Friendly Childminders' Hub
Launching on Sunday 1st February 2026 at 10am!
Funding Scenario 1
This setting is open for 46 weeks of the year because they take 2 weeks off at Christmas, 2 at Easter and 2 in the summer holidays.
Child A, let's call her Amelia, attends for 10 hours a day, across 3
days a week, using 30 hours funding!​​​​​
​Autumn Term
​Setting open: 16 weeks
Funded weeks: 15 weeks
​
Bill for Parents
1 week x 30 hours = 30 hours
Plus any additional charges for consumables fees​​​​​
Spring Term
Setting open: 13 weeks
Funded weeks: 11 weeks
Bill for Parents
2 week x 30 hours = 60 hours
Plus any additional charges for consumables fees​​​​​
Summer Term
Setting open: 17 weeks
Funded weeks: 12 weeks
​
Bill for Parents
5 weeks x 30 hours = 150 hours
Plus any additional charges for consumables fees​​​​​
As you can see, there is a significant difference between the bills for each term that Amelia's parents need to work into their budgets.​​​​
A childcare provider may be willing to split the additional hours and any consumables fees equally across the whole academic year to make payments more manageable, but this is dependent upon their individual policies! ​​​​
Funding Scenario 2
This setting is open for 50 weeks of the year but allows children to attend term time only if needed as they take on additional children during the school holidays.
​
Child B, let's call him Bobby, attends for 15 hours a week, term time only using Free Early Education and Childcare.​​​​​
Autumn Term
​Setting open: 15 weeks
Funded weeks: 14 weeks
​
Bill for Parents
Hours covered by funding
Plus any additional charges for consumables fees​​​​​
Spring Term
Setting open: 15 weeks
Funded weeks: 11 weeks
Bill for Parents
Hours covered by funding
Plus any additional charges for consumables fees​​​​​
​Summer Term
Setting open: 20 weeks
Funded weeks: 12 weeks
​
Bill for Parents
Hours covered by funding
Plus any additional charges for consumables fees​​​​​
​​As you can see, Bobby's parents do not pay for additional hours, but they may need to pay for consumables not covered by the funding. ​​​​
9 - 23 Month Old Funding
Children of eligible working parents are entitled to 15 funded hours per week for 38 weeks of the year. This is split across the academic terms, begins the term after they turn 9 months and is known as 'extended childcare'. To find out more about how the funding is split, please have a nosey here.
​
From September 2025, this will be increased to 30 funded hours per week for 38 weeks of the year. (Apologies if you are reading this section after September and I haven't gotten around to updating it yet).​​​​
Funding Scenario 3
This setting is open for term time only.
Child C, let's call her Charlie, uses 30 hours funding and attends for 45 hours a week (9 hours a day across 5 days a week).​​​​​
​Autumn Term
​Setting open: 15 weeks
Funded weeks: 15 weeks
​
Bill for Parents
15 additional hours x 15 weeks = 225 hours
Plus any additional charges for consumables fees​​​​​
Spring Term
Setting open: 11 weeks
Funded weeks: 11 weeks
Bill for Parents
15 additional hours x 11 weeks = 165 hours
Plus any additional charges for consumables fees​​​​​
Summer Term
Setting open: 12 weeks
Funded weeks: 12 weeks
​
Bill for Parents
15 additional hours x 12 weeks = 180 hours
Plus any additional charges for consumables fees​​​​​
​As you can see, there is a significant difference between the bills for each term that Charlie's parents need to work into their budgets!​​​​
​A childcare provider may be willing to split the additional hours and any consumables fees equally across the whole academic year to make payments more manageable, but this is dependent upon their individual policies! ​​​​
