Funding

What Is Stretched Funding? Using Funded Hours Across More Weeks

What parents mean by 'stretching' funded childcare and what to ask a nursery about spreading hours across the year.

โ† All Early Years guides

Some settings allow funded hours to be spread across more weeks of the year by using fewer funded hours each week. This is sometimes called stretching the funding.

Why might parents choose it?

It can make childcare costs more predictable across a longer period, but the exact arrangement depends on the provider and your entitlement.

Ask the nursery to show you the exact weekly hours and annual pattern before deciding.

Information checked against official guidance. View the official source โ†’