Early years and childcare

Additional help with childcare is available through the following schemes for families:

• Tax-Free Childcare: Use a Tax-Free Childcare account to pay for your childcare. For every £8 paid into this account, the government will pay in £2 to use to pay your childcare provider. Childcare for children up to the age of 11 (or 16 if they have a disability) can be paid using this scheme. 
• Universal Credit contributions: If you pay for childcare while you go to work, Universal Credit can pay up to 85% of your childcare costs
• Study support: For families where one or both parents are studying

More information on these schemes can be found on Childcare Choices. 

Support for Childcare settings

Childcare settings can also receive additional funding to support the needs of children in their care.

• Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP): Extra funding paid to early years providers to improve outcomes for eligible children accessing funded childcare hours. More information can be found on our Early years pupil premium page or speak to your childcare provider
• Disability Access Fund (DAF): Aids access to early years funded places by, for example, supporting providers in making reasonable adjustments to their provision for children in receipt of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA). More information can be found on Get extra funding for your early years provider:Gov.UK or please speak to your childcare provider
• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Inclusion Fund (SENDIF): Supports early years childcare providers in the delivery of funded childcare for children with SEND where required. More information can be found on out Early Years Inclusion Support Funding page or please speak to your funded childcare provider.

Where to find help

If you have any queries on how to apply for these schemes, please contact us by:

• Email: Earlyyearsfunding@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
• Phone: 01244 973919