This is at the discretion of childcare providers to determine the days and times funding is offered. Providers must offer funding within the following parameters as advised by the Department for Education:
- no more than a maximum of 10 funded hours in a day
- 15 hours entitlements can be taken in no less than across 2 days
- 30 hour entitlements can be taken in no less than across 3 days
- no set minimum amount of funded hours that need to be offered in a single day.
- offered between the hours of 6:00am to 8:00pm - Monday to Friday
- can be offered at weekends
- a maximum of 2 sites in a single day
- over up to 52 weeks of the year if the parent is stretching their child’s entitlement
- outside of maintained school term dates and times
Continuous blocks and artificial breaks
Early years providers should ensure that children are able to take up their funded hours in continuous blocks if they wish to, and avoid artificial breaks being created throughout the day.
For example a provider should not offer 10am to midday and 1pm to 3pm as entitlement hours and offer only private paid hours in between such as over a lunchtime period.
Should funded hours be offered on certain days or times?
There is no requirement that funded places must be taken on, or delivered on, particular days of the week or at particular times of the day, but providers are encouraged to be as flexible as possible and listen to the needs of parents where reasonable, particularly working parents.
Can funded hours be compressed?
No, funded hours cannot be compressed. This means that a parent cannot take more than 15 or 30 hours per week over fewer than 38 weeks of the year. However, a parent can choose a provider that is open for fewer than 38 weeks of the year and therefore receive 15 or 30 hours a week during fewer weeks.