Everything you need to know about the first phase
In 2023, as part of the Spring Budget, the government announced that they would be introducing several new measures to support working families to access early education and childcare. This included the expansion of early years funded entitlements from April 2024 onwards.
By September 2025, most working families with children under 5 will be entitled to 30 hours of early education and childcare.
New entitlements will be introduced in phases:
- From April 2024, eligible working parents and carers of 2 year olds can access 15 hours funded early education and childcare (over 38 weeks a year) from the term after their child's 2nd birthday.
- From Sept 2024, eligible working parents and carers of children aged 9 months and above can access 15 hours funded early education and childcare (over 38 weeks a year) from the term after their child turning 9 months.
- From Sept 2025, the offer will be rolled out in full, with eligible working parents and carers of children aged 9 months and above able to access 30 hours funded early education and childcare (over 38 weeks a year) from the term after their child turning 9 months.
- By September 2026, all parents and carers who require wraparound childcare should be able to have access, either from their school or from another provider in their local area. The number of wraparound childcare places available for primary school aged children across the county will be increasing from September 2024 onwards in preparation for this.
You can find more information on the expansion and the different funding available in Surrey on our Funded childcare in Surrey web page.
The first phase of the expansion launches in April, allowing working parents and carers of two-year-olds to claim 15 hours of funded early education and childcare. If you're a working parent or carer interested in applying, here's everything you need to know about the application process:
How do I know if I'm eligible?
You can check your eligibility for the working parents entitlement through the Childcare Choices website or by using the Childcare calculator. These will also show if you can get any additional government help with childcare costs.
If you meet the eligibility criteria for the entitlement you should also qualify for Tax-Free Childcare, which can be used to help pay for any additional childcare costs. You can apply for both this and the working parents entitlement on the Childcare Choices website.
What if I was already receiving early years funding before April 2024?
The new entitlements do not replace FEET funding for eligible 2 year olds or Universal (15 hours) funding for all 3 and 4 year olds. If you were already eligible for either of these, you do not need to apply for the working parents entitlement.
How do I apply?
If your child will be 2 or over by the 31 March 2024 you can now apply by visiting the Childcare Choices website.
In order to begin receiving your entitlement from the 1 April, you will need to ensure that you have a valid eligibility code by 31 March 2024. We strongly recommend applying as soon as possible to ensure you receive your code in time for this deadline.
What happens once I receive my code?
Once your eligibility is confirmed you will be given an 11 digit 'eligibility code', sent to your gov.uk childcare service account.
You'll need to take the code to your chosen childcare provider, along with your National Insurance Number and your child's date of birth. You can find full details of what to do after you receive your code, and how to reconfirm your eligibility every three months, on our Working parents entitlement page.
What if I miss the 31 March deadline?
We strongly recommend applying as soon as possible to ensure you receive your code in time for the 31 March deadline. However, if you do miss the deadline, you can still apply for a code by the 31 August, to begin receiving your funding from 1 September.
Where can I find out more?
You can find further information and FAQs on our Working parents entitlement, page, including additional details regarding eligibility, guidance on how and where your 15 hours can be used, and instructions for foster parents on how to claim funding for their foster children.
For information on all of the different types of early years funding available in Surrey, visit our Funded childcare in Surrey web page.
