Guidance documents and useful information to support you in making an early years funding claim.
If you are a new or existing childcare provider and wish to start claiming early years funding for nine-plus months to four-year-olds, you will need to be Ofsted registered and have agreed to the conditions within the CambsEYC local agreement.
If you are a registered childminder and wish to become a funded provider, please contact eyf@cambridgeshire.gov.uk. We can support you with the process.
This guide outlines Cambridgeshire County Council’s administration processes for all early years funding claims made by private, voluntary, and independent childcare providers, as well as qualified nurseries and foundation units. These processes are based on local and national policy. The guidance complements Cambridgeshire’s Local Provider Agreement. As a provider offering early learning and childcare places in accordance with government policy, this guidance should be read alongside the following publications:
- Statutory guidance for local authorities on the provision of early education and childcare - GOV.UK.
- Local Provider Agreement – CambsEYC local agreement.
- Updated government guidance as it is released.
- Guide to the administration 2025 - 2026. Size: 345KB File format: pdf
It is a requirement that providers hold a completed parent/carer declaration form for each child for whom a claim is made. When issuing this form to parents/carers, they should also send out a copy of the Information for parents/carers information sheet. Where necessary, providers should provide the parent/carer with assistance in filling in the parent/carer declaration form to ensure the information held is accurate and complete.
Here you will find the Parent carer declaration 2025 - 2026* form.
*Size: 276KB File format: pdf
If you wish to receive the parent carer declaration form in Microsoft Word format, please email eyf@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.
Parent Carer funding information. Size: 462KB File format: pdf
Provider Portal Guide 1. How to log in. Size: 118KB File format: docx
Provider Portal Guide 2. User Guide. Size: 392KB File format: docx
Provider Portal Guide 3. How to check a working parent's eligibility code. Size: 1.05MB File format: docx
Provider Portal Guide 4. How to enter and submit your claim. Size: 1.11MB File format: docx
Provider Portal Guide 5. How to make a DAF application. Size: 315KB File format: docx
Provider Portal Guide 6. EYPP and deprivation. Size: 163KB File format: docx
Guidance on changing contracts and claims mid-funding period. Size: 242KB File format: pdf
How to make your DAF application. Size: 323KB File format: pdf
DAF application form 2026. Size: 201KB File format: pdf
EYPP can be paid to eligible children from nine months and applied up to a maximum of 15 funded hours. Eligibility is based on the child meeting certain criteria and receiving early years funding.
Information about how to apply for EYPP can be found at How to add EYPP information. Size: 434KB File format: pdf
Changes to early years funding rates for April 2025 to March 2026 were approved by the Children and Young People's Committee following consultation with the Cambridgeshire Early Years Provider Reference Group.
Table of early years funding rates
|
Value per hour |
2025 - 2026 |
2026 - 2027 |
|
Nine months to two years old |
£11.00 |
£11.42 |
|
Two-year-old places/working families |
£8.15 |
£8.44 |
|
Two-year-old places/funded two's |
£8.15 |
£8.44 |
|
Three and four-year-old places |
£5.66 |
£6.04 |
Early Years Pupil Premium
Will be paid at a rate of £1.15 per hour for eligible children from April 2026, up 15p/hour. This premium will be payable for any funded child, including those children under three who meet the criteria.
Disability Access Funding
The lump sum paid to settings for eligible children will increase to £975 from April 2026, up from £938. This funding will be payable for any funded child, including those children under three who meet the criteria.
Further information can be found at Early Years funding formula | Cambridgeshire County Council.
|
Funding Period |
Dates when the child turns eligible age |
|
|
1 January - 31 March. |
Spring |
1 September - 31 December. |
|
1 April - 31 August. |
Summer |
1 January - 31 March. |
|
1 September - 31 December. |
Autumn |
1 April - 31 August. |
|
Name of funding |
Funded two’s |
Universal |
Working parent |
|
|
Age at start of funding period |
Two years old. |
Three to four-year-olds. |
Nine months plus. |
Three to four years old. |
|
Max no of hours |
15 hours. |
15 hours ^ |
30 hours |
15 hours ^ ^ 30 hours in total. |
|
Where to apply |
Cambridgeshire children apply for Education Welfare Benefits - Introduction - Cambridgeshire County Council website, or through the Settings Establishment Portal, ask your setting for further details. Children outside Cambridgeshire need to apply through their local authority (LA) in their home area. |
N/A. |
Homepage | Best Start in Life, formerly Childcare Choices website. |
|
|
Eligibility code |
Codes issued by Cambridgeshire start with EWB. Other LAs are in a different format. |
N/A. |
WP 11-digit code starting 11 or 50. For children in care of the LA, a social worker needs to submit an application to the county council’s Education Welfare Benefits team to obtain an eligibility code starting with 40, which should be verified in the portal.* |
|
|
Eligibility information |
Entitlement is from the funding period after the child turns two years old No need to reconfirm the code. Eligibility continues until the child can access their three-plus-year universal entitlement, regardless of any change to circumstances. If a parent/carer has an authorisation code EWB and an eligibility code WPE, the child can access up to 30 hours of funding. The Department for Education advises that the funded twos' hours EWB are claimed first, and then the WPE is used for the remaining hours up to a maximum of 15 hours. |
Entitlement is from the funding period after the child turns three years old. |
Entitlement is from the funding period after the child turns nine months old. Application to Childcare Choices cut-off dates: 31 December for spring funding, 31 March for summer funding, 31 August for autumn funding. The code needs to be reconfirmed with Childcare Choices. Childcare Choices will send reminders every three months. |
|
|
Check the code in the portal? |
✓ |
✓ |
||
|
Where do hours go on the portal claim? |
Funded/Universal |
Funded/Universal |
Expanded/Extended |
|
|
DAF |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Deprivation** |
✓ |
✓ |
||
|
EYPP** maximum15 hours |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
*Guidance for children in care of the local authority for working parent-funded hours:
- A social worker makes an application to the county council’s Education Welfare Benefits team to get an eligibility code starting 40, which should be checked in the portal.
**Supplements:
- Deprivation for three plus years can be applied to both universal and extended hours if the postcode matches IDACI ranks, set nationally.
- Early Years Pupil Premium can be paid to eligible children from nine months and applied up to a maximum of 15 funded hours.
Useful links
- Early Years funding formula | Cambridgeshire County Council funding rates for Cambridgeshire providers.
- Cambridgeshire childcare directory Cambridgeshire Online | Results.
- Statutory guidance for local authorities on the provision of early education and childcare - GOV.UK.
- Childcare and early learning | Cambridgeshire County Council Families Information Service.
