This guidance is for childcare providers who want to offer funded early learning for eligible 2 year olds.
If you are a parent, read how Early Learning can help you and your child.
Page contents
- What Early Learning for 2 year olds is
- Who can offer Early Learning for 2 year olds
- Check if parents are eligible
- Claiming funded hours
- Key dates
- Payments
- Promoting Early Learning for 2 year olds
- Contact the Funded Early Education Team
What Early Learning for 2 year olds is
Early Learning for 2 year olds gives eligible children up to 15 funded hours a week for 38 weeks a year (570 hours in total).
It is for families who get extra support, like those receiving Universal Credit or children with an education, health and care plan for example.
You can offer the hours:
- as 15 hours a week in term time
- as a ‘stretched’ offer with fewer hours each week across the whole year
The funding helps children develop well and reduces gaps in learning. It also supports parents to work or study.
Read the statutory guidance for local authorities for more detail
Who can offer Early Learning for 2 year olds
Your setting must be one of the following:
- a childminder registered with Ofsted or with an Ofsted-registered childminding agency
- a private, voluntary or independent provider registered on the Ofsted Early Years Register or with the Department for Education as an independent school
- a nursery school, nursery class or unit funded by the local authority
- an academy or funded school
You must also meet one of these quality criteria:
- have an Ofsted judgement of expected standard or above in leadership and governance and met in safeguarding
- be a new provider awaiting your first Ofsted inspection
- have a temporary judgement of met until your full Ofsted grade is published
If your Ofsted inspection shows needs attention in leadership and governance and your setting is in a priority area, your application may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
If your setting has an Ofsted outcome of urgent improvement in leadership and governance or not met in safeguarding, you cannot register to offer early learning for 2 year olds until your grade improves.
Your setting must also be registered on the Surrey County Council Directory of Providers to offer Early Learning for 2 year olds.
Find out how to become a funded early education provider.
Check if parents are eligible
Parents can apply using the Early Learning for 2 year olds application form (PDF). If a parent needs a paper application form, they can:
If a form is sent early, the Funded Early Education Team will keep it and contact the parent at the start of the funded period.
Before offering a place, check the child appears in the Early Years and Education System (EYES) Establishment Portal. This confirms the child is eligible and can be funded.
Parents should complete the ‘permission to search’ section of the Funded Early Education Declaration Form before you check eligibility.
Claiming funded hours
To claim funding, you must:
- be an approved funded early education provider
- be registered on Surrey County Council’s Directory of Providers
- submit your claims through the online EYES Establishment Portal
Funding is paid directly to childcare providers.
All claims must be made on a term-time basis (38 weeks). You may still choose to stretch the hours across the year.
If you stretch hours, there may be points in the year where you have offered more hours than you can claim. If this happens, you may need to charge parents at your usual rate. Make sure this is clear in your terms and conditions.
You can read the stretched funding guidance, information slides and FAQs on the Providing funded early education webpage.
Key dates
Check the useful dates webpage for:
- headcount days
- funded periods
- estimate payment dates
- follow-on payments dates.
Payments
From 1 April 2026 providers will be paid £9.40 per funded hour.
Eligible children must be able to access their funded hours with no additional charges.
Promoting Early Learning for 2 year olds
We provide free marketing resources such as posters, leaflets, QR codes and banners.
If you need support with marketing, email the Early Years Commissioning Team at:
eycommissioningteam@surreycc.gov.uk
Contact us
For payment queries: fundedearlyeducation@surreycc.gov.uk.
For questions about offering early learning for 2 years olds: eycommissioningteam@surreycc.gov.uk.
To post documents:
Funded Early Education Team
Surrey County Council
Woodhatch Place
11 Cockshot Hill
Reigate
RH2 8EF
You can advertise your provision or any changes to your offer, through the Childcare Finder website. Complete the online form to consent to your provider details being shared.