PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Pre-school Education: Finance (6 July 2020)

The early years education sector receives ring-fenced funding through the early years block of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG).

We have continued to pay local authorities their DSG funding for the childcare places they normally fund for 2 to 4-year-olds throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. This is worth a planned £3.6 billion in 2020-21 and will provide reassurance for early years settings at this time.

We expect local authorities to follow the department’s position and in general, to continue paying all childminders, schools and nurseries for the early years’ entitlements. We have produced guidance for local authorities on this:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures#funding.

We continue to work closely with the early years sector to understand how it can best be supported to ensure that sufficient childcare is available for those who need it.