Guide to Funded Childcare in Kent

To qualify for a childcare code parents must earn over minimum wage, and under £100,000 in the current tax year

Full eligibility criteria is listed here.

Parents can apply for 30 hours of childcare from when their child is 23 weeks old.

If parents apply more than three months before the start of the new term, they will need to reconfirm their details before the end of the month prior to the start of the new term to maintain eligibility.

9 Months and Above

Parents must set up a childcare account via HMRC.

If the application is approved, parents will get an 11-digit code to give to their childcare provider. This is a unique code per child, which will stay the same the until the child starts school. Parents must reconfirm their code via the HMRC portal every 3 months to maintain eligibility.

All 3 and 4-year-olds in England are entitled to 15 hours of free childcare per week for 38 weeks a year.

Children can start using their 15 hours based on their date of birth:

Parents do not need to apply for this funding or provide any codes or proof of eligibility.

The only documents that may be required are the child's proof of date of birth and parental proof of address.

Parents can apply from when their child is 1 year and 10 months old.

Children can start using free 15 hours based on when they were born.

Parents can apply online here. They will need:

Parents will be required to create an account online here to submit their application.

The Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) is additional funding provided to early years providers to enhance the learning and development of eligible children. The goal is to improve outcomes and provide them with enhanced support.

This is paid at £1.00 per funded hour, for a maximum of 570 hours per year.

See full eligibility criteria here.

Early Years Providers should apply for EYPP through the FIS Synergy Provider Portal when doing their Actuals claim submission.

For late joiners who missed the Actuals claim and weren’t able to apply via the portal, they must apply using the online application form for all Economic criteria. This will be available on Wednesday 17th September 2025, here.

The LA will check the eligibility and email to advise of the outcome.

For children who have left the care of a local authority

Children who are currently being looked after by a local authority

VSK will verify eligibility and will make EYPP payments for these children using their own payment schedule.

See the flowchart from Kent here: https://www.kelsi.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/164631/EYPP-Flowchart.pdf

Disability Access Fund (DAF) provides funding to support children with disabilities or special educational needs. The DAF aids access to early years places by supporting providers in making reasonable adjustments to their provision.

DAF is payable as an annual lump sum per eligible child, and is paid at the current fixed annual rate of £938.00 per eligible child.

Children may be eligible for DAF if they meet the following criteria:

If a child who is eligible for DAF is splitting their funded hours across two or more providers, the parent must nominate one of the settings to receive the DAF funding as this cannot be split.

Early Years providers can download an application form to apply for DAF funding for all age ranges using the link below

Please note that this form needs to be completed with parents and carers and emailed to Early Years Management Information at miearlyyears@kent.gov.uk with a copy of the latest DLA awards notice. The awards notice needs to cover the term in which the application is made.

Only one application form is required per child throughout their funded entitlement, provided that they remain at the same setting

Providers will receive successive annual payments provided that a claim is received for one of the free entitlements and the child remains eligible to receive Disability Living Allowance.

However, new evidence of entitlement to Disability Living Allowance will be required if the evidence originally submitted has expired. Therefore, if an application for DAF has already been submitted in a previous term/year, there is no need submit again.

If a child receiving DAF moves from one provider to another, the new provider is not eligible to receive DAF funding for this child within the same year. Funding received by the original provider will not be recouped by Kent County Council. The new provider is not eligible to receive DAF funding for this child until the anniversary of the first payment has passed. A new application will have to be completed and sent to Management Information after this period.