Information for childcare providers

All 3 & 4 year old children in England can get 570 hours of free childcare per academic year, which is the equivalent of 15 hours a week for 38 weeks.  Providers can choose to provide fewer hours over more weeks.  Parents do not need a code to take up their Universal hours.  

Eligible working families can get an additional 570 hours per academic year (1,140 hours in total), to give a total of 30 hours funded hours of childcare over a minimum of 38 weeks.  Providers can choose to provide fewer hours over more weeks (max 52 weeks).  Providers apply for the working families entitlement using the Government's Childcare Choices website and there is a helpline for parents & providers tel. 03001234097.  

Parents must register for the working families entitlement on the Childcare Choices website the funding period before they want to start taking their entitlement.  The deadlines for applying for funding are as follows:

Summer term   Deadline for applications is 31st March
Autumn term    Deadline for applications is 31st August 
Spring               Deadline for applications is 31st December

Providers must validate the child's working families eligibility codes using the Early Years Portal before they confirm a place. Funding is based on attendance on a specified headcount date.  Places cannot be funded for children who start after headcount.

Parents / carers can get the entitlement from the term after their child's 3rd birthday.

Eligible 2 year olds can get up to 15 hours a week of funded childcare for 38 weeks (a maximum entitlement of 570 hours), although providers can offer fewer hours over more weeks.  Parents / carers should check if they are eligible for the 2 year old offer using North Tyneside's Citizen Portal.  Providers must complete a 'Placement Notification' and receive approval for funding, using the Early Years Portal, before a child starts a funded place. 

Eligible working parents of children from 9 months old to 2 years can register to access 15 hours of government-funded childcare a week.  Eligible working parents are able to apply for the entitlement using the Childcare Choices website. Parents applying for working families entitlement will get an immediate determination of eligibility, HMRC may require further information to make the decision for some parents. Parents should therefore apply in good time.  Families must have applied for an eligibility code by 31st August 2024, if they want to access the funded hours in autumn term 2024.  Parents must provide the code to their childcare provider for verification, before a child can take up their entitlement.  Families must renew their codes to remain eligible for the funding and must have a valid code on 1st September 2024 to receive funding in autumn term 2024.  Families applying for an eligibility code on or after 1st September 2024 can access their code in spring term, providing their code is successfully renewed.  Parents will need to reconfirm that their details are up to date through their childcare account every three months (or through their LA for foster parents).  If an eligible child has started a funded placement and the parent subsequently falls out of eligibility, the child will receive a grace period of funding.   

The Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) gives providers additional funding to support disadvantaged children accessing funded entitlements.  To apply for EYPP funding, the parent / carer must give written consent for their information to be shared with the Local Authority, i.e. through the Parent Declaration Form.  If the child is potentially eligible for funding based on economic criteria (i.e. receipt of certain benefits') the provider must complete the 'parent / carer details' section of the Early Years Portal, which will ensure an eligibility check is carried out.  If the child is eligible for non economic reasons the provider should email EYcommissioning@northtyneside.gov.uk.

Funding for the childcare offers is administered through the Early Years Portal in North Tyneside.  Please contact EYcommissioning@northtyneside.gov.uk to register a new portal user.  When a registered portal user is due to leave a setting, the provider must immediately contact the Authority who will arrange for the individual's Portal account to be closed.  It is the responsibility of providers to enter their funding information accurately and by the specified deadlines.  An administration charge is payable if a new task has to be generated, in accordance with the Grant Agreement.

The Grant Agreement is between the Local Authority and childcare providers delivering the free childcare entitlements (see below for more information).  Childcare providers must sign a Grant Agreement before they can deliver the funded childcare entitlements.  The Local Authority has a complaints procedure for providers whose funding has been withdrawn despite the provider being of the required quality or awaiting their first Ofsted inspection (see document below).  In the event of any complaint or dispute, (which does not relate to the Funder's right to withhold funds or terminate) arising between the provider and Local Authority, the provider should email EYcommissioning@northtyneside.gov.uk at the earliest opportunity.

There is a range of specialist business support available to childcare providers:

• National Day Nurseries Association's Business Toolkit
• Family and Childcare Trust's resources for professionals
• Information on North Tyneside Council's vacant land and premises is provided by the Strategic Property Team
• The Department for Education have Early Years Business Sustainability resources
• The Early Years Business Zone is a sector led website providing business sustainability resources
• HM Revenues & Customs offer online tax advice for childminders

Please note the list is not exhaustive and the Authority do not endorse specific resources.

Early years providers must comply with the SEND Code of Practice.

Support is available to enable children with special educational needs and / or disabilities to access the funded childcare offers.

Early Years Inclusion Fund  SEN Inclusion funding is available to support individual children to access their funded childcare entitlements.  For an application email eyif@northtyneside.gov.uk

Disability Access Fund If you provide places for children accessing funded childcare entitlements who receive disability living allowance (DLA), your setting is eligible to receive disability access funding.  Providers can apply for a Disability Access Fund payment through the Early Years Portal.

The following providers can register to provide the Government’s early years childcare offers.

• an early years provider other than a childminder registered on the Ofsted Early Years Register;
• a childminder registered on the Ofsted Early Years Register;
• a childminder registered with a childminder agency which is itself registered with Ofsted; or;
• schools taking children age two and over and which are exempt from registration with Ofsted as an early years provider.

Childcare providers must complete the Local Authority’s registration process before they can offer the ‘Government funded childcare entitlements’ to parents.

To become a registered provider of Government funded early years childcare offers, you will be asked to provide information (see examples below) and sign a Grant Agreement.  Funding cannot be claimed until the registration process has been completed.  Providers should commence the registration process at least 6 weeks before the start of the term in which they intend to offer Government funded earl years childcare places.  Funding is claimed through our online Early Years Portal and providers are expected to attend a training session prior to claiming funding.   If you would like to register please email EYcommissioning@northtyneside.gov.uk.

The childminder start-up grants scheme is open for applications.

Tax-Free Childcare is a new Government scheme to help working families with their childcare costs.

Parents will be able to open online childcare accounts to pay their registered childcare providers directly. For every £8 parents pay in to these accounts, the Government will add £2, and the total amount in the account can only be spent on childcare.

Childcare providers can find out more about Tax Free Childcare .

North Tyneside’s Childcare Expansion Capital Grant is now open for applications.

The Childcare Expansion Capital Grant supports the phased expansion of the Early Years childcare provision for working parents of all children 9 months to 3-year-olds and also for the provision of 8am to 6pm wraparound care for primary aged children.

North Tyneside will accept applications for funding between 2nd September 2024 and 30th September 2024.  

Expressions of interest must be submitted by the deadline of 17:00 on 30th September 2024.  The Local Authority will not consider expressions of interest received after this date.  Successful applicants will be informed before the end of autumn term 2024.  Please read the supporting guidance before completing an application for funding.    

The application form is available here. 

Any questions can be submitted to eycommissioning@northtyneside.gov.uk.