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Early education funding

Need help?

Call the Early Years Finance team on 01603 222300 option 2

or email earlyyearsfinance@norfolk.gov.uk

Autumn 2024 Claim Period

1 September to 31 December 2024


Estimates

The initial deadline is 12 July 2024 (but the portal will remain open until 9 August for adjustments)


Actuals

The initial deadline is 4 October 2024 to submit claims


Eligibility and Age Range

under 2 year olds

1 September 2022 to 31 November 2023
2 year olds

1 September 2021 to 31 August 2022
3 and 4 year olds

1 September 2019 to 31 August 2021
  • Children must meet the national criteria to be eligible to receive a funded place
  • Families planning to claim the working parent entitlement, must have a valid code on or by 31 August 2024 for this claim period

Documentation

Claim period documentation can be downloaded via the links in the Finance Newsletter or Early years funding webpage


Recommended Hours

The Local Authority will recommend a maximum number of hours that can be claimed for a child.  This recommendation will depend on the child's date of birth (cycle of eligibility) and whether the entitlement is taken term time only or is stretched.

The actual number of hours to claim will be based on the child's pattern of attendance.

Where a family choose to take less hours or the pattern of attendance is less than the recommendation, it is possible within the same cycle of eligibility to claim the unused hours later provided –

  • the national criteria is met
  • where applicable a 30-hour eligibility code is valid
  • it has not been necessary to pro rata the entitlement

Claims will be adjusted by the Local Authority where the national criteria is not followed.  This includes where a claim exceeds the maximum weekly and/or annual hours.

Please remember that where families decide to access the entitlement with two or more providers, the national criteria must be met too.

The following table indicates the maximum hours recommended for a Term Time offer -

Up to 15 funded hours

Up to the maximum of 570 hours per eligibility cycle

Child Born: April to August

Claim Period - ① 216 hours ② 165  hours ③ 189 hours

Child Born: January to March

Claim Period - ① 192 hours ② 213 hours ③ 165 hours

Child Born: September to December

Claim Period - ① 165 hours ② 192 hours ③ 213 hours

Up to 30 funded hours

Up to the maximum of 1140 hours per eligibility cycle

Child Born: April to August

Claim Period - ① 432 hours ② 330 hours ③ 378 hours

Child DOB: January to March

Claim Period - ① 384 hours ② 426 hours ③ 330 hours

Child Born: September to December

Claim Period - ① 330 hours ② 384 hours ③ 426 hours

To calculate the maximum hours available for a Stretched offer -

  1. Divide 1140 or 570 by the total number of weeks funding is offered in a year [A]
  2. Multiply [A] with the number of weeks funding is offered this claim period

Early Years Payments

Providers will receive Early Education payments on or by 7th of each month and will be based on -

Estimates

  • September - 25%*
  • October - 25%

Actuals (records which have been downloaded)

  • November - 25%
  • December - Balance
    * option to opt out and receive 80%

Successful SENIF and exception applications will be paid w/c 28 October


New and Amendments to bank or contact details
Please ensure a Provider Funding Update Form is completed to confirm

  • new/amendments to bank
  • contact details
  • supplement changes

NEO for families

Support your families to create a NEO account to complete eligibility checks

NEO for families