Early Years Funded Entitlement

What is Early Years Funded Entitlement?

Early Years Funded Entitlement (EYFE) is effectively childcare funded by the Government for eligible children aged from the first term after they turn 9 months (from September 2024) to school age.

Universal 3- and 4-year-olds EYFE

All children will receive Universal EYFE the term after their 3^rd birthday.

Working Families EYFE

Working families could be eligible for EYFE the term after their child’s 2^nd birthday from April 2024 (the term after they turn 9 months from September 2024). For children aged over 3 years this is in addition to the Universal EYFE and will extend the number of funded hours.

Local Authority (LA) issued 2 yr old EYFE

You will need to apply to the local authority where you live and meet their eligibility criteria.

For families living in West Sussex please visit www.westsussex.gov.uk or apply here.

Families living in Hampshire visit www.Hants.gov.uk or apply here.

If LA issued 2-year-old EYFE is awarded, we can claim the funding from the confirmed eligibility start date, which will be detailed in your award letter following your application.  You will need to provide us with your code stated in your award letter and complete the Parent declaration we give you.  The funding will not be removed, even if your circumstances change.

Eligibility

To check eligibility for Working families EYFE please use the following website: www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

By using the Childcare Choices website your child’s eligibility will be confirmed.  You will need to inform us by providing us with your unique code and following our checks we will be able to claim the funding.

Please check your child’s eligibility the term before they become of eligible age (please see chart below).

Once your child has started to receive LA issued 2-year-old or Universal 3 and 4-year-old EYFE, it continues until the end of term before your child starts full time school, however with the Working families EYFE you need to check your eligibility every 3 months.

Eligibility chart

Headcount

Sessions must have started by the Headcount date which is usually the second week of the term.  If a child has not started by this date, we are not able to claim funding until the following term.  After Headcount date we are unable to reduce or increase the number of funded hours until the following term.

In exceptional circumstances claims for EYFE after Headcount may be accepted.  To make a Post Headcount claim we will require you to complete the relevant forms, the Local Authority will then decide whether to approve the funding.  We will not be able to provide your child with funded hours until we have received approval from the Local Authority.

Grace Periods for Working families EYFE

The grace periods apply when a parent either loses Working families EYFE eligibility or does not revalidate their code in time. The length of the grace period will depend on at which point in a term the code becomes invalid. If a code runs out due to ineligibility or failure to revalidate during the first half of a term, you will continue to receive your Working families EYFE until the end of that term. If the code runs out during the latter half of a term, you will receive your Working families EYFE until the end of the following term.

Should a parent of a 3- or 4-year-old fail to regain eligibility or revalidate their code they will continue to receive the Universal EYFE hours. You must inform us immediately if your child is no longer eligible for the Working families EYFE hours.

Please take a look at our Early Years Funded Entitlement April 24 policy on our website for specific details regarding how you can access EYFE at Green Roots.