Funding - Little Angels Cheshire
Unlocking Educational Opportunities
At Little Angels Day Nursery & Preschool, we’re proud to support a range of government funding options to help with the cost of your child’s early education.
Below, we’ve outlined the various funding schemes available, from 9 month funding to 30 hour funding. We’ve also included helpful links for more information and how to apply.
For more information on our funded offer please visit our Live Well page
Explore Our Government Funding Options!
The UK government has introduced expanded childcare funding for working parents of children as young as 9 months. This marks a significant step in the government’s initiative to help families balance work and childcare, saving an average of £6,900 per year when fully implemented.
Who is Eligible?
Eligible working parents can now access 15 hours of free childcare per week for children aged 9-23 months, starting from the term after their child turns 9 months. To qualify, parents must be working, and eligibility is typically linked to income thresholds similar to other government childcare schemes.
How to Apply
You can apply for your government-funded childcare code when your child is 9 months old via the Childcare Choices website. Once you receive your code, bring it to Little Angels Day Nursery to confirm your eligibility and secure your child's place.
15-Hour Funding for 2-Year-Olds
For eligible families, the government provides up to 15 hours of free childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year (term time) for 2-year-olds. This funding helps to give younger children a great start by introducing them to early education.
Eligibility:
- Your child may be eligible if your household income is below a certain threshold, or if you receive certain benefits such as Income Support, Universal Credit, or Jobseeker’s Allowance.
- Children who have been in local authority care, adopted, or with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan may also qualify.
How to apply: You can check your eligibility and apply through Childcare Choices
15-Hour Funding for 3 and 4-Year-Olds
All 3 and 4-year-olds in England are entitled to 15 hours of free early education per week during term time, for up to 38 weeks a year. This helps children to socialise, develop new skills, and prepare for the transition to school.
Key Points:
- Your child can start accessing this funding the term after their 3rd birthday.
- If you prefer, the 15 hours can be stretched across the year, providing fewer hours per week over more weeks.
No application is needed for this funding as it is automatically available to all children once they reach the required age. Simply get in touch with us to register your interest.
30-Hour Funding for 3 and 4-Year-Olds
Working parents of 3 and 4-year-olds may also be eligible for 30 hours of free childcare per week, again for 38 weeks of the year (or fewer hours stretched over more weeks). This extended funding is designed to help families with work commitments.
Eligibility:
- Both parents (or the sole parent in a single-parent household) must be working and earning at least £167 per week, but less than £100,000 per year.
- You’ll need to apply for an eligibility code via Childcare Choices.
Once you have your code, share it with us, and we’ll apply the funding to your child’s place at Little Angels.
In addition to the funding options above, you may be eligible for other types of childcare support, such as:
- Universal Credit or Working Tax Credit: You could get up to 85% of your childcare costs covered if you’re eligible for Universal Credit or the childcare element of Working Tax Credit. Visit GOV.UK to learn more.
- Childcare Vouchers: Although the Childcare Vouchers scheme is now closed to new applicants, existing members can still use vouchers to pay for childcare at Little Angels. Learn more about Childcare Vouchers on the GOV.UK website.