Help with Fees and Funding
Help with Fees and Funding
Come in for a chat and we can explain how you could receive financial support towards your childcare costs.
How Does Funding Work?
We understand that trying to navigate childcare funding options can be difficult.
With so much to consider and a lot of options to explore, it can become confusing to know what you are eligible for.
We want to make sure that you feel fully supported and informed when it comes to the savings and financial aid you may be eligible to receive.
At Early Steps, we want to support your family all year round, and that is why we offer stretched funding! Stretched Funding means that you can use your funded hours throughout the year, not just in term time.
For 15 hours of funding per week in term time, that can be stretched up to 11 hours per week for the whole year in our nursery.
For 30 hours of funding per week in term time, that can be stretched to around 22 hours per week for the whole year in our nursery.
Tax-Free Childcare - Up to £2000 per childcare
Who is eligible?
Working families, including the self-employed, in the UK.
Earning under £100k and at least £125 per week (equal to 16 hours at the National
Minimum or Living Wage) each.
Who aren't receiving Tax Credits, Universal Credit or childcare vouchers.
For every £8 you pay into an online account, the government will add an extra £2, up to £2,000 per child per year If you have a disabled child, you can receive up to £4,000 per child - that's up to £1,000 every three months.
How can I use it?
You can use Tax-Free Childcare all year round to spend on childcare in our nursery:
For example, if your childcare costs are £750 per month, you would pay £600 into your childcare account and the government would pay in £150. This would be an annual saving of £1,800 per child.
Entitlement offer
Universal entitlement
Up to 15 hours a week over a minimum of two days. In our nursery we stretch the offer to up to 11 hours per week all year round.
Extended entitlement
up to 15 hours a week in addition to the universal entitlement over a minimum of two days. In our nursery we stretch the offer up to 22 hours per week all year round.
Length of offer
(no more than 570 hours per annum or 1140 hour per annum for the extended offer)
Maximum hours per day
10 hours
The Expanded Childcare Offer (9-Month-Olds)
From September 2024
15 hours of childcare support will be extended to eligible working parents of children from the age of 9 months to 3-year-olds.
From September 2025
Eligible working parents of children from 9 months to school age will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare a week. Like the existing offer, we will spread your funded hours across the whole year instead of over 38 weeks of the year (during school term time).
Please let us know if you believe you may be eligible for any form of funding or help with costs and we will assist you where we can.
To apply or find out more information, please visit: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Read their FAQ document: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2024-05/Childcare-entitlements-frequently-asked-questions-for-parents.pdf
Tax-Free Childcare - Up to £2000 per childcare
Who is eligible?
Working families, including the self-employed, in the UK.
Earning under £100k and at least £125 per week (equal to 16 hours at the National
Minimum or Living Wage) each.
Who aren't receiving Tax Credits, Universal Credit or childcare vouchers.
For every £8 you pay into an online account, the government will add an extra £2, up to £2,000 per child per year If you have a disabled child, you can receive up to £4,000 per child - that's up to £1,000 every three months.
How can I use it?
You can use Tax-Free Childcare all year round to spend on childcare in our nursery:
For example, if your childcare costs are £750 per month, you would pay £600 into your childcare account and the government would pay in £150. This would be an annual saving of £1,800 per child.
Entitlement offer
Universal entitlement
Up to 15 hours a week over a minimum of two days. In our nursery we stretch the offer to up to 11 hours per week all year round.
Extended entitlement
up to 15 hours a week in addition to the universal entitlement over a minimum of two days. In our nursery we stretch the offer up to 22 hours per week all year round.
Length of offer
(no more than 570 hours per annum or 1140 hour per annum for the extended offer)
Maximum hours per day
10 hours
2-Year-Old Funding, 15 Hours
Who is eligible?
For families in England, receiving some form of support.
With 2-year-old children.
15 hours of free childcare or early education for 38 weeks.
To be able to take up 15 hours of free childcare for your two-year-old you or your child must meet the eligibility criteria. (Please visit GOV.UK for further information.)
A total of 570 hours per year, that you can use flexibly with one or more childcare providers.
Where can I use it?
You can use funding for childcare to help pay your fees in our nursery.
From 1 January, 1 April, or 1 September following your child’s 2nd birthday.
3 and 4-Year-Old Funding, 15 Hours
Who is eligible?
For families in England.
With 3 and 4-year-old children.
15 hours of free childcare or early education for 38 weeks.
A total of 570 hours per year, that you can use flexibly with one or more childcare providers.
Where can I use it?
You can use funding for childcare to help pay your fees in our nursery.
From 1 January, 1 April, or 1 September following your child’s 2nd birthday.
3 and 4-Year-Old Funding, 30 Hours
Who is eligible?
For families in England.
With 3 and 4-year-old children.
30 hours of free childcare or early education for 38 weeks.
A total of 1,140 hours per year, that you can use flexibly with one or more childcare providers.
Some providers, like us, will allow you to ‘stretch’ the hours over 52 weeks, using fewer hours per week.
Where can I use it?
You can use funding for childcare to help pay your fees in our nursery.
Tax Credits for Childcare
Who is eligible?
For working families in UK
With children under 16 Tax Credits for Childcare
70% of childcare costs, up to a cap.
If you cannot make a new claim for Tax Credits, you may be able to apply for Universal Credit instead.
Where can I use it?
You can use tax credits for childcare to help pay your fees in our nursery.
The Expanded Childcare Offer
From September 2024
15 hours of childcare support will be extended to eligible working parents of children from the age of 9 months to 3-year-olds.
From September 2025
Eligible working parents of children from 9 months to school age will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare a week.
Like the existing offer, we will spread your funded hours across the whole year instead of over 38 weeks of the year (during school term time).
Please let us know if you believe you may be eligible for any form of funding or help with costs and we will assist you where we can.
To apply or find out more information, please visit: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
Read their FAQ document: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2024-05/Childcare-entitlements-frequently-asked-questions-for-parents.pdf
Universal Credits
Tax free childcare
Tax credits
Childcare vouchers
Support while you study (Learning grant)
Tax Credit Claimants
Universal Credit
Tax Free Childcare
15 hours for 3 and 4 years olds
For families in England
With 3 and 4-year-old children
15 hours of funded childcare or early education for 38 weeks this equates up to 11 hours per week stretched across the whole year (depends which term your child starts with us)
A total of 570 hours per year, that you can use flexibly with one or more childcare provider
It's available at our nurseries: Tipton Toddlers, Early Steps Dudley and Fairytales Great Barr. From the term after your child’s 3rd birthday.
Support While You Study
Weekly payments from Care to Learn if you’re at school or sixth-form college.
Help through your college if you’re in further education
A weekly grant if you’re in full-time higher education
You could get weekly payments through Care to Learn if you're under 20 at the start of a publicly-funded course, such as a school or sixth form.
You can apply for Discretionary Learner Support to pay for childcare if you're 19 or over and in further education, for example, if you're studying for an NVQ, BTEC or PGCE.
You can apply for a Childcare Grant if you're in full-time higher education to pay for childcare costs for children under 15 (or under 17 if they have special needs).
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Early Steps Dudley
Bank Road, Gornal Wood, Dudley,
West Midlands,
DY3 2NT