Claiming Universal Funding

Everyone is entitled to 15 free universal hours the term after their child’s 3rd birthday. This does not need to be applied for. Term-time only places are subject to take up of all year-round places.

Some 2 year olds will also be entitled to 15 free hours.

We require a completed parent declaration form for all universal funding.

Parents are required to provide all food and non-food consumables.  There is an option to have a nursery prepared hot meal, snacks and also nursery non-food consumables.  Details of these options are in our charging policy.

 

Claiming Extended Funding

In order to claim the 30 hours funding the nursery needs to be provided with the 11-digit code from the application made by parents via childcare choices website.

Please note the three points below.  These are common mistakes, which cause confusion and prevent the nursery from being able to enter the funding claim.

1 The HMRC regularly asks for the code to be renewed. It is essential to do this immediately. The nursery not be able process claims that have not been renewed in time.

2 The code must be valid before the respective e cut-off date for each term:

31st August 2026 - Autumn Term

31st December 2026 - Spring Term

31st March 2027 - Summer Term.

The nursery will not be able to process a claim if the deadline is missed.

3 The code will state eligibility to funding although the nursery will only be able to process a claim from the start of following term. Any sessions requested before funding can be processed will be chargeable.

4 Each child needs a separate claim.

Parents are required to provide all food and non-food consumables.  There is an option to have a nursery prepared hot meal, snacks and also nursery non-food consumables.  Details of these options are in our charging policy.

 Stretched funding

We will only stretch the funding if the number of hours attended is less than the weekly claim. If this is the case we can offer to stretch the funding over 52 weeks. For example, a 30 hour weekly claim would provide 22 hours all year round when stretched.  When the funded hours weekly claim exceeds or is equal to the number of weekly hours claimed during 38 weeks the funding will not be stretched.

 

 Shared Funding

Please note that if your child attends another setting in addition to Hugo and Holly then the grant funding can be shared between the settings. Please make sure the details of both settings are recorded on the parent declaration form. Can you please inform us immediately of any changes with other settings your child may attend, this may change the amount of funding we can claim. The invoice states how much funding has been claimed.

 

 Extras

The items listed below can be provided by nursery, but they are chargeable. Parents are asked to complete a sessions request form. Details can be found in our charging policy.

• Hot meal
• All Snacks
• Non-food consumables (see list in Charging Policy)
• Activities (see list in Charging Policy)

 

 Term Dates

Early Years Grant Funding covers thirty-eight weeks of the year, spilt into three terms. With the exception of the equivalent of five inset days, these dates follow Gloucestershire school term dates. We will inform you of our five non funded days at the beginning of the academic year.

Dates September 2026 – August 2027

Term Length of term             Start of term      End of term            Half Term

Autumn 14 weeks                1st September     18th December      20th October – 30th October

Spring 11 weeks                    4th January        25th March           15th February -19th February

Summer 13 weeks                 12th April          20th July                31st May – 4th June

 

We will email a parent declaration form prior to the start of each term. Please can you complete this fully and return it promptly. The declaration must be wet signed. We then process the paperwork and claim the funding on your behalf.