Getting financial help to send your child to nursery

All three and four year olds are entitled to funding for up to 15 hours of free early education and care a week. This is known as the Early Years Education Entitlement (EYEE).

Registered EYEE providers

This funding can be used at any EYEE registered provider such as:

  • pre-school
  • playgroup
  • nursery
  • independent school
  • quality assured registered childminder
  • maintained nursery class.

You can get a list of registered Early Years providers in your area by contacting the Family Information Service.

How the funding works

Early Years providers in East Sussex have signed up to offer the EYEE to eligible three and four year olds. As a minimum you can expect to apply to a provider and be offered either:

  • three hours per day, five days a week or
  • five hours per day, three days a week.

The EYEE is paid over three funding periods a year and covers 38 weeks in total (normally following the school term dates). We pay this funding direct to your Early Years provider.

Entitlement starts after your child's third birthday. For children whose third birthday falls between:

  • 1 April and 31 August (inclusive) – funding will start from 1 September
  • 1 September and 31 December (inclusive) – funding will start from 1 January
  • 1 January and 31 March (inclusive) – funding will start from 1 April.

There are no hidden extra charges

You will not be expected to pay for any additional services (such as registration fees or deposits) within the free offer. When applying however, you should bear in mind the following:

  • Packed lunches – although the provider may charge if they provide a hot lunch, they must also allow a parent to bring in a packed lunch for their child instead.
  • Peak times – not all providers will be able to offer a completely free place during peak periods (usually mornings). If you only want to access the free hours, you will need to check with them about when these hours are available.
  • You will need to pay for any time outside of the funded time at your Early Years provider's hourly rate.

How to apply

Make sure your child is enrolled with an EYEE registered Early Years provider. This should be at the beginning of the funding period after they turn three.

Make sure your provider knows that your child is now eligible to claim the EYEE.

Ask your provider for a ‘Parental Agreement' form. You will need to complete this and return it to them with a copy of your child's birth certificate or passport. You will be required to provide ID for your child if they have just become eligible for the EYEE. No funding can be paid for newly eligible children without this ID.

For full details about how to apply and to find out more about this entitlement, please download our leaflet:

All information submitted to the EYEE team is held in compliance with the Data Protection Act. The information requested on the Parental Agreements is necessary in completing the Headcount form at your child's Early Years setting and for the claim of EYEE from the Department for Education (DfE). Any information that you supply may be shared with other departments within East Sussex County Council, DfE and local NHS agencies.

More help and advice

If you need any more information please get in touch:

Don't forget the more detailed leaflet above, and check our other related pages: