Early years expansion grant 2025 to 2026
Guidance for local authorities on the early years expansion grant conditions, methodology and allocations.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
This guidance is for:
- local authorities
We are providing £75 million in additional funding to local authorities in 2025 to 2026 to support early years providers as they deliver the final phase of expansion to the working parent entitlements from September 2025. This funding will be distributed via the early years expansion grant which will be paid to local authorities in July 2025.
Conditions of Grant
This document contains guidance setting out details of the early years expansion grant, explaining how local authority level funding has been set, and how the Department for Education expects local authorities to pass funding on to providers locally. It also includes the terms and conditions to which this grant is subject.
Methodology
This document sets out the methodology for the early years expansion grant. It confirms the method and data used to create the early years expansion grant rates and allocations.
Allocations
This document sets out the individual local authority level allocations for the early years expansion grant. These allocations will be paid in July 2025.