Funded hours, explained
Most children you look after in Bromley will probably come with government-funded hours. This page explains how that works from a childminder's side: who's eligible, how the money gets to you, what you can and can't charge, and roughly what it's worth.
The short version
- The government pays, via Bromley Council. Parents get the funded hours free. You claim the money from Bromley for every funded hour a child is booked with you.
- You get Bromley's rate, not your own. Each age group has a set hourly rate. You can't charge parents a "top-up" to make up any difference.
- You make money on top in three ways: private hours beyond the funded ones, optional meals and consumables, and extra funding like the Early Years Pupil Premium.
- It's admin, not rocket science. Check the parent's code, get a signed declaration, claim each term, and keep itemised invoices.
Who gets what
There are three types of funding. A child can have more than one, e.g. a 3-year-old of working parents gets 15 universal + 15 working-parent hours = 30.
When funding starts
Funding starts the term after the child reaches the qualifying age (9 months, 2 or 3) and the parent has a valid code.
| Child's birthday (9 months / 2nd / 3rd) falls… | Funding can start from |
|---|
Funding usually ends when the child starts Reception (the September after their 4th birthday).
How the money flows
Bromley funding rates ()
These are the hourly rates the Department for Education pays Bromley. Bromley sets its own provider rates and must pass at least 97% of the funding through to providers overall, so what you actually get per hour will be a bit lower. Ask the funding team for the current provider rates.
For comparison, Bromley childminders listed in the council's directory charge roughly £6.50–£9.50 an hour for private (non-funded) hours.
What you can and can't charge
The rule of thumb: the funded hours must be genuinely free. Extras are fine if they're optional, itemised and there's a reasonable alternative for parents who say no.
✓ You can charge for
✗ You can't charge for
Invoices must itemise funded hours, private hours, food, consumables and activities separately. Bromley publishes providers' optional charges, so be clear and consistent.
Funded income calculator
Estimate a year's income from a mix of funded and private hours. Provider rates are pre-filled at 95% of the DfE rate as a rough guess. Replace them with Bromley's real rates when you have them. Figures are saved as you type.
Funded children
| Age group | Children | Funded hrs/wk | £/hr |
|---|
Funded hours are worked out over 38 weeks a year (the annual entitlement), even if you stretch them.
On top
Estimated yearly income
| Total (before costs & tax) |
a month on average
Running costs and tax aren't included. Use the Money page for those. Ratios still apply: at most 6 children under 8, usually no more than 3 under 5.
Term-time or stretched?
You can offer the funded hours over 38 term-time weeks, or "stretch" the same annual hours across more weeks. Stretching suits working parents who need year-round care, and gives you steadier income through the holidays. You can't squeeze the hours into fewer than 38 weeks.
That's funded hours a week
Extra funding you can claim
Getting set up as a funded provider
Questions to ask Bromley
Take these to your first conversation with the Early Years Funding Team.