Briefing: Early years funding in England
Most government support for childcare providers in England is delivered via funding for the entitlements to government-funded childcare:
- 15 hours a week universal entitlement for all three and four-year-olds.
- 15 hours a week entitlement for two-year-olds receiving additional
support. - Extended 30 hours a week entitlement for children aged from nine months to four years from eligible working families.
The working families entitlement was previously only available to three- and four-year-olds but since April 2024 it has been extended in stages to younger children. The rollout was completed in September 2025.
This briefing provides an overview of funding for early years providers in England since 2017/18. The government has said it will consult on changes to the early years funding system in summer 2026.
