Early Years Pupil Premium

Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) is extra funding available for all early years providers that offer early years education for 3 and 4 year olds. The extra funding can be used to further improve the quality of education provided for disadvantaged children.

The EYPP provides an extra 53 pence per hour for eligible 3 and 4 years olds. This means an extra £302.10 a year for each eligible child taking up the full 570 hours of funded entitlement for early education.

EYPP is only applied once your child becomes eligible for universal 15 hours childcare (that is, the term after they turn 3).

Who is eligible for funding?

If you receive at least one of the benefits listed below, your child’s early years provider will be entitled to EYPP:

  • Universal Credit, if a parent is entitled to Universal Credit you must have a household annual income equivalent to and not exceeding £7,400, assessed on up to three of the parent's most recent Universal Credit assessment periods.
  • Child Tax Credit (provided you do not receive Working Tax Credit and have an annual household income of no more than £16,190)
  • support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit

Your child may also be eligible for funding (depending on your household income) if you receive:

  • Income Support
  • income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
  • income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Working Tax Credit run-on, which is paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit

Children are also eligible if:

  • they are looked after by a local council
  • they have left care in England or Wales through:
  • an adoption order
  • a special guardianship order
  • a child arrangements order

Children must receive free early education in order to attract EYPP funding, but they do not have to take up the full 570 hours they are entitled to.

When can you claim?

You can make a claim when:

  • children become eligible from the term after their third birthday
  • children born between 1 January and 31 March become eligible in April (Summer Term)
  • children born between 1 April and 31 August become eligible in September (Autumn Term)
  • children born between 1 September and 31 December become eligible in January (Spring Term)

If you make a successful claim then you do not need to re-apply.

Application deadline

Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) applications need to be completed by the following days each term:

Term Date
Autumn First Thursday in October
Spring Third Thursday in January
Summer Third Thursday in May

Apply for Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) funding

Information for providers

Wirral Council will check the eligibility of EYPP based on the submitted information and will provide you with a list of children who you have received EYPP payment for on a termly basis along with remittance advice.