Overview
This guidance is for childcare providers who offer funded early education for 3 and 4 year olds.
Parents should read Who can get funded childcare.
What funded early education for 3 and 4 year olds is
All 3 and 4 year olds can get up to 570 funded hours a year.
You can offer these hours:
- 15 hours a week for 38 weeks (term time offer)
- a stretched offer with fewer hours each week across the whole year
Children can start using their funded hours from the funded period that begins after their birthday:
- 1 January 2026 (spring) – children born 1 September to 31 December 2022
- 1 April 2026 (summer) – children born 1 January to 31 March 2023
- 1 September 2026 (autumn) – children born 1 April to 31 August 2023
Children can continue to access funding until they start reception or reach compulsory school age (the term after their fifth birthday).
Some parents may also get the Working Parent Entitlement, which gives an additional 15 hours a week on top of the universal 15 hours. You can offer universal hours without offering Working Parent Entitlement.
Funding is paid directly to childcare providers.
Who can offer funded early education
Your setting must be one of the following:
- registered on the Ofsted Early Years Register
- an independent school registered with the Department for Education
- an academy
- a childminder registered with Ofsted or with an Ofsted-registered childminding agency
Nannies and home carers cannot offer funded early education because they cannot register on the Ofsted Early Years Register.
Childminders cannot claim funding for children they are related to.
You must also register on the Surrey County Council Directory of Providers.
Find out how to become a funded early education provider.
Claiming funded hours
You must first apply to become a funded early education provider and be registered on the Directory of Providers.
You will then be able to submit claims through the Early Years and Education System (EYES) Establishment Portal.
All claims must be made on a term-time basis (38 weeks). You can still choose to stretch hours yourself across the year.
If you stretch hours, there may be times when you offer more hours than you can claim. If this happens, you may need to invoice parents at your usual rate. Make sure this is clear in your terms and conditions.
Read more in the stretched funding guidance, information slides and FAQs on the Providing funded early education webpage.
You can download forms and see the Provider Agreement on the same webpage.
Contact the Funded Early Education Team if you need an estimate claim form.
How much you will be paid
From 1 April 2026 providers will be paid £6.42 per funded hour.
You may also be able to claim:
These are available for eligible children.
Funding is paid directly to childcare providers.
Key dates
See the useful dates webpage for:
- headcount days
- funded periods
- estimate payment dates
- follow-on payment dates
Statutory guidance
Please see the most up to date version here: Early Education and childcare statutory guidance for local authorities
Disability Access Fund (DAF)
DAF is for children who take up funded hours and get Disability Living Allowance.
Four year olds in reception classes are not eligible.
Read how to apply on the DAF guidance page.
Contact us
Funded Early Education Team
Surrey County Council
Woodhatch Place
11 Cockshot Hill
Reigate
RH2 8EF
Email: fundedearlyeducation@surreycc.gov.uk (use Egress Switch if you're emailing us confidential information)
You can advertise your provision or any changes through Childcare Finder.
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