childcare/Funding support

Best Start in Life – Supporting Families Every Step of the Way

The Best Start in Life website has been created by the Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care to provide parents and carers with one trusted place to find advice, information and practical support from pregnancy through to starting school. The website was developed in response to parents saying they wanted easier access to reliable information about their child’s health, development, education and childcare, bringing together guidance from trusted government and NHS sources in one easy-to-use resource.

Whether you are expecting your first baby or supporting your child as they prepare for school, the website offers practical, evidence-based advice for every stage of your child’s early years. Families can explore information on:

Pregnancy, birth and newborn care
Feeding, safer sleep and child health
Early learning and child development
Communication and language development
Screen time guidance for children under five
Preparing your child for school
Childcare and early education funding
A childcare eligibility checker
Best Start Family Hubs and local support services
Personalised emails with age-appropriate tips and activities to support your child’s development.

At Clare House Nursery, we encourage all families to explore the Best Start in Life website as it complements the learning and development that takes place within our nursery. It provides trusted guidance, practical ideas and everyday activities that families can enjoy together at home, helping to build children’s confidence, wellbeing and readiness for school. By working in partnership with families and using high-quality resources such as Best Start in Life, we can ensure every child receives the strongest possible start in life.

Government Funding

The nursery offers all government-funded early education entitlements available in England.

Eligible children may receive up to 15 or 30 hours of funded childcare per week over 38 weeks of the year. Funding can also be stretched across the year, providing up to 47.5 or 95 funded hours per month, subject to eligibility.

Any hours attended in excess of a child’s funded entitlement will be charged at the nursery’s current hourly rate.

This equates to a total of 570 or 1,140 funded hours per year. These hours are free at the point of delivery.

To claim government funding on your behalf, we require a copy of your child’s birth certificate or passport. Without this documentation, we cannot claim funding on your behalf, and you will be charged for all hours attended until the required documentation has been received and a funding claim can be submitted.

30 funded hours per week for eligible working families with children aged from 9 months until they start school.
15 funded hours per week for all three- and four-year-olds.

Please visit the Government’s Best Start in Life website at https://beststartinlife.gov.uk to see what your family may be entitled to and to help fund your childcare costs.

You can apply for your code up to 16 weeks before your baby turns 9 months old. You must apply online before the relevant deadline to receive your eligibility code, which you will need to provide to us so that we can verify your entitlement. The deadline is the day before the new term begins; however, we ask that you apply as early as possible so that we can confirm your eligibility before the start of term.

If my child turns 9 months old between	I can access 30 funded hours from	And I need to apply by
1 January to 31 March	Term starting on or after 1 April	31 March
1 April to 31 August	Term starting on or after 1 September	31 August
1 September to 31 December	Term starting on or after 1 January	31 December

Funding can be claimed for a minimum of three hours and a maximum of ten hours per day, up to a maximum of 15 or 30 funded hours per week, depending on eligibility.

Tax-Free Childcare

Eligible working parents can receive a government contribution of £2 for every £8 paid into their Tax-Free Childcare account. Please visit https://beststartinlife.gov.uk for further information.

Early Learning for Two-Year-Olds

Some two-year-olds are eligible for 15 funded hours depending on family circumstances.

Please visit the Government’s Best Start in Life website to check your eligibility:

https://beststartinlife.gov.uk

Best Start In Life — Childcare Checker