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WPE & FEE


WPE - Working Parent Entitlement for children from 9 months old

If you're an eligible working parent, you can apply for 30 hours of childcare for your child aged 9 to 35 months.

If you apply more than 3 months before the new term, you must reconfirm your details. You must do this by the end of the month before the term starts. This is to make sure you are still eligible.

The Department for Education sets the dates for when children become eligible by age. We administer the entitlements based on the guidance from the Department for Education. The guidance states that applicants must apply for and receive eligibility codes by set dates. This allows us to apply for the funding for the current term.

Any codes applied for and received after the set dates will not be eligible to receive funded childcare until the following term (if the child is also in the eligible age range at this point). Note that you may also need to reconfirm before the following term. The guidance is also clear that codes need to be re-confirmed by the dates provided to families from HMRC for us to be able to apply the funding for a current term.

To qualify for a childcare code, you must meet the eligibility criteria. This is set by the government. The criteria include, and is dependent on:

  • your child’s age
  • how much you earn
  • whether you're starting a new job
  • if you are on shared parental, maternity, paternity, or adoption leave
  • if you’re not currently working
  • if you’re self-employed
  • if you have more than one job
  • your immigration status.

Apply for Working Parent Entitlement for 9-to-35-month-olds

You can apply for both the Working Parent Entitlement and Tax-Free Childcare using a single application.

A child can start their childcare place the term after they are eligible and have received a valid eligibility code, whichever is later. Term start dates are 1 September, 1 January and 1 April.

Reconfirm your eligibility

You must reconfirm your eligibility every 3 months from the date you applied to receive the entitlement. This also applies to Tax-Free Childcare.

Once confirmed as eligible HMRC will issue an 11 digit eligibility code per child. Parents will need to take the eligibility code to their chosen provider to secure a funded place.

Visit the government's https://beststartinlife.gov.uk/ for information on eligibility and cost of childcare support.

Free Early Education for all 3 and 4 year olds is known as FEE

Government Funding for education is available in the term after the child turns 3 for all 3 and 4 year olds regardless of eligibility criteria, please see table below.

ELIGIBILITY TABLE

In Kent, children become eligible to claim their free early education from:

 A child born between:    
1st April - 31st August (inclusive)   The start of term 1 following their third birthday (after summer holidays) until statutory school age.
1st September - 31st December (inclusive)   The start of term 3 following their third birthday (after Christmas and New Year holiday) until statutory school age.
1st January - 31st March (inclusive)   The start of term 5 following their third birthday (after April holiday) until statutory school age.


Parents requiring clarification should speak to the nursery Manager who will be happy to help.

WPE & FEE at Barnies

This funding allocation can be split between EYFS providers but once the amount to be claimed at Barnies has been established parents are required to sign the KCC Parental Declaration as confirmation. 

The funding is only applicable during the stipulated term dates over a 38 or 48 week period.

KCC use the Single Funding Formula to determine the cost of ‘education’ under the government funding but additional charges are applicable for the ‘wrap around care’.  Therefore, fees for the wrap around care are charged at the usual rate.  

If you think you may also meet the criteria for the setting to claim Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) or the Disability Access Fund (DAF) please use the link below to check and let the setting know.   
https://www.kelsi.org.uk/early-years/sufficiency-and-sustainability/free-early-education/claiming-eypp-and-daf