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GOVERNMENT FUNDING

HOW THE GOVERNMENT FUNDED HOURS WORK FOR CHILDREN FROM THE AGE OF THREE YEARS.

15 FUNDED HOURS

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Every child is entitled to 15 hours free funded hours from the age of three years. The funding starts the term after their third birthday. (E.G CHILDS BIRTHDAY IS 3RD JULY THEY WILL BE ABLE TO CLAIM THE FUNDED HOURS FROM 1ST SEPTEMBER)

 

WHAT PARENTS NEED TO DO

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You will be handed a form from the setting for which you need to fill out all areas that apply, (YOU DONOT YET SIGN THE BACK PAGE WHICH IS BROKE DOWN INTO THREE TERMS). Return the form to the setting along with a form of identification for your child, passport or birth certificate. Your setting will then transfer the information onto the form. (This is most important you provide this)

On the form there’s a section where you add the number of hours to the days your child will be attending.

After the form is handed back to the setting and they have transferred the identity information onto it, the form will be locked away. The setting will then hand you the form back on a certain day (headcount day) for you to check the hours are still correct and you sign the back page and date it under the relevant term.

Once this is done the setting will then log into their account at bristol city council and transfer the information onto the funding site. Once the closing date has passed the settings account will be checked and verified and then funding will be paid direct to the setting by a certain date.

IF CHANGES ARE MADE AT ANY TIME THE SETTING WILL GET YOU TO FILL OUT A WHOLE NEW FORM WHICH WILL BE ATTACHED TO THE PREVIOUS FORM AND THE SETTING WILL CHANGE THIS ON THE COUNCILS FUNDING SITE.

 

30 FUNDING HOURS

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Working parents (including single parents) may be entitled to extending their free 15 hours (see above) up to 30 free hours a week.

To be able to claim for this you will have to earn (both partners) equivalent of 16 hours a week at the national minimum wage and up to £100,000.00 each.

If you think you qualify you will need to apply online through the Gov uk, firstly  you will need to register and have your own Government gateway account. You then sign in to your childcare account fill in the form for applying for 30 hours. If you are allegeable you will then receive an 11 DIDGET number. This number will be needed when filling out your funding forms also will need to be given to setting prior starting to show that you are allegeable. You will have to update your claim every 3 months as your claim will go into rest period. The form is the same form as claiming the fifteen green hours.

 

SPLITTING YOUR 30 HOURS BETWEEN SETTINGS AND HOW MANY HOURS ABLE TO USE PER DAY.

 

You are able to use up to 10 hours a day in a setting. You are also able to split your hours between other settings (e.g. your child may attend 2 settings and you wish your child to attend 1 setting 2 days a week using 18 hours of your 30 hours this leaves 12 hours that you are able to use at the other setting) some settings are term time only and others are all year round. HAMILTON’S ARE TERM TIME ONLY.  

 

NOT COVERED IN THE FUNDED HOURS

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Settings are unable to use funded monies for certain things these being, any food that are offered, nappies, outside agencies, parties and trips.

 

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MORE INFORMATION REGARDING FUNDING, 30 HOURS, AND OTHER CHILDCARE FACILITIES GO TO 

WWW.GOV.UK 30-HOURS-FREE.

 

HAMILTON’S IS A FUNDED ONLY PRE-SCHOOL; WE DO NOT PROVIDE FEE PAYING PLACES. ONCE YOUR FUNDED HOURS HAVE BEEN USED YOU ARE ABLE TO ADD THE EXTRA HOURS ONLY AS A TOP UP.

WE ARE NOT SIGNED UP TO THE TAX-FREE CHILD CREDIT.

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