Early Years Pupil Premium
Since April 2015, early years pupil premium (EYPP) is additional funding for early years settings to improve the education they provide for disadvantaged 3 and 4 year olds. Children must receive free early education in order to attract EYPP funding.
From April 2025, early years pupil premium (EYPP) extended the funding for early years settings for disadvantaged 2, 3 and 4 year olds.
The funding builds on the school-age pupil premium, introduced in schools in 2011. Nationally, the statistics show that disadvantaged children often do less well than their peers at school. The aim of this money is to try to close the attainment gap between pupils and to try to remove any barriers to learning that pupils may face. Children who meet the criteria will be eligible for an extra 68p per hour. This was increased to £1 per hour from April 2025.
Eligibility
2, 3 and 4 year olds in state-funded early education will attract EYPP funding if they meet at least 1 of the following criteria:
– their family gets one of the following:
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- 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 they’re 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 4 weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit
– they are currently being looked after by a local authority in England or Wales
– they have left care in England or Wales through:
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- an adoption
- a special guardianship order
- a child arrangement order
To view how EYPP has supported children in 2024- 2025 please click here