Funded Hours
At Sunbeams we offer funded places for 2, 3 and 4 year olds for full or half days.
Am I eligible for funding?
All children are eligible for 15 hours of funding per week from the term after their 3rd birthday, for 38 weeks per year.
There is also an additional 15 hours available for some children from this time. Where parents earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours per week at the National Minimum Wage (and no more than £100,000 p.a.), children will be entitled to the additional 15 hours.
Some families are also eligible for 2-year-old funding from the term after the child’s 2nd birthday.
How do I apply for funding?
Please see the childcare choices website for further details and how to apply for all funding https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
If you qualify for 2-year-old or 30 hours funding (the additional 15 hours) you will be given an eligibility code which you must provide to us with your National Insurance Number.
The government funding only covers 38 weeks of the year. As most children attend Sunbeams all year round, the remaining 14 weeks will be charged at full price. We will spread the 38 weeks of funding over a full year (52 weeks) where required.
When shall I apply for funding?
You must apply for your code during the term before you will be using the funding. Please provide us with the code as soon as possible. HMRC have had technical issues in the past meaning that parents have almost lost out on their funding for the first term.
For 30 hours funding you are also required to renew your code (check eligibility hasn’t changed) every 3 months. If you do not do this within the 3-month period, the funding will be lost. It is your responsibility to renew your code.
If this is done on time your code should remain the same.
Additional charges
An Additional Services Charge is applied to all funded hours delivered.
This charge includes the cost of all meals and snacks, as well as other consumables and activities which the nursery carries out at no additional charge. These are not covered by the government funding.
Additionally, at Sunbeams we pride ourselves on delivering a level of quality over and above that which is required by the EYFS, working to make our nursery an Outstanding setting for your children.
This fee is subject to annual review. An up-to-date fee information sheet can be obtained from your Nursery Manager or from our Accounts Team.
Any additional days or half days with no funding are charged at full price.
