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Early Years and Childcare Service

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News🗞️

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Published 25 February 2026

FUNDING RATE CONSULTATION

Thank you to those that took part in our recent funding rate consultation; we received a response from 300 providers and 86% selected option 1 as their preferred option.

We can now confirm funding rates for the financial year 2026/27, as set out below: 

  • 9 – 24-month-olds funding rate for Working Parent Entitlement = £10.80 per hour (an increase of 62p)
  • 2 year-olds funding rate for Working Parent Entitlement = £7.91 per hour (an increase of 44p)
  • Early Education for 2-year-olds funding rate = £7.91 per hour (an increase of 44p)
  • 3 and 4 year old funding rate for Working Parent Entitlement = £5.64 per hour (an increase of 31p)
  • 3 and 4 year-olds funding rate for Universal Hours = £5.64 per hour (an increase of 31p)
  • Deprivation payments (if eligible) = 13p per hour

The government has also increased:

  • Early Years Pupil Premium – EYPP (if eligible) = £1.15 per hour
  • Disability Access Fund – DAF (if eligible) = £975 per financial year

Childminders

Pages for existing and potential childminders looking to work in the sector.
Childminders

Early years business support

Childcare Sufficiency Duty Report, Self Update Provider Portal (SUPP), the Business Support Toolkit, Sufficiency Grants, and Wraparound.
Early Years Business Support

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop well, are kept healthy and safe and provides the right foundation for good future progress through school and life.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

Early years funding

Disability Access Fund, Help with Childcare Costs, Nursery Education Funding (NEF) and Self Update Provider Portal (SUPP) pages
Early Years Funding

Newsletters and bulletins

All Childminder, Provider and Business Bulletins that have been published can be found in this section.
Newsletters and Bulletins

Resources to support your practice

Practitioner pages including Provider Forum, Practitioner Referral Forms, Safeguarding and Training.
Resources to Support Your Practice

Training and networking

The Early Years Service offers a range of free and purchasable training courses. These courses are designed to support implementation of the Early Years Foundation Stage and are delivered by the Local Authority Early Years Service team and colleagues.
Training and Networking