Funding for the Early Years and Childcare Entitlement

Understanding Stretched Childcare Funding

Stretched funding allows a child’s funded childcare entitlement to be spread across more than just term time. Instead of using all funded hours during the usual 38 weeks of the academic year, providers can "stretch" those hours across 48–51 weeks, giving families a more even weekly allocation.

Key point: The total number of funded hours per year does not change. Only the number of funded hours available each week changes.

Annual Funded Entitlement

In England, children may be entitled to either:

• 15 hours per week for 38 weeks = 570 hours per year
• 30 hours per week for 38 weeks = 1,140 hours per year

Example: Stretching Across 48–51 Weeks

The table below shows how weekly funded hours change when the same annual entitlement is stretched across more weeks.

Hours of Entitlement Available Each Term

Regardless of whether funding is stretched, the total hours available per term remain the same. These are based on three terms across 38 weeks:

• Autumn term: 14 weeks
• Spring term: 11 weeks
• Summer term: 13 weeks

• Stretched funding spreads the same annual hours across more weeks.
• Weekly funded hours are lower when stretched across 48–51 weeks.
• Total funded hours per year and per term stay the same.

This approach can help families manage childcare costs more evenly across the year, while providers still deliver the same total funded entitlement.