You can now ask your council to pay your funding every month
From October 2026, councils in England must pay early years providers for the free entitlements every month if the provider asks. This includes childminders.
What it means for you
- If monthly payments would help your cash flow, ask your council's early years funding team.
- Ask in writing and keep a copy.
- Check your provider agreement for how and when you are paid now.
The Department for Education's statutory guidance for councils in England says that from October 2026, the local authority must pay any early years provider who asks for it, for the free entitlements, on a monthly basis.
This includes childminders.
It is your choice. You only get monthly payments if you ask for them.
The same guidance says councils should sign up to the Fair Payment Code, run by the Office of the Small Business Commissioner.
Over the border: This rule is in the statutory guidance for councils in England only. News for Scotland
Official sources
- DfE: Early education and childcare, statutory guidance for local authorities (paragraph A4.10), Valid from 1 April 2026
How this story was made. This story was written with help from AI from the official sources below, then checked and approved by the Hubba Training team before it went live.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Open Government Licence.
Spotted a mistake, or named in a story and want to reply? Email info@hubbatraining.com and we will look at it the same working day.