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Early education funding

Need help?

Email the Early Years Finance team email earlyyearsfinance@norfolk.gov.uk

or call 01603 222300 option 2

SPRING 2025 CLAIM PERIOD

1 January to 31 March 2025


Download the latest

Early Years Finance Newsletter


Estimates

The initial deadline is 13 December 2024 (but the portal will remain open until 17 January for adjustments)


Actuals

The initial deadline is 17 January 2025 to submit claims


Eligibility and Age Range

under 2 year olds

1 January 2023 to 31 March 2024
2 year olds

1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022
3 and 4 year olds

1 January 2020 to 31 December 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 December 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 hours UNIVERSAL

Up to the maximum of 570 hours per eligibility cycle

Child Born: September to December

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

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

Up to 30 hours EXTENDED

Up to the maximum of 1140 hours per eligibility cycle

Child Born: September to December

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

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

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
  • January - 34%*
Actuals
  • February - 34%
  • March - Balance
* option to opt out and receive 80%

Successful SENIF will be paid w/c 10 February 2025

New and Amendments to bank or contact details
Please ensure a Provider Funding Update Form is completed to confirm
  • new/amendments to bank details
  • contact details
  • supplement changes

NEO for families

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

NEO for families