Helping Your Child Thrive with the Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP)

The EYPP is a government grant given directly to childcare providers (not to parents) to help boost the development, learning, and confidence of children who may be at a disadvantage.

Your child’s provider could receive up to £570 per year per eligible child to support their learning and development. This funding can be used in a number of ways, such as:

• One-to-one learning support.
• Resources to develop communication and language.
• Extra staff training.
• Confidence-building activities.
• Tailored educational tools and support.

This extra support can help your child build key skills, boost confidence, and be better prepared for school.

Note: All 3- and 4-year-olds in England are entitled to 15 hours of free early education or childcare per week, or up to 30 hours if parents meet certain eligibility criteria. The Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) is additional funding that some children can receive on top of these free hours to support their learning and development.

Depending on your child’s needs, EYPP can fund things like:

• Speech and language therapy sessions.
• Sensory toys or story sacks to encourage communication.
• One-to-one support with behaviour or settling in.
• Specialist training for staff.
• Small group activities to build confidence or social skills.

These are often small changes that make a big difference in a child’s progress and wellbeing.

Your child may be eligible for the Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) if they meet the following criteria:

• They are aged 3 or 4 years old, and
• They are receiving the universal 15 hours of free early education per week.

And you receive one of the following benefits:

• Income Support.
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA).
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
• Universal Credit, with a household income of £7,400 or less per year (after tax, not including benefits).
• The guaranteed element of Pension Credit.
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

Or if your child:

• Is currently looked after by a local authority.
• Has been adopted from care.
• Is under a special guardianship order or a child arrangements order.

Applying for EYPP is quick and simple:

1. Speak to your childcare provider, they will guide you through the process.
2. You may need to provide some basic information, such as your National Insurance number or proof of benefits.
3. Once approved, the funding is automatically paid to your childcare provider.

You don’t have to manage or spend the money yourself, but you can ask how it will be used to support your child. Your information is kept secure and is only used to check eligibility.

These early years are crucial for your child’s development. A little extra support now can make a huge difference later in school and beyond.

EYPP funding allows providers to tailor learning to meet your child’s individual needs, whether that’s developing social skills, boosting language development, or supporting emotional wellbeing.

• Talk to your provider, even if you’re unsure whether you qualify.
• Stay involved and ask how the funding will support your child.
• Contact your local council if you need help checking eligibility or applying.
• Some councils offer an online eligibility checker or application form for the Early Years Pupil Premium. To find the right information for your area, try searching:
  “[Your Council Name] EYPP eligibility” in your preferred search engine. This should take you to your local council’s official website or childcare portal, where you can find out how to apply or check if your child is eligible.

By accessing this support, you’re giving your child the strongest possible start, and it costs you nothing. 

It’s also worth taking a moment to check if your family could benefit from other forms of help designed to ease household costs and improve comfort at home.

While you’re checking your eligibility for the Early Years Pupil Premium, it’s also a good time to see if you qualify for free insulation or heating upgrades through government schemes like ECO4 or the Great British Insulation Scheme.

These programmes offer support to households on low incomes or certain benefits to make homes warmer, more energy-efficient, and cheaper to run. Use our Eligibility Checker to find out if your home qualifies based on its current energy rating. It only takes 2 minutes and could help you access the support you may need.

Useful Resources:

• Get Extra Funding For Your Early Years Provider
• Early Years Pupil Premium: Guide for Local Authorities 

Cost of Living Support Available:

• Household Support Fund (England)
• Cost of Living Payments
• Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI)
• Mortgage Guarantee Scheme
• Council Tax Reduction

ECO4 Support Available:

• Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Energy Company Obligation
• Ofgem Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) Guidance: Delivery V1.1
• Ofgem Energy Company Obligation (ECO)
• UK Government, Help from your energy supplier: the Energy Company Obligation
• Which? Energy Company Obligation (ECO)

Other Support Available:

• Household Support Fund
• Cold Weather Payment
• Cost of Living
• Fuel Vouchers