| SPRING 2026 CLAIM PERIOD 1 January to 31 March 2026
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Estimates
The initial deadline is 12 December 2025 (but the portal will remain open until 16 January 2026 for adjustments)
Actuals
The initial deadline is 16 January 2026 to submit claims
Eligibility and Age Range
under 2 year olds
1 January 2024 to 31 March 2025 | 2 year olds
1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023 | 3 and 4 year olds
1 January 2021 to 31 December 2022 |
- 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 December 2025 for this claim period
Documentation
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 hours UNIVERSAL
Up to the maximum of 570 hours per eligibility cycle
Child Born: September to December
Claim Period - ① 162 hours ② 192 hours ③ 216 hours Child Born: April to August
Claim Period - ① 219 hours ② 162 hours ③ 189 hours
Child Born: January to March
Claim Period - ① 189 hours ② 219 hours ③ 162 hours
| Up to 30 hours EXTENDED
Up to the maximum of 1140 hours per eligibility cycle
Child Born: September to December
Claim Period - ① 324 hours ② 384 hours ③ 432 hours Child Born: April to August
Claim Period - ① 438 hours ② 324 hours ③ 378 hours
Child DOB: January to March
Claim Period - ① 378 hours ② 438 hours ③ 324 hours
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To calculate the maximum hours available for a Stretched offer -
- Divide 1140 or 570 by the total number of weeks funding is offered in a year [A]
- 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
Actuals
- February - 34%
- March - Balance
* option to opt out and receive 80%
Successful SENIF will be paid w/c 10 February 2026
New and Amendments to bank or contact details
- new/amendments to bank details
- contact details