Funded early education and childcare
Annual January statistics on children under 5 registered for government funded entitlements in England, and on providers and staff delivering them.
- Release type
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- Department for Education
- Published
- Last updated
Background information
These annual January statistics report on children under 5 registered for government funded entitlements in England and on providers and staff delivering them. Specifically, the:
- universal entitlement for all 3 and 4-year-olds;
- working parent entitlement for eligible children aged 9 months to 4 years (expanded from April 2024 to include eligible 2-year-olds and expanded from September 2024 to include eligible children aged 9 to 23 months); and
- the families receiving additional support (FRAS) entitlement for eligible 2-year-olds (formerly known as the disadvantaged entitlement).
Whilst the title of this release has changed from ‘Education provision: children under 5 years of age’ to ‘Funded early education and childcare’ to better reflect the scope of these statistics, the content published remains unchanged.
Please note that the population estimates used in this release have been revised back to 2011 (more details can be found at the start of the universal entitlement section). Therefore, this latest release should be used to compare the percentage of 3 and 4-year-olds registered for the universal entitlement over time.
Headline facts and figures
About these statistics
Data is collected from local authorities covering state-funded schools (including nurseries), via the spring school census (opens in new tab) and from private, voluntary and independent (PVI) providers (including childminders) via the early years census (opens in new tab). In addition, general hospital schools data is collected via the school-level annual school census (opens in new tab).
Children’s age for each reporting year is defined as how old they were on the preceding 31 December. For example, 4-year-olds for the 2025 reporting year were aged 4 on 31 December 2024.
The following table indicates when the series started for each entitlement. This corresponds with when figures were first collected or when comparable figures first became available.
Year | Entitlement type |
|---|---|
| 2011 | Universal: 3 and 4-year olds |
| 2015 | FRAS (with the full eligibility criteria): 2-year-olds (formerly known as the disadvantaged entitlement) |
| 2018 | Working parent: 3 and 4-year olds |
| 2025 | Working parent: children aged 9 months to 2 years |
Families receiving additional support entitlement for eligible 2-year-olds
Since 2015, eligible 2-year-olds whose families are receiving additional support (FRAS) (formerly known as the disadvantaged entitlement) are entitled to receive 570 hours of government-funded early years provision a year. This is taken as 15 hours a week over 38 weeks of the year but it is also possible to take fewer hours over more weeks.
2-year-olds are eligible for the FRAS entitlement if their parents (or the sole parent in a lone parent household) are in receipt of certain income-related benefits or have no recourse to public funds. 2-year-olds are also eligible for non-economic reasons including if they have an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan, receive disability living allowance, are looked after by a local authority, or have left care under an adoption, special guardianship, or child arrangements order.
The number of 2-year-olds eligible for the FRAS entitlement is estimated using the number of households with 2-year-olds that are in receipt of income-related benefits or have a child receiving disability living allowance but does not take into account children eligible for the other reasons listed above. Therefore, the true number of 2-year-olds eligible is under-estimated. In turn, the percentage of eligible 2-years registered for the FRAS entitlement is over-estimated. However, the size of this over-estimate is expected to be small given that 2-year-olds in households that claim universal credit make up the majority of eligible children.
Universal entitlement for all 3 and 4-year-olds
All 3 and 4-year-olds are entitled to receive 570 hours of government-funded early years provision a year. This can be taken as 15 hours a week over 38 weeks of the year but it is also possible to take fewer hours over more weeks.
The universal entitlement for all 3 and 4-year-olds aims to support child development and school readiness. Children (mainly 4-year-olds) in a state-funded reception class are considered to be registered for the universal entitlement (379,300 children or a third of all 3 and 4-year-olds registered for the universal entitlement); these children are not entitled to receive additional hours of early years provision as the universal (and working parent) entitlement is considered to be met through the reception class provision.
Working parent entitlement for eligible children aged 9 months to 4 years
Children aged 9 months to 4 years are eligible if their parents (or the sole parent in a lone parent household) work the equivalent of at least 16 hours a week at national minimum wage or living wage, but earn under £100,000 per year (adjusted net income). These children may be eligible, subject to meeting the eligibility criteria, until they start reception year or the start of the term after they turn 5.
Eligible children aged 9 months to 2 years
Since April 2024, 2-year-olds with eligible working parents and since September 2024, children aged 9 to 23 months with eligible working parents have been entitled to receive 570 hours of government-funded early years provision a year. This can be taken as 15 hours a week over 38 weeks of the year but it is also possible to take fewer hours over more weeks.
Eligible 3 and 4-year olds
Since 2018 (specifically September 2017 onwards), 3 and 4-year-olds with eligible working parents have been entitled to an additional 570 hours, on top of already being entitled to 570 hours via the universal entitlement, taking their total entitlement to 1,140 hours a year. This can be taken as 30 hours a week over 38 weeks of the year though it is also possible to take fewer hours over more weeks. All 3 and 4-year-olds registered for the working parent entitlement are also included in the counts of 3 and 4-year-olds registered for the universal entitlement.
The working parent entitlement for eligible 3 and 4-year-olds is commonly referred to as ‘30 hours free childcare’.
Estimated number of children eligible and estimated percentage of eligible children registered
The number of children eligible for the working parent entitlement is estimated from various sources including the Family Resources Survey (FRS), the Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI), Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data, the Schools Census, the Early Years Census and population estimates derived from ONS estimates and projections.
The estimated number of children eligible for the working parent entitlements should be treated with caution due to the reliability of the survey-based data underpinning the calculations, particularly for 2025, which DfE plans to revise in next year’s publication (when more timely data becomes available). In turn, the estimated percentages of eligible children registered for the working parent entitlements, which are included in this release for the first time, are suitable to assess trends over time but should be treated with caution. For more information, see the data quality section of the methodology page.
Support for disadvantaged children
3 and 4-year-olds registered for the universal entitlement (who have not yet entered reception), and from September 2024, children aged 9 months to 2 years who are registered for the working parent entitlement and 2-year-olds who are registered for the FRAS entitlement are eligible for early years pupil premium (EYPP) (opens in new tab) funding if their parents are in receipt of certain income-related benefits, if they are looked after by a local authority, or if they have left care under an adoption, special guardianship, or child arrangements order.
When children join a state-funded reception class, they cease to be eligible for EYPP, so these statistics also identify children who are in reception and eligible for free school meals (opens in new tab). Children are eligible for free school meals if they are in full-time education in a state-funded school and their parents are in receipt of certain income-related benefits or have no recourse to public funds.
Universal entitlement
The percentages of 3 and 4-year-olds registered for the universal entitlement are derived from ONS population estimates (for the 2011 to 2023 rates in this release), ONS population projections (for the 2025 rates in this release) or a combination of both (2024 rates in this release).
Revised population estimates/projections, based on the latest ONS data, including from the 2021 Census, were used to calculate revised percentages from 2011 to 2024 in this release.
The impact of these revisions on the percentages at a national level has ranged from a fall of 1.3 percentage points in 2024 (from 94.9% to 93.6%) to a rise of 4.5 percentage points in 2021 (from 89.7% to 94.2%). Further information can be found within the methodology page.
In 2025, an estimated 93.1% of 3 and 4-year-olds were registered for the universal entitlement, down 0.5 percentage points from a year earlier and the lowest proportion in the series (started in 2011). Whilst it has been on a declining trend since the series peak of 97.2% in 2018, it has remained above 90% throughout the series.
Percentage of 3 and 4-year-olds registered for the universal entitlement, 2011 to 2025
| Year | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage | 94.3 | 95.2 | 95.6 | 95.8 | 96.0 | 96.6 | 96.8 | 97.2 | 97.1 | 97.0 | 94.2 | 96.0 | 94.6 | 93.6 | 93.1 |
| Annual change | z | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.4 | -0.1 | -0.1 | -2.8 | 1.8 | -1.5 | -0.9 | -0.5 |
In 2025, the estimated population of all 3 and 4-year-olds fell to the lowest in the series (1.24 million). This continues the downward trend from the series peak in 2016 (1.39 million), following a decline in births in recent years (opens in new tab). The number of 3 and 4-year-olds registered for the universal entitlement also fell to the lowest in the series in 2025, again continuing the downward trend from the series peak of 1.34 million children in 2016. The latest figure of 1.16 million represents a fall of 1.2% or 14,200 children from a year earlier.
Working parent entitlement
This release includes figures for the first time on eligible children aged 9 months to 2 years registered for the expanded working parent entitlement (expanded from April 2024 to include eligible 2-year-olds and expanded from September 2024 to include eligible children aged 9 to 23 months). For children aged 9 to 11 months, the effect of maternity/paternity leave has not been accounted for when estimating eligibility.
This release also includes figures for the first time on the percentages of eligible children registered for the working parent entitlement. While they are suitable for assessing trends over time, these percentages should be treated with caution due to the reliability of the survey-based data which they are based on, particularly for 2025, which DfE plans to revise in next year’s publication (when more timely data becomes available). For further information, see the data quality section of the methodology page.
Eligible children aged 9 months to 2 years
2-year-olds eligible for both the families receiving additional support (FRAS) and the new expanded working entitlement should be recorded under FRAS according to statutory guidance. However, DfE analyses and feedback received from some local authorities during data collection suggests that a substantial proportion of 2-year-olds eligible for both have been recorded under the working parent entitlement instead (although this picture varies at local authority level). Therefore, the number of 2-year-olds (and the number of children aged 9 months to 2 years in total) registered for the working parent entitlement should be treated with caution as it includes some 2-year-olds who, according to statutory guidance, should have been recorded under the FRAS entitlement.
Just under half a million eligible children aged 9 months to 2 years were registered for the expanded working parent entitlement in 2025, with an estimated 7 in 10 eligible children registered overall.
This ranged from around 4 in 10 eligible children registered for those aged 9 to 11 months to around 8 in 10 eligible children registered for those aged 2 years.
For children aged 9 to 11 months, the effect of maternity/paternity leave has not been accounted for when estimating eligibility.
Number of children registered, estimated number of eligible children and estimated percentage of eligible children registered for the expanded working parent entitlement, 2025
| Age range | Number of | Estimated | Estimated % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 to 11 months | 29,200 | 69,000 | 42 |
| 1 year | 195,100 | 279,000 | 70 |
| 2 years | 242,500 | 289,000 | 84 |
| 9 months to 2 years | 466,700 | 637,000 | 73 |
Comparisons with management information
Since April 2024, DfE has been publishing management information on eligibility codes issued and validated in relation to the expanded entitlements for children of eligible working parents aged 9 months to 2 years.
In order to access a government-funded entitlement, parents and carers must apply for an eligibility code which is then validated by early years providers or local authorities. The management information provides the number of eligibility codes issued to parents and the number of codes validated by providers or local authorities at different points in the year.
The table below shows the number of codes issued and validated as captured in the management information during the 2024/25 spring term. The number of children registered for the entitlements, as captured in these statistics, is around 90% of the data published on the number of codes. Differences between these statistics and the management information are to be expected as:
- not all children with a validated code will actually attend a setting and therefore be registered for the new expanded working parent entitlement.
- management information is based on counts from 1 January 2025 to 31 March 2025, covering the entire duration of the 2024/25 spring term whereas these statistics relate to children registered in the third week in January, so are a snapshot within the spring 2024/25 term.
- In certain circumstances it is possible for a single child to be duplicated within the management information system.
Number of codes issued and validated in the 2024/25 spring term for the expanded working parent entitlement
| Age range | Number of codes | Number of codes |
|---|---|---|
| 9 to 11 months | 36,171 | 32,926 |
| 1 year | 226,493 | 208,424 |
| 2 years | 280,880 | 264,301 |
Eligible 3 and 4-year-olds
In 2025, an estimated 91% of eligible 3 and 4-year-olds, or 379,000 children, were registered for the working parent entitlement, up 5 percentage points and 17,200 children (or 5%) respectively from a year earlier.
The latest figures represent the series peaks, continuing the upward trend since the series started in 2018, up from around 7 in 10 eligible children registered to around 9 in 10 eligible children registered.
Whilst the estimated population of 3 and 4-years-old has decreased since 2018, the estimated number of 3 and 4-year-olds eligible for the working parent entitlement has been more stable in comparison over the same period.
Estimated percentage of eligible 3 and 4-year-olds registered for the working parent entitlement, 2018 to 2025
| Year | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage | 73 | 77 | 79 | 76 | 82 | 81 | 86 | 91 |
| Annual change (p.p.) | z | 4 | 2 | -3 | 6 | -1 | 5 | 5 |
Families receiving additional support entitlement
There has been a downward trend since the series started in 2015 (also representing the series peak) in the estimated number of 2-year-olds eligible for the families receiving additional support (FRAS) entitlement (269,800 children). This is due to declining births in recent years (opens in new tab) and unchanged maximum earnings thresholds for both legacy (through child tax credits) and universal credit eligibility criteria, while average incomes have increased (see Figure 1 in ONS release ‘Employee earnings in the UK: 2023 (opens in new tab)’). There was a change in policy and data that is likely to have contributed to the apparent increase in 2019: following the introduction of the maximum earnings threshold criteria for universal credit (since April 2018), this was the first year children eligible via universal credit were included in the eligible population data, though the numbers of children registered for the FRAS entitlement via universal credit were likely small previously, with universal credit being rolled out nationwide since late 2018 (opens in new tab).
The fall in 2-year-olds eligible for the FRAS entitlement has contributed to the number of 2-year-olds registered for the FRAS entitlement falling from the series peak of 166,900 children in 2016, to 115,900 in 2024.
Between 2019 and 2024, the number of 2-year-olds eligible for FRAS decreased by 29%, which is greater than the 5% fall in the overall 2-year-old population, indicating that declines in births only partially explain the fall. In particular, over the period, the fall in 167,300 children eligible via legacy benefits was not offset by the rise of 103,000 children eligible via universal credit. In addition, as the 29% fall is greater than the 22% fall in eligible children registered, the percentage of eligible 2-year-olds registered increased by 7 percentage points over the period to 75% in 2024, the highest in the series.
Estimated percentage of eligible 2 year-olds registered for the FRAS entitlement, 2015 to 2025
| Year | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage | 58.2 | 67.8 | 70.7 | 71.8 | 67.8 | 69.2 | 61.8 | 71.9 | 73.9 | 74.8 | 65.2 |
| Annual change (p.p.) | z | 10 | 2.9 | 1.1 | -4.0 | 1.3 | -7.4 | 10.1 | 2.0 | 0.8 | -9.6 |
Changes between 2024 and 2025
Between 2024 and 2025, the 18% fall in the number of eligible 2-year-olds registered for FRAS was greater than the 6% fall in the number of 2-year-olds eligible for FRAS.
2-year-olds eligible for both FRAS and the new expanded working parent entitlement should be recorded under FRAS as per statutory guidance. However, DfE analyses and feedback received from some local authorities during data collection suggests that a substantial proportion of 2-year-olds eligible for both have been recorded under the working parent entitlement instead (although this picture varies at local authority level). Therefore, this has likely contributed to the fall nationally in 2025 in the number and percentage of eligible 2-year-olds registered, which both fell to 95,000 children and 65% respectively. Whilst further analysis is needed, the impact of the new working parent entitlement on the recording of the FRAS entitlement should be considered when interpreting the fall in these figures, and therefore the 2025 figures should be treated with caution.
DfE expects the recording of 2-year-olds registered for the FRAS and the working parent entitlements to improve in future years. From 1 April 2025, DfE has shared data with local authorities that enables them to identify households with 2-year-olds that are likely to be eligible for both entitlements so that they can ensure these children are recorded under the correct funding stream.
Children registered by provider type and Ofsted inspection
Provider type
Excluding children (mainly 4-year-olds) attending reception in state-funded schools, across all entitlement types, at least 2 in every 3 children (65%) were registered at private, voluntary, and independent providers.
Ofsted inspection
From September 2024 (opens in new tab), graded inspections of state-funded schools have no longer included an overall effectiveness grade. Therefore, this section is based on PVIs only.
Of those children registered at a PVI provider with a matched Ofsted inspection judgement, 98% of children attended early years provision judged good or outstanding by Ofsted across all entitlement types.
Number and percentage of children registered for entitlements in PVIs by provider's Ofsted inspection judgement, 2025
| Ofsted judgement | Universal | Working parent | FRAS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total matched | 415,500 | 100.0% | 642,800 | 100.0% | 64,700 | 100.0% |
| Outstanding | 73,200 | 17.6% | 112,600 | 17.5% | 7,900 | 12.2% |
| Good | 333,700 | 80.3% | 518,700 | 80.7% | 55,700 | 86.1% |
| Requires improvement | 7,100 | 1.7% | 9,500 | 1.5% | 800 | 1.3% |
| Inadequate | 1,500 | 0.4% | 2,000 | 0.3% | 300 | 0.4% |
Providers delivering entitlements
The figures in this section are based on providers delivering funded entitlements where at least one child was registered for all their entitlement or any proportion of their entitlement if it was split across multiple providers. For more information see the methodology page.
In 2025, there were 55,000 providers delivering the entitlements, the first increase in five years, and the biggest increase since data became available in 2018.
Number of providers delivering entitlements, 2018 to 2025
| Year | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 53,600 | 53,800 | 53,900 | 52,400 | 51,300 | 49,900 | 49,200 | 55,000 |
| Annual change | x | 300 | 100 | -1,500 | -1,100 | -1,400 | -700 | 5,800 |
| Annual % change | x | 0.5% | 0.2% | -2.8% | -2.1% | -2.8% | -1.4% | 11.8% |
This was driven by an increase in the number of providers delivering the working parent entitlement (+26%) and by the number of childminders delivering any entitlement (+43%). Specifically, the number of childminders delivering the working parent entitlement increased by 7,700 or 73% between 2024 and 2025.
Number of providers delivering entitlements by entitlement type, 2024 and 2025
| Entitlement type | 2024 | 2025 | Annual change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universal | 46,300 | 47,300 | 1,000 | 2.1% |
| Working parent | 35,600 | 44,800 | 9,200 | 26.0% |
| FRAS | 20,600 | 19,000 | -1,600 | -7.8% |
Number of providers delivering entitlements by provider type, 2024 and 2025
| Provider type | 2024 | 2025 | Annual change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State-funded schools | 16,800 | 16,800 | -30 | -0.1% |
| Private and voluntary providers | 17,500 | 17,800 | 280 | 1.6% |
| Independent schools | 800 | 800 | -20 | -2.7% |
| Local authority day nurseries | 300 | 300 | 0 | 0.4% |
| State funded governor run | 800 | 800 | 20 | 2.7% |
| Childminders | 12,900 | 18,500 | 5,600 | 43.3% |
| Other PVIs | 60 | 20 | -30 | -60.7% |
Early years staff delivering entitlements
Staff qualifications data relates to private, voluntary, and independent (PVI) providers only.
Accredited graduate status for early years staff represents early years professional status, early years teacher status, or qualified teacher status.
In 2025, the number of staff delivering the entitlements in PVIs increased for the fourth consecutive year, likely driven by the expanded entitlements, and was the biggest increase since data became available in 2018.
Number of early years staff delivering entitlements at PVIs, 2018 to 2025
| Year | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 254,400 | 261,900 | 256,400 | 243,700 | 249,300 | 250,700 | 254,300 | 272,500 |
| Annual change | x | 7,600 | -5,500 | -12,700 | 5,600 | 1,400 | 3,600 | 18,200 |
| Annual % change | x | 3.0% | -2.1% | -4.9% | 2.3% | 0.6% | 1.4% | 7.2% |
In 2025, the number of staff delivering the entitlements in PVIs increased across all (highest) qualification levels; those with level 3 qualifications had the largest numeric rise and those with level 2 qualifications had the largest percentage rise.
Number of early years staff delivering entitlements at PVIs, by highest qualification level, 2024 and 2025
| Highest qualification level | 2024 | 2025 | Annual change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accredited graduate status | 20,900 | 22,500 | 1,600 | 7.7% |
| Full and relevant level 3 | 149,100 | 158,200 | 9,100 | 6.1% |
| Full and relevant level 2 | 27,500 | 31,300 | 3,800 | 13.8% |
In 2025, the number of staff delivering the entitlements in PVIs increased across all provider types, apart from in independent schools. Staff in private and voluntary providers had the numeric largest rise, whilst childminders had the largest percentage rise.
Number of early years staff delivering entitlements at PVIs, by provider type, 2024 and 2025
| Provider type | 2024 | 2025 | Annual change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private and voluntary providers | 218,000 | 229,200 | 11,200 | 5.1% |
| Local authority day nurseries | 3,000 | 3,100 | 100 | 3.4% |
| State-funded governor-run | 4,300 | 4,600 | 300 | 7.0% |
| Independent schools | 9,400 | 9,300 | -100 | -1.2% |
| Childminders | 19,100 | 26,100 | 7,100 | 37.1% |
| Other | 500 | 200 | -300 | -64.4% |
Contact us
If you have a specific enquiry about Funded early education and childcare statistics and data:
Early Years Statistics Team
Email: earlyyears.statistics@education.gov.ukContact name: Jay Morris
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