Frequently asked questions for childcare providers

What do I do if the password reset email I received does not work?

Please email eyf@cambridgeshire.gov.uk for support.

How do I review my task?

You can review and verify that you have submitted tasks that are no longer appearing on your homepage. Go to 'View all tasks' and add part of the provision name in the 'For' field. Change the status from 'Current' to 'Submitted' and search. If it does not show, try searching for in progress or not started.

Can I make changes to the claim after the task closes?

Please view the guidance on changing contracts and claims mid-funding period. Size: 242KB File format: pdf

Can I remove a child from my task?

No, you can not remove a child. If you no longer wish to claim this child, please leave the hours as zero.

What do I do if there's a child on my task I no longer wish to claim for? Can I delete or overwrite the record?

You should not overwrite the record. Please email eyf@cambridgeshire.gov.uk and request that we remove the child.

Which column do I put the different types of funded hours in?

Funded two-year-olds, please email the Early Years Funding team eyf@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.
Working parents, nine to 23-month-olds – Expanded/Extended column.
Working parent three to four-year-olds – Expanded/Extended column.
Universal three to four years – Universal/Funded column.

What do the pencil and exclamation mark symbols mean?

The symbol means that the parent/carer details need verifying. If the parent has provided their details for an EYPP check, you can add them, or if they have not provided details, select decline to provide.

If you have a child in care or a child previously in care, please select ‘Decline to provide' and email the Early Years Funding team eyf@cambridgeshire.gov.uk to make us aware of the child.

Where can I find information about eligibility and authorisation codes?

The Early Years Funding Entitlements* document will tell you everything you need to know about eligibility and authorisation codes. 

*Size: 310KB File format: pdf

What can I do if I am unable to add hours onto my claim for a funded two-child with an authorisation code?

You will not be able to add these hours to your task. Please email the Early Years Funding team and ensure you include the following information:

• Child's initial and surname, not full name.
• Authorisation code.
• Number of weeks and hours or total hours to add to the claim.

Why does the working parent eligibility code not work?

There could be several reasons for this. Guidance can be found in the Provider Portal Guide 3. How to check a working parent's eligibility code. Size: 1.05MB File format: docx

What can I do if I am unable to add hours onto my claim for a child with a working parent entitlement?

There could be several reasons for this. Guidance can be found in the Provider Portal Guide 3. How to check a working parent's eligibility code. Size: 1.05MB File format: docx

In what situation does a grace period apply?

If a parent has fallen out of eligibility, the grace period may apply if they have received funding in the previous funding period. Funding does not stop partway through a funding period. A child cannot start claiming working parent-funded hours during their grace period. They must remain with the same providers for the grace period to apply. Once the grace period ends, if the parent remains ineligible, the entitlement will finish. If they are three plus years, they will still be entitled to the universal 15 hours.

Where can I find the dates for when the next Task is due?

You can find the dates in the newsletter sent to you by email. Alternatively, the task dates and payment date information can be found in the latest Early Years funding summer 2026 Timetable. Size: 427KB File format: pdf

Where do I find the maximum number of weeks available to claim in the next funding period?

Can I claim and accrue funded hours to deliver at a later stage?

It is not possible to accrue funded hours to use in another funding period.

How will my childminder's funding payments be made?

Childminder split payments – Standard:

• Make an estimate/forecast claim.
• Three split payments are calculated at 25% based on the estimated claim.
• Make an actual claim.
• Actual/headcount is calculated on the actual claim and includes any changes made to your estimate claim and any supplements such as EYPP and/or deprivation.
• Payment dates can be found in the Early Years Funding newsletter and timetable.
• Remittance advice slips are sent by email from our central finance team with each payment.
• Payment schedule with payment breakdown sent through the provider portal, after the fourth scheduled payment.

Childminder split payments – Variation:

• If you do not submit an estimate claim and only submit an actual claim in the portal, your payment for any hours claimed would normally be made in four split payments.
• If you would like your payments to start before the fourth payment, please email the Early Years Funding team to notify us that you would like payments to be started as soon as possible.
• If you make changes to your claim at actual and do not want to wait until the fourth payment for the changes to be included, you must email and notify us that you would like your payments recalculated.
• If you have a significant reduction to your actual claim, you must notify us as soon as possible to avoid overpayment.
• If you email any amendments to your actual claim to us, the changes will be reflected in your fourth and final split payment. If you would like these changes included in earlier payments, you must email and notify us that you would like your payments recalculated
• We do not get alerted to increases or decreases you make in your headcount task due to the number of claims we process. You must notify us of any changes you want to make to split payments two and three.

To find out when payments will be made, please see the timetable on the Communications webpage.

How will my nursery/preschool funding payments be made?

Nursery/preschool payments – Standard:

• Make an estimate/forecast claim.
• Payment will be made based on 75% of your estimate/forecast claim.
• Make an actual/headcount claim.
• Actual/headcount payment is calculated on the actual/headcount claim and includes any changes made to your estimate/forecast claim and any supplements such as EYPP and/or deprivation.
• Payment dates can be found in the Early Years Funding newsletter and timetable.
• Remittance advice slips are sent by email from our central finance team with each payment.
• Payment schedule with payment breakdown sent through the provider portal, after the actual/headcount payment.

Nursery/preschool payments – Variation:

• If you do not submit an estimate/forecast claim and only submit an actual claim in the provider portal, your payment for any hours claimed will be reconciled in the actual/headcount payment.
• If you have a significant reduction to your actual/headcount claim, you must notify us as soon as possible to avoid overpayment.

To find out when payments will be made, please see the timetable on the Communications webpage.

If our nominated portal user changes, do we need to tell the Early Years Funding team?

Yes, please email eyf@cambridgeshire.gov.uk to request that the amendment be made.

What are the eligible dates for parents returning to work after maternity, shared parental, paternity or adoption leave?

What if I do not receive a remittance advice for my funding payments?

The Early Years Funding team do not send remittance advice, they are sent by a central finance team in the council. The funding team can check if the email address recorded on the central supplier system is correct and, if necessary, can submit a change request. If the contact is correct and you need to request a remittance slip, please email financehelpdesk.ncc@westnorthants.gov.uk

How should I update the bank details for early years funding payments for my setting?

If you require your supplier details to be changed to a different bank account for early years funding payments, you need to email the request to the Early Years Funding team.

Please include your supplier number, found on remittance starting with 113, a photo or scanned copy of the header of your bank statement with the new details. Please do not include any financial information, as the council only requires the name of the bank, account number, sort code, and the name of the account holder. In the email request, please also advise on the email address that should be used for remittance slips.

The team then submit a request on your behalf for these changes to be made. The supplier team are likely to contact you to verify this change request.

What do non-stretched and stretched claims mean?

More information can be found in the Guide to the administration 2025 - 2026. Size: 354KB File format: pdf

What is Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) and how do I claim it?

The EYPP supplement is designed to narrow the attainment gap between young children from low-income families and their peers.

All early years funded children who meet the eligibility criteria can benefit from the supplement.
It is paid to early years providers on an hourly rate basis, £1 per hour, linked to claimed hours, a maximum of 15 hours, for eligible children.

More information can be found on the Resources and supporting documents webpage.

What is deprivation funding, and how can I claim it?

Deprivation supplement provides an additional sum of money to settings on a per child basis to children living in a postcode area deemed to be deprived according to the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI).

A scaled amount is provided for eligible children based on one of four ranks, as shown below:

Deprivation funding can be applied to children aged three plus years and to both universal and extended entitlement.

You can use the Department for Education English indices of deprivation 2019: Postcode Lookup tool for determining the postcode deprivation ranks.

You can find the rank in column 'W' of the report that the tool generates.

The Early Years Funding team will still be identifying and applying deprivation amounts to the final payment in a funding period, but if you wish to check postcodes in advance of the notifications, you can do so by using this tool.

Can I charge for additional services or include top-up charges?

For more information, please contact the Business and Governance Team at Alison.Morris@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.