Barrow Extended Services Team

Nursery Education Funding

What am I entitled to, for my 3 and 4 year old?

All three and four year olds in Leicestershire are entitled to 15 hours of free early learning and childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year. This is often referred to as ‘Nursery Education Funding’ or ‘NEF’.
You can access your 15 hours across a minimum of three days .This can be requested in a minimum of two hour blocks, but for no more than 10 hours in one day, and if you want to access your entitlement over two days only, the maximum allowance is 13 hours.

Your 15 hours can be accessed from up to two different childcare providers. Please be aware that not every childcare provider in Leicestershire is currently able to offer the full 15 hours entitlement. Your childcare provider will be working with Leicestershire County Council’s Early Learning and Childcare Service to ensure they are able to offer you the full entitlement as flexibly as possible. You should discuss your personal needs with your childcare provider.

For further information, on all of the above, and links to other useful websites for parents, visit  www.leics.gov.uk/family

Child Tax / Working Tax Credits

Tax credits are payments from the government to help with everyday costs. If you are responsible for at least one child or young person who normally lives with you, you may be eligible for Child Tax Credit. If you work, but earn low wages, you may be eligible for Working Tax Credit.

For more information, such as how to claim, or to see if you are eligible, visit the Inland Revenue Working Tax Credit website  or call 0845 300 3900

Childcare Vouchers

Childcare vouchers are a way of converting a proportion of your monthly salary, before paying tax or NICs, into vouchers to help pay for your childcare. The scheme has to be run by your employer, and each parent is entitled to purchase vouchers worth £55 per week (or £243 per month). You pass your vouchers to your childcare provider, who then claims the money back from the company who initially issued them. You don’t have to use childcare vouchers in the week or month they are provided: you can save them up to use later. For example, your childcare costs may be more than usual during school holidays, and you may want to use them then.

For more information about Childcare vouchers, talk to your employer or contact the Family Information Service on 0116 305 6545 or visit www.hmrc.gov.uk/childcare/employees-guidance