Securing funding is a crucial part of a school’s planning cycle. Whether you’re updating classrooms, expanding early years provision, or improving inclusion support, understanding what’s available and when to apply can make a huge difference to your school’s development and resources.
Here’s your complete guide to the six main early years grants available in England in 2026. We cover who can apply, what they cover, and when to plan your applications.
In this blog, we will look at:
- Free Childcare for Working Parents
- School-based nursery Capital Grant
- Early years Pupil Premium (EYPP)
- Family Hubs & Start for Life
- Disability access fund (DAF)
- Early Years SEN Inclusion Fund (SENIF)
Free Childcare for Working Parents
The Free Childcare for Working Parents scheme offers eligible parents up to 30 hours of free childcare per week (or, 1,140 hours per year) for children aged 9 months to 4 years.
The funding is for registered childcare providers in England (including PVI nurseries, school-based settings, and childminders), as well as parents who meet the income and employment criteria.
Funding is paid directly to registered childcare providers, making it a core income stream for nurseries, pre-schools, childminders, and school-based settings.
The funding is available year-round, term-time or through a stretched offer, and recipients of the funding can use the money flexibly across staffing, equipment, and operational needs.
To support your setting in catering for the Free Childcare for Working Parents scheme, you may wish to explore our early years furniture and resources for babies and toddlers.
School-Based Nursery Capital Grant
The School-Based Nursery Capital Grant is currently open until 5pm on 11th December 2025 and a second phase will take place in 2026, providing funding to help state-funded primary schools create or expand nursery provision.
Each eligible school can bid for up to £150,000 in capital funding, supporting the conversion of underused spaces into new early years classrooms.
The funding covers:
- Conversion or refurbishment of existing spaces
- Outdoor learning and play environments
- Nursery furniture, fixtures, and fittings
Phase 2 bids are expected to open mid–2026, with grants awarded later in the year.
For ideas on what to spend your funding on, take a look at our early years outdoor resources.
Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP)
The Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) provides up to £570 per child per year to improve outcomes for disadvantaged children aged 9 months to 4 years accessing funded hours.
The funding is for any provider delivering funded early education places, and children must meet eligibility criteria based on parental income.
Funding is paid directly to providers each term via local authorities, and can be spent on learning resources, training, and interventions that support a child’s development.
The early years pupil premium funding covers:
- Educational resources and enrichment activities
- Staff CPD or specialist training
- Interventions supporting speech, language, and social development
You could enhance your educational setting with early years resources and nursery supplies.
Family Hubs and Start for Life
The government’s Family Hubs and Start for Life programme will continue its nationwide rollout through 2026. It aims to create a network of up to 1,000 Family Hubs across England by 2028.
Each hub connects families with early years, health, and parenting services, supporting children from birth to five with education, wellbeing, and developmental support.
The funding is for local authorities, early years providers, and schools partnering with Family Hubs. It covers:
- Early years family support services
- “Stay and play” sessions and community learning
- Training for early identification of SEND
Take a look at our early years essentials to equip your setting with support from the funding.
Disability Access Fund (DAF)
The Disability Access Fund (DAF) provides £938 per eligible child per year to support children in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) who access funded childcare hours.
Any early years provider caring for a child receiving DLA and free entitlement hours is eligible and the payment is made directly to them. This is designed to help make reasonable adjustments to ensure accessibility and inclusion.
The Disability Access Fund covers:
- Specialist equipment or sensory resources
- Accessibility improvements (e.g. soft play, ramps, adaptive furniture)
- Communication and social development materials
To support inclusive learning in your setting, explore sensory play resources and ideas to support language and communication.
Early Years SEN Inclusion Fund (SENIF)
The Early Years SEN Inclusion Fund (SENIF) is a statutory requirement for all local authorities. It provides additional funding for children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) in early education.
Funding applications are made through your local authority’s early years funding team and the support is for early years providers, pre-schools, maintained nurseries, and childminders supporting 3–4-year-olds with SEN.
Funding is used to enable settings to deliver targeted interventions, specialist resources, and staffing support for children receiving free early education.
The Early Years SEN Inclusion Fund covers:
- Additional staffing or one-to-one support
- Specialist SEN resources or assistive technology
- Training and inclusion interventions
Discover our early years SEND resources to support your setting.
