Funding
St Catherine’s Independent Nursery is registered for both Two-Year Old Funding and Three to Four-Year old Funding from the government. However, we only accept emerging three-year olds, Two-Year Old children that either turn three within the term they start or early on the following term. (Subject to availability)
Two-Year Old Funding…
You may be eligible for 15 hours of free Early Years Education for your child if you receive one of the following:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit, and your household income is £15,400 a year or less after tax, not including benefit payments
- The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit (or both), and your household income is £16,190 a year or less before tax
- The Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
From September 2025 working parents of children who have reached 9 months of age will be entitled to 30 hours free Early Years Education. Parents have to apply through the Best Start in Life website where you will receive an eligibility code.
Three – Four Year Old Universal Funding...
Every 3- 4 year old is eligible for the ‘Universal’ 15 hours government funding for 38 weeks of the year.
The ‘Extended’ 15 hours, you will have to apply through the Best Start in Life website where you will receive an eligibility code.
You can start claiming for both types of free childcare the term after your child’s second or third birthday.
For Example:
| Child’s birthday | When you can claim |
| 1st January to 31st March | The beginning of term on or after 1st April |
| 1st April to 31st August | The beginning of term on or after 1st September |
| 1st September to 31st December | The beginning of term on or after 1st January |
30 Hours Funded Childcare
The Government offers several options of funded childcare to eligible families. We are pleased to support the scheme and are here to answer any questions you may have about the best way to fund childcare for your little one.
Is this for you?
Briefly, to be eligible, you, and any partner, must each expect to earn (on average) up to £180 a week (equal to 16 hours at the National Minimum or Living Wage). If you, or your partner, are on maternity, paternity, or adoption leave, or you’re unable to work because you are disabled or have caring responsibilities, you could still be eligible.
You can’t receive 30 hours childcare if you, or your partner, expect to earn £100,000 or more.
How do I apply?
All the information you will need is located on the government website here… Best Start in Life
If you’re eligible, you’ll receive a code – this will allow you to arrange your childcare place. Take your code to nursery, along with your National Insurance number and your child’s date of birth. The nursery manager will check the code is authentic and allocate your child a funded childcare place, subject to availability.
If you have any further questions, please contact us on 01772 456304
Tax Free Childcare
You can get up to £500 every 3 months (up to £2,000 a year) for each of your children to help with the costs of childcare. This goes up to £1,000 every 3 months if a child is disabled (up to £4,000 a year).
If you get Tax-Free Childcare, you’ll set up an online childcare account for your child. For every £8 you pay into this account, the government will pay in £2 to use to pay your provider.
You can get Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as 30 hours free childcare if you’re eligible for both.
Find out more here – Tax-Free Childcare
