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Funding and Assistance

Support for Parents

At Sunflowers Day Nursery, we are pleased to offer funded childcare for eligible working families with children aged from 9 months and above.

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We understand that childcare funding can feel confusing, so this section explains how it works and what to expect.

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What information are you looking for:

Government Funding

Government Funded Childcare

What Funding Is Available?

Eligible families may receive:

  • 15 hours funded childcare, or

  • 30 hours funded childcare

 

This funding is provided by the government for 38 weeks of the year (term time). You can choose to:

  • Use it term time only, or

  • Stretch it across the year, using fewer hours per week over more weeks

 

Funding starts from the term after your child becomes eligible, not immediately when you receive your code.

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*Please refer to the government website for fully updated and more detailed information*

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For more information please follow this link to the Governments Website:

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Why is it Funded not Free?

You may have seen government-funded childcare described as “free hours.” While this funding is a great support for families, it is important to understand what it does, and does not, cover.

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Government funding is designed to contribute towards the cost of basic childcare provision only. It does not cover the full cost of delivering the high-quality care, learning experiences, resources, and meals that nurseries provide each day.

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At Sunflowers Day Nursery, we are committed to offering a rich, engaging, and nurturing environment where children can learn, explore, and thrive. To maintain this level of care and ensure every child has access to the same high-quality experiences, there are additional costs that sit alongside the funded hours.

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We believe in being open and transparent about this, so parents fully understand how funding works and what is included in their child’s nursery experience.

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To help explain this further, we have included a short video created by external early years professionals:

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Please watch this 3-minute video for a clearer understanding of why additional charges are necessary alongside funded hours.

What Does “Funded” Mean?

Government funding covers the cost of childcare hours only.

It does not include:

  • Meals

  • Additional hours (wraparound care)

  • Extra resources or experiences

 

Your monthly invoice will clearly show:

  • Funded hours

  • Any additional hours

  • Meals

  • Enhanced provision

 

Invoices are sent monthly and reflect your actual bookings.​

What Is Enhanced Provision?

At Sunflowers, we go beyond the basic requirements to provide a rich, engaging, and high-quality experience for every child.

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This includes:​

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Local Outings 

  • Local walks (duck feeding, exploring nature, parks, football pitches, local community shops, library & rhyme time sessions) 

  • Picnic trips with provided ice creams 

  • Others as arranged 

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These extras are not covered by government funding, which is why an enhanced provision cost is included.

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This ensures all children, regardless of how they attend, receive the same high-quality experience.

Eligibility for Funding

To find out if you are elligable please follow the link

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*Please refer to the government website for fully updated and more detailed information*

Applying for Funding

To receive your funded hours:

  1. Apply online through the government website

  2. Receive your 16-digit funding code

  3. Provide this code to the nursery and complete the required paperwork

 

Important:

  • You must renew your code every 3 months

  • If your code expires, funding cannot be claimed for that term

  • If using multiple nurseries, you must declare this

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*Please refer to the government website for fully updated and more detailed information*

Using Your Funded Hours

​At Sunflowers:

  • Funding is used in morning/ afternoon sessions (5 hours) or full day (10 hours)

  • If funding does not fully cover a session, the remaining time is chargeable

 

Our team will help you choose the best option for your family.

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Other Childcare Cost Help

Help with Childcare Costs

In addition to funded hours, there are other ways to reduce childcare costs:​

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Tax-Free Childcare

  • For every £8 you pay, the government adds £2

  • Up to £2,000 per year per child (£4,000 if disabled)

  • Can be used alongside funded hours

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Universal Credit

  • May cover a portion of childcare costs if you are working

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Tax Credits

  • Support available for eligible working families

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Student Support

  • You may be eligible for:

  • Childcare Grant
    Care to Learn
    Discretionary Learner Support

  • We recommend checking the government website for the most up-to-date information.

*Please refer to the government website for fully updated and more detailed information*

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