Fiducia TogetherFree early education
Government-funded hours for young children, and how entitlement has expanded.
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.
What it is
Funded early education hours are available for eligible children, with entitlements that have expanded in recent years to cover younger children of working parents.
Where it applies
Families of pre-school children in England. Eligibility and hours depend on the child's age and the parents' circumstances, and have changed several times — check the current rules.
How it works
Entitlement is claimed through a provider, with a code from the childcare service for the working-parent entitlements.\n\nAdditional funding exists for disabled children: the Disability Access Fund and local SEN inclusion funding.
What you can ask for
Check the current entitlement rather than what applied to an older child. The rules have moved.
Tell the setting if your child receives DLA — that unlocks the Disability Access Fund and it is only claimed if somebody says.
Ask what the funded hours actually cover, and what is charged for separately.
Where to get help
SENDIASS for free local advice, IPSEA and Contact nationally.
Where to read more
Last reviewed 2026-08-28 by Fiducia Together · Next review due 2027-08-28
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.