Childcare Expansion - Support for Working Families

Eligible working families* with children aged 9+ months can now receive 15 hours funded childcare per week

From September 2025, 30 hours of childcare support will be available to all eligible working parents* of children aged 9+ months

*Parents who work more than 16 hours a week and earn less than £100,000

Universal Funding

The Early Bird Pre-School CIC is registered with Hertfordshire County Council to offer 15 hours per week of childcare support for all children the term after their 3rd birthday as follows:

Funding - 30 Hours early education childcare support

Some 3-4 year olds may be entitled to an additional 15 hours childcare support per week, making a total of 30 hours childcare per week. For further details ask a member of staff or follow this link.

https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/media-library/documents/schools-and-education/childcare-and-advice-for-parents/30-hours-free-childcare-checklist-for-parents.pdf

Funding - Childcare support for 2 year olds - supported families

We are registered to offer 15 hours childcare support for children aged 2 whose families receive the following benefits:

income support

• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)

• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

• Universal Credit – if you and your partner have a combined income from work of less than £15,400 a year after tax

• tax credits and you have an annual income of under £16,190 before tax

• the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit

• support through part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act

• the Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit).

Childcare support is also available for children who:

• are looked after by a local authority

• have a current statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan

• have left care through a special guardianship or an adoption or child arrangement order

• get disability living allowance.

IMPORTANT

To receive a 2 year funded place for supported families you must first apply to the local authority for a code. This can be done here: Childcare and free early education | Hertfordshire County Council

Once you have received the code please provide this code to the setting (admin@earlybirdpreschool.co.uk) or add the code to the registration form. Unless we receive this code we will invoice you for an unfunded place.

To apply for the working families childcare funding for children aged 9+ months and for more information about funding and eligibility visit www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Please note, all entitlement is subject to places being available. See our admissions policy for more information.

Fees

If you are not eligible to funding, or wish to have more hours than are covered by your funding, our session hourly rate is £7.50 per hour for 3-4 year olds, £9 per hour for 2-3 years olds and £11 per hour for 1-2 year olds.

Daily Care Charge

To ensure sustainability of our pre-school, a care charge will be added to your invoice and contributes towards additional costs including snacks, cooking ingredients, daily play-doh ingredients, wipes, tissues, toilet rolls, hand wash, sun cream, cleaning products and other consumables. Please supply your own nappies. We provide wipes, but if you have a preference to a particular brand, please supply these too.

If the Daily Care Charge is a barrier to you taking your childcare entitlement please let us know, we can help!

Please note that session fees and Daily Care Charge are charged half termly. All Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable (see our policies and procedures page for more information). We accept Child Care Vouchers, cash, cheques and bank transfers. Please see your invoice for payment details.

We offer a 10% discount for twins / siblings attending at the same time

Don't forget to check if you can save 20% of your childcare costs with Tax Free Childcare! Go to www.childcarechoices.gov.uk for more information