Claiming EYPP and DAF
Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP)
Information for Early Years Providers
What is the early years pupil premium?
The early years pupil premium (EYPP) is additional funding for early years providers to improve outcomes for children by providing them with enhanced learning and development support. This means that for children from low income families accessing the Funded Early Education Entitlement (FEEE), providers are entitled to receive additional funding of up to £1.00 per hour. Providers should work in partnership with parents to carefully consider the learning and development needs of the child.
Eligible Children can start claiming EYPP in the term in which they become eligible for :
- The entitlement for disadvantaged 2-year-olds – (Free For Two Funding).
- The working parent entitlement for children aged 2 years
- The working parent entitlement for children aged 9 months to 2-years-old
- The Universal 15 hours entitlement for 3&4year olds
Please be aware that EYPP will only be paid on the first 15 hours per week.
For children who are eligible for both Working parent entitlement and FF2 , EYPP will be paid on FF2 funding first. For children at more than one setting Synergy will split the EYPP depending on the FF2 hours and proportion of the hours that each provider has claimed for.
Please be aware that EYPP is not payable on the working parent entitlement for three and four-year-old children .
Identifying eligible children
Parent and carers will need to complete parts six and seven of the parental declaration giving providers permission to apply for EYPP. The parent needs to be claiming one of the benefits or credits listed below to enable Management Information to check for eligibility. Children may be eligible for EYPP if they meet the “Other Criteria” shown below.
EYPP Economic Criteria
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit ( provided you are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit) and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190
- Working Tax Credit run-on, which is paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit - your household income must be less than £7,400 a year after tax not including any benefits you get.
Other Criteria
- Children who have left the care of a local authority as a result of an adoption order in England or Wales
- Children who have left the care of a local authority as a result of a special guardianship order in England or Wales
- Children who have left the care of a local authority as a result of a child arrangements order in England or Wales
- Children who are currently being looked after by a Local Authority in England or Wales.
How to apply
For Economic Criteria
Early Years Providers should apply for EYPP through the FIS Synergy Provider Portal when doing their actuals claim submission
Once the provider portal has closed for actuals submission on Tuesday 16th September 2025 EYPP should be applied for using the online application form for all Economic criteria. This will be available on Wednesday 17th September 2025
Management Information will check for eligibility with the Eligibility Checking Service (ECS) and advise you of the outcome by email.
Applying for EYPP with other criteria , these applications must be made through on line form
For children who have left the care of a local authority
- Providers should complete the application form on Kelsi this will be available on Wednesday 17th September 2025
Children who are currently being looked after by a local authority
- Providers should complete the application form on Kelsi, this will be available on Wednesday 17th September 2025. Management Information will then check applications with Virtual Schools Kent (VSK).
VSK will verify eligibility and will make EYPP payments for these children using their own payment schedule.
EYPP Funding
Providers will receive an additional £1.00 per funded hour for nine months, two, three and four year olds* for eligible children under the economic criteria and for those children who have left the care of a local authority. Providers will receive EYPP funding that is proportionate to the number of funded hours that a child is taking up, to a maximum of 570 hours in the child’s funding year. This will be paid on a termly basis.
This funding should be used to enhance the quality of the child’s early years’ experience by improving the provision and resources, with the aim of impacting positively on their progress and development
EYPP Payments
If eligible, payment for EYPP will be made from week commencing Monday 27th October 2025 for nine month, two, three and four year old funding claims.
For applications made after the actuals submission window closes on the Synergy FIS Provider Portal , eligible children will be paid as part of an adjustment payment. Please see payment schedule on the free early education page.
Following confirmation from the Department for Education (DfE) we would advise you that once a child’s eligibility for EYPP has been confirmed you will no longer have to re-check eligibility on an annual basis, unless the child changes setting.
EYPP Flowchart
EYPP Provider flowchart (PDF, 60.0 KB)
Contact us
Contact Management Information for further information about the EYPP Scheme in Kent by email at miearlyyears@kent.gov.uk or call 03000 42 16 12 and ask for Victoria Bentley or another member of the team will be able to help you if Victoria is unavailable.
Disability Access Fund (DAF)
Information for Early Years Providers
Disability Access Fund (DAF) introduced in April 2017, provides funding to support children with disabilities or special educational needs. The DAF aids access to early years places by, for example, supporting providers in making reasonable adjustments to their provision.
The DAF has been extended to include all eligible nine month, two, three and four year olds
Children may be eligible for DAF if they meet the following criteria:
- The child is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
And the child receives one of the following:
- The entitlement for disadvantaged 2-year-olds – (Free For Two Funding).
- The working parent entitlement for children aged 2 years
- The working parent entitlement for children aged 9 months to 2-years-old
- The Universal 15 hours entitlement for 3&4year olds
If a child who is eligible for DAF is splitting their funded hours across two or more providers, the parent must nominate one of the settings to receive the DAF funding as this cannot be split.
Please be aware that DAF will only be paid on the first 15 hours per week.
How to Apply
Early Years providers can download an application form to apply for DAF funding for all age ranges using the link below
Please note that this form needs to be completed with parents and carers and emailed to Early Years Management Information at miearlyyears@kent.gov.uk with a copy of the latest DLA awards notice. The awards notice needs to cover the term in which the application is made.
*Only one application form is required per child throughout their funded entitlement, provided that they remain at the same setting
DAF Payments
The Disability Access Funding is payable as an annual lump sum per eligible child.
Funding is paid at the fixed annual rate of £938.00 per eligible child.
First payment for DAF will be made week commencing Monday 27th October 2025 for all eligible children, applications received after Friday 10th October 2025 will then be processed and payment made according to the adjustment payment schedule.
Providers will receive successive annual payments provided that a claim is received for one of the free entitlements and the child remains eligible to receive Disability Living Allowance.
However, we will need to ask for new evidence of entitlement to Disability Living Allowance if the evidence originally submitted has expired. Therefore, if an application for DAF has already been submitted in a previous term/year, please do not submit again.
Important Information
If a child receiving DAF moves from one provider to another the new provider is not eligible to receive DAF funding for this child within the same year. Funding received by the original provider will not be recouped by Kent County Council. The new provider is not eligible to receive DAF funding for this child until the anniversary of the first payment has passed. A new application will have to be completed and sent to Management Information after this period
Contact us
Contact Management Information for further information about the DAF Scheme in Kent by email at miearlyyears@kent.gov.uk or call 03000 42 16 12 and ask for Victoria Bentley or another member of the team will be able to help you if Victoria is unavailable.
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