loop".  You will be added to funding loop prior to the start of your funding.