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.
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About these statistics
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:
- the universal entitlement for all 3 and 4-year-olds;
- the working parent entitlement for children aged 9 months to 4 years;
- early learning for 2-year-olds (formerly known as the disadvantaged entitlement and then as the families receiving additional support entitlement).
Please note that the percentages at a national level between 2022 and 2025 of children registered for the universal entitlement and of eligible children registered for the working parent entitlement have been revised in this year’s release, due to the denominators being calculated using revised population estimates.
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 2026 reporting year were aged 4 on 31 December 2025.
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 | EL2 (with the full eligibility criteria): 2-year-olds (formerly known as the disadvantaged entitlement and then as the families receiving additional support entitlement) |
| 2018 | Working parent: 3 and 4-year olds |
| 2025 | Working parent: children aged 9 months to 2 years |
Early learning for 2-year-olds
Since 2015, eligible 2-year-olds 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, or as fewer hours over more weeks.
Early learning for 2-year-olds (EL2) was previously known as the disadvantaged entitlement and was referred to as such in the statistics for 2024 and earlier years. It was also previously known as the families receiving additional support entitlement and was referred to as such in the 2025 statistics.
2-year-olds are eligible for EL2 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 EL2 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. However, children eligible for the other reasons listed above are not accounted for. Therefore, the true number of 2-year-olds eligible is underestimated. In turn, the percentage of eligible 2-year-olds registered for EL2 is overestimated. However, the size of this overestimate 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, or as 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 (375,700 children or 33% 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
From April 2024 up until August 2025, 2-year-olds with eligible working parents were entitled to receive 570 hours of government-funded early years provision a year; the same entitlement was extended from September 2024 up until August 2025 to children aged 9 to 23 months with eligible working parents. This could have been taken as 15 hours a week over 38 weeks of the year, or as fewer hours over more weeks.
Since September 2025, the entitlement has been expanded with children aged 9 months to 2 years with eligible working parents becoming entitled to receive 1,140 hours of government-funded early years provision a year, effectively doubling their entitlement. This can be taken as 30 hours a week over 38 weeks of the year, or as 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, or as 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 entitlement should be treated with caution due to the reliability of the survey-based data underpinning the calculations, particularly for 2026, 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 entitlement are suitable to assess trends over time but should also 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) 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.
Since September 2024, children aged 9 months to 2 years registered for the working parent entitlement and children registered for early learning for two-year-olds have also been eligible for EYPP funding.
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 2012 to 2024 rates in this release), ONS population projections (for the 2026 rates in this release) or a combination of both (2025 rates in this release).
Revised population estimates/projections, based on the latest ONS data, were used to calculate revised percentages at a national level from 2022 to 2025 in this release.
The impact of these revisions on the percentages has ranged from a fall of 0.1 percentage points in 2022 (from 96.0% to 95.9%) to a fall of 2.2 percentage points in 2025 (from 93.1% to 91.0%). Further information can be found within the methodology page.
Children (mainly 4-year-olds) in a state-funded reception class are considered to be registered for the universal entitlement. In 2026, an estimated 90.2% of 3 and 4-year-olds were registered for the universal entitlement and an estimated 85.9% of 3 and 4-year-olds were registered for early years entitlements only (i.e. excluding reception). This represents decreases of 0.8 and 1.2 percentage points respectively from a year earlier, both falling to the lowest points in the series and continuing the downward trend from the series peaks in 2018.
Percentage of 3 and 4-year-olds registered for the universal entitlement, 2018 to 2026
| Year | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage | 97.2 | 97.1 | 97.0 | 94.2 | 95.9 | 94.2 | 92.0 | 91.0 | 90.2 |
| Annual change (pp) | 0.4 | -0.1 | -0.1 | -2.8 | 1.7 | -1.7 | -2.2 | -1.1 | -0.8 |
| Percentage, early years only | 95.8 | 95.7 | 95.6 | 91.5 | 94.0 | 91.6 | 88.5 | 87.1 | 85.9 |
| Annual change (pp) | x | -0.1 | -0.1 | -4.2 | 2.6 | -2.5 | -3.1 | -1.4 | -1.2 |
In 2026, the estimated 3 and 4-year-old population fell to the lowest figure in the series (1.25 million). This continues the downward trend from the series peak in 2016 (1.39 million), following an overall decline in births in recent years (opens in new tab).
There were 1.13 million 3 and 4-year-olds registered for the universal entitlement and 751,000 3 and 4-year-olds registered for early years entitlements only (i.e. excluding reception) in 2026. These figures represent falls of 2.4% or 28,300 children and 3.2% or 24,700 children from a year earlier, both falling to the lowest points in the series and continuing the downward trend from earlier years.
In 2026, a third or 33% (376,000 children) of all 3 and 4-year-olds registered for the universal entitlement were in a state-funded reception class and this percentage has remained stable over time.
Working parent entitlement
This release includes figures for the second time on eligible children aged 9 months to 2 years registered for the working parent entitlement.
This release also includes figures for the second 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 2026, which DfE plans to revise in next year’s publication (when more timely data becomes available). For children aged 9 to 11 months, the effect of maternity/paternity leave has not been accounted for when estimating eligibility. For further information, see the data quality section of the methodology page.
Eligible children aged 9 months to 2 years
An estimated 8 in 10 eligible children aged 9 months to 2 years were registered for the working parent entitlement in 2026, up from 7 in 10 eligible children in 2025. In 2026, this ranged from around 5 in 10 eligible children registered for those aged 9 to 11 months to around 9 in 10 eligible children registered for those aged 2 years.
In January 2025, children aged 9 months to 2 years with eligible working parents were entitled to 570 hours of government funded early years provision a year. In January 2026 (specifically since September 2025) that entitlement had doubled to 1,140 hours.
As a result, the number of registered hours has also almost doubled from 6.8 million hours a week (adjusted to be based on 38 weeks) in 2025 to 13.5 million hours a week in 2026, up 97.6% or 6.7 million hours. Similarly, the average number of weekly registered hours per child (adjusted to be based on 38 weeks) has also almost doubled from 14.6 in 2025 to 26.9 in 2026, up 83.8% or 12.3 hours a week.
Just over half a million children aged 9 months to 2 years were registered for the working parent entitlement in 2026, up 7.5% or 35,000 children from a year earlier; this may be attributable, at least in part, to the higher number of hours offered.
Number of children registered, estimated number of eligible children and estimated percentage of eligible children registered for the working parent entitlement, 2025 and 2026
| Age range | Number of children registered | Estimated number of eligible children | Estimated percentage of eligible children registered | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 2025 | 2026 | 2025 | 2026 | 2025 | 2026 |
| 9 to 11 months | 29,200 | 30,700 | 67,000 | 66,000 | 44 | 46 |
| 1 year | 195,100 | 210,800 | 283,000 | 278,000 | 69 | 76 |
| 2 years | 242,500 | 260,200 | 297,000 | 283,000 | 82 | 92 |
| 9 months to 2 years | 466,700 | 501,700 | 647,000 | 627,000 | 72 | 80 |
Eligible 3 and 4-year-olds
In 2026, an estimated 91% of eligible 3 and 4-year-olds, or 388,700 children, were registered for the working parent entitlement, up 4 percentage points or 9,700 children 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 3 and 4-year-old population 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 2026
| Year | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage | 73 | 77 | 79 | 76 | 82 | 80 | 84 | 87 | 91 |
| Annual change (pp) | x | 4 | 1 | -2 | 6 | -2 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
Early learning for 2-year-olds
There has been a downward trend since the series started in 2015 in the estimated number of 2-year-olds eligible for early learning (EL2). It fell from the series peak of 269,800 children in 2015 to 119,600 in 2026, the lowest figure in the series.
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: 2025 (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 EL2 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 EL2 has contributed to the number of 2-year-olds registered for EL2 falling from the series peak of 166,900 children in 2016, to 85,600 in 2026, the lowest figure in the series.
Changes between 2019 and 2024
Between 2019 and 2024, the number of 2-year-olds eligible for EL2 decreased by 29%, which is greater than the 4% fall in the overall 2-year-old population, indicating that declines in births only partially explain the fall. In particular, over the same period, the fall in 167,300 children eligible via legacy benefits was not offset by the rise in 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 children registered for early learning for 2-year-olds, 2015 to 2026
| Year | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage | 58.2 | 67.8 | 70.7 | 71.8 | 67.8 | 69.2 | 61.8 | 71.9 | 73.9 | 74.8 | 65.2 | 71.6 |
| Annual change (pp) | z | 9.6 | 2.9 | 1.1 | -4.0 | 1.3 | -7.4 | 10.1 | 2.0 | 0.8 | -9.6 | 6.4 |
Changes between 2024 and 2025
Between 2024 and 2025, the 18% fall in the number of 2-year-olds registered for EL2 was greater than the 5.9% fall in the number of 2-year-olds eligible for EL2.
2-year-olds eligible for both EL2 and the expanded working parent entitlement should be recorded under EL2 as per statutory guidance. However, indicative DfE analysis and feedback received from some local authorities during data collection suggested that a substantial proportion of 2-year-olds eligible for both had been recorded under the working parent entitlement instead in 2025 (although this picture varies at local authority level). Therefore, this has likely contributed to the annual fall nationally in 2025 in the number and percentage of eligible 2-year-olds registered, which fell to 95,000 children (down 18% or 20,800 children) and 65% (down 10 percentage points) respectively. The impact of the new working parent entitlement on the recording of EL2 should be considered when interpreting the fall in these figures between 2024 and 2025, and therefore the 2025 figures should be treated with caution.
Since 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 EL2 and the working parent entitlement so that they can ensure these children are recorded under the correct funding stream.
Changes between 2025 and 2026
In contrast, between 2025 and 2026, the 9.9% fall (or 9,400 children) in the number of 2-year-olds registered for EL2 was less than the 18% fall (or 26,200 children) in the number of 2-year-olds eligible for EL2. This indicates that the recording of 2-year-olds registered for EL2 and the working parent entitlement has improved nationally since 2025, as does indicative DfE analysis. In addition, information DfE has received from local authorities anecdotally and during the data collection process also suggests that data recording has improved at a national level since 2025 (although this picture varies at local authority level).
The 18% fall in 2026 in the number of 2-year-olds eligible for EL2 (119,600) was the largest in the series, with the following factors contributing:
- The doubling of the working parent entitlement for children aged 9 months to 2-years, encouraging parents to earn more and in turn more families to be above the maximum earnings threshold for the universal credit eligibility criteria.
- As of 5 April 2025, eligibility criteria no longer including families in receipt of tax credits following their closure and them being replaced in full by universal credit.
- The continued annual rise in the national minimum wage in April 2025 causing more families to be above the maximum earnings threshold for the universal credit eligibility criteria.
85,600 2-year-olds were registered for EL2 in 2026, down 9.9% or 9,400 children from a year earlier. However, as the number of children eligible for EL2 fell by a greater percentage, the proportion of eligible 2-year-olds registered for EL2 increased by 6.4 percentage points to 72%. Nonetheless, the 2026 figure is still down from the 2024 figure of 75% (by 3.2 percentage points), which is the latest figure prior to the expansion of the working parent entitlement.
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 2026, there were 55,300 providers delivering the entitlements, up 0.6% or 300 from 2025 and the second consecutive annual increase.
Total number of providers delivering entitlements, 2018 to 2026
| Year | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 53,600 | 53,800 | 53,900 | 52,400 | 51,300 | 49,900 | 49,200 | 55,000 | 55,300 |
Annual change | x | 300 | 100 | -1,500 | -1,100 | -1,400 | -700 | 5,800 | 300 |
x | 0.5% | 0.2% | -2.8% | -2.1% | -2.8% | -1.4% | 11.8% | 0.6% |
This was mostly driven by an increase in the number of providers delivering the working parent entitlement and by the number of childminders delivering any entitlement.
Total number of providers delivering entitlements by entitlement type, 2025 and 2026
| Entitlement type | 2025 | 2026 | Annual change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universal | 47,300 | 46,800 | -600 | -1.2% |
| Working parent | 44,800 | 45,800 | 1,000 | 2.2% |
| EL2 | 19,000 | 18,800 | -200 | -1.2% |
Number of providers delivering entitlements by provider type, 2025 and 2026
| Provider type | 2025 | 2026 | Annual Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State-funded schools | 16,800 | 16,700 | -50 | -0.3% |
| Private and voluntary providers | 17,800 | 17,300 | -470 | -2.6% |
| Local authority day nurseries | 280 | 400 | 120 | 44.2% |
| State-funded governor-run | 840 | 670 | -170 | -20.4% |
| Independent schools | 790 | 800 | 10 | 1.3% |
| Childminders | 18,500 | 19,200 | 640 | 3.4% |
| Other PVIs | 20 | 260 | 240 | 1,100.0% |
Since 2019, DfE has contacted local authorities to ask them to reclassify other private, voluntary and independent providers (PVIs) where necessary, particularly to childminders and state-funded governor run provision. Due to resource constraints, the volume of these checks was reduced during the 2026 collection, and this is likely to account for the increase in other providers.
In addition, since Autumn 2025, children who are receiving early years provision that is directly run by an academy, on academy premises, must be registered pupils of the academy and recorded on the school census, not the early years census. This is likely to account for at least some of the fall in state-funded governor run providers.
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 2026, the number of staff delivering the entitlements in PVIs increased for the fifth consecutive year, up 5.2% or 14,200 from a year earlier. This was driven by an increase in staff with level 2 and level 3 qualifications.
Number of early years staff delivering entitlements at PVIs, 2018 to 2026
| Year | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 254,400 | 261,900 | 256,400 | 243,700 | 249,300 | 250,700 | 254,300 | 272,500 | 286,700 |
| Annual change | x | 7,600 | -5,500 | -12,700 | 5,600 | 1,400 | 3,600 | 18,200 | 14,200 |
x | 3.0% | -2.1% | -4.9% | 2.3% | 0.6% | 1.4% | 7.2% | 5.2% |
Number of early years staff delivering entitlements at PVIs by highest qualification level, 2025 and 2026
| Highest qualification level | 2025 | 2026 | Annual change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accredited graduate status | 22,500 | 22,300 | -200 | -1.0% |
| Full and relevant EY level 3 | 158,200 | 164,900 | 6,700 | 4.2% |
| Full and relevant EY level 2 | 31,300 | 35,000 | 3,700 | 11.8% |
In 2026, the number of staff delivering the entitlements in PVIs increased across all provider types, apart from in state-funded governor run providers.
Since 2019, DfE has contacted local authorities to ask them to reclassify other PVIs where necessary, particularly to childminders and state-funded governor run provision. Due to resource constraints, the volume of these checks was reduced during the 2026 collection and is likely to account for the increase in staff delivering entitlements in other settings.
In addition, since Autumn 2025, children who are receiving early years provision that is directly run by an academy, on academy premises, must be registered pupils of the academy and recorded on the school census, not the early years census. This is likely to account for at least some of the fall in staff in state-funded governor run providers.
Number of early years staff delivering entitlements at PVIs by provider type, 2025 and 2026
| Provider type | 2025 | 2026 | Annual change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private and voluntary providers | 229,200 | 237,300 | 8,100 | 3.5% |
| Local authority day nurseries | 3,100 | 5,200 | 2,100 | 68.2% |
| State-funded governor-run | 4,600 | 3,900 | -800 | -16.8% |
| Independent schools | 9,300 | 9,400 | 100 | 0.9% |
| Childminders | 26,100 | 28,300 | 2,200 | 8.3% |
| Other | 200 | 2,700 | 2,500 | 1,372.8% |
In 2026, around a third of providers employed at least one graduate staff member. The proportion varied by provider type, with independent schools reporting the highest level and childminders reporting the lowest level.
Across all provider types, except for other PVIs, these proportions have either remained stable or increased slightly compared to the previous year.
Percentage of providers with at least one graduate member of staff by provider type, 2025 and 2026
| Provider type | 2025 | 2026 | Annual change (pp) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 33.5 | 33.6 | 0.1 |
| Private and voluntary providers | 47.4 | 47.4 | 0.0 |
| Local authority day nurseries | 56.1 | 61.6 | 5.5 |
| State-funded governor-run | 65.3 | 65.4 | 0.1 |
| Independent schools | 84.3 | 85.3 | 1.0 |
| Childminders | 16.2 | 17.1 | 0.9 |
| Other | 68.2 | 46.0 | -22.2 |
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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