Guidance

Early years funding: termly data collection in 2024 to 2025

Guidance for local authorities about the 2024 summer and autumn termly data collection for the new early years entitlements

Applies to England

Documents

Details

This guidance is for:

  • local authorities
  • early years providers
  • schools

It is for all local authorities that fund early years provision in England.

Guidance

Read the guide to find out how, in 2024 to 2025, we will allocate funding to local authorities for the new early years entitlements for eligible working parents of 2-year-olds and under using termly headcounts, rather than relying solely on the annual census headcount.

The guidance sets out:

  • how local authorities should collect and submit data relating to the take-up of the government-funded hours for the new early years entitlements in the 2024 summer and autumn terms

  • confirms the final funding allocation methodology for the new entitlements in 2024 to 2025, whereby local authorities will be funded on a revised allocation profile to better match how they fund providers across the year

Local authorities will be required to collect data from early years providers which are normally included in the early years census, and should work closely with these providers to ensure all required children in scope for this data collection are included in the return.

Further information

You can find further information about early years funding for the 2024 to 2025 financial year, including rates and calculations on the early years funding: 2024 to 2025 page.

Published 9 May 2024