Fees & Funding FAQs

We know it's not always easy to cover the costs of childcare, so we're pleased to offer a variety of funding options at our nurseries. If you're not sure whether you qualify, please go to the childcare choices website for further guidance. https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

Tax Free Childcare is a government scheme to support eligible working parents with their childcare costs, offering up to £2,000 per child, per year. For full information from the Government and links on how to apply please  visit https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

If you have two codes, one from your letter beginning with 11, and one from the website beginning with 50, please send the nursery the code from the website beginning with 50, as this is your permanent digital code for your child. If you only have one code (beginning with 11) then you can use this temporary code to start using your entitlements. Please remember that if you used a temporary code beginning with 11, once your reconfirmation window opens, you will still need to reconfirm your eligibility through your Childcare Account and share the digital code (beginning with 50) that you will receive at that time with your nursery.

If you miss your reconfirmation window, your eligibility for Tax-Free Childcare and/or childcare entitlements will lapse. However, if your child is already in a place at the nursery and receives funding, a grace period for your free childcare will apply. This means your child can continue in their place for a short time, but you need to submit another application before the start of the next term to keep getting the childcare entitlements and/or Tax-Free Childcare.

Yes, you will receive a reminder from HMRC when your reconfirmation window opens, also a week before your reconfirmation deadline and on your reconfirmation deadline. Please remember to make sure that your details are up to date with HMRC. It is not the Nursery’s responsibility to send reminders.

 The grace period is for when a child is already in a 15/30-hour placement and the parent falls out of eligibility. It gives them a brief period for them to be able to get back into eligibility during which time they retain their 30-hour placement. The grace period does not apply when a parent falls out of eligibility BEFORE the child has taken up a 15/30-hour placement. In this case the child should not start their placement on the funding scheme.

The “grace period” definition – this means a period set by the government that a parent/carer will be able to keep their funded childcare for a brief period with their existing Childcare Provider. 

Once the “grace period” has lapsed for the EFE funding, the parent will still be entitled to the universal 15-hour entitlement for 3- & 4-year-olds. 

Once the “grace period” has lapsed for FEEE2W the Parent may be eligible for FEEE2 for disadvantaged families or will need to pay for Childcare until eligible again. 

Once the “grace period” has lapsed for FEEE1W, the Parent will not be entitled to any further funding until eligible again so will need to pay for Childcare. 

A child cannot access a new EFE, FEEE2W or FEEE1W place with a new provider whilst the Parent is in a grace period. 

If a Parent falls into their grace period before the child has started an EFE, FEEE2 or FEE1W place, they will not be entitled to take up the place. The DfE will not fund any Working Parent entitlement hours in this instance. 

Eligibility for the Working Parent entitlements is determined by the HMRC who have developed and maintain a system where Parents undertake their own eligibility check twice per term. The Parent is assigned a reference number/eligibility code, which is then validated by the local authority through the Provider Portal. 

These steps are the responsibility of the parent and New Beginnings will not apply funding if these steps have not been completed by the parent.

New Beginnings will validate the eligibility codes through the Local Authority Provider Portal. It is the Parents’ responsibility to re-validate any claim when reminded by HMRC. 

We are obliged to make Parents aware that the review and appeals process, in instances where they disagree with the eligibility outcome, is managed by HMRC and that New Beginnings and /or the Council are not able to override any decisions.  

Should you wish to split hours between New Beginnings and another provider you will need to inform New Beginnings each term by declaring that you will be using an additional provider. 

This declaration will be required to be recorded on the funding form. Failure to declare will result in New Beginnings reserving the right to claim payment in full from the parent if the local authority confirms the hours have been claimed by another provider. 

You will need to inform us of the number of hours you will be taking at New Beginnings and the other provider to ensure no over claiming or under claiming occurs. 

The funded hours will be delivered free of charge to the parent. Your statement will reflect funded hours at £0.00. 

Charges will not be made in respect of the funded sessions as detailed in the Parent/carer declaration, but we are entitled to make a reasonable charge on our essentials and sustainbility charge provided during any funded sessions as per government guidance.