Universal funded hours

Universal funded hours

Parents in Torbay are entitled to up to 15 hours a week funded childcare for all children aged three and four years old. This is known as Universal funding. It allows access to funded, good quality, flexible early education or childcare. 

You can access this entitlement from the term after the child’s third birthday. No application form or eligibility code is required for the universal 15 hours. Children are automatically entitled once they meet the age criteria. Children are entitled to the equivalent of 570 hours per year. This can be accessed:  

• as 15 hours per week during term time, or  
• on a more flexible basis all year round e.g. 11 hours per week over 51 weeks of the year 

When your child will be eligible for the 15 hours universal funding 

This can increase to up to 30 hours a week. This applies to parents who work and earn more than the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Minimum or Living Wage, but less than £100,000 per year, known as the Working Parent entitlement.