The Department for Education (DfE) would like to remind all childcare providers of the importance of checking the validity, start and end dates of Working Family entitlement codes before the beginning of the new term. This applies to all children, including existing children and new children claiming Under 2’s, 2-year-old, and 3&4-year-old Working Family Funding.
Until a provider can confirm (using the ‘eligibility checker’) that the parent holds a valid Working Family Code for Autumn Term, providers must not offer a Working Family funded place. Please ensure that you verify these dates to offer a funded place appropriately.
If parents have any queries about their eligibility for Working Family funding or encounter problems applying online to HMRC, they should contact HMRC directly at 0300 123 4097. Please note that Hammersmith and Fulham Council does not handle the issuing of Working Family Codes.
You must validate all eligibility codes prior to securing a funded place and submitting a funding claim.
Please see the attached guidance on how to check eligibility. Guidance on how to check Working Family Codes - Autumn Term 2024
To validate an 11 digit code and establish eligibility, please follow this link: Sign In - Synergy (servelec-synergy.com).
See update from the Department for Education: Following the publication of the Early Years Teacher Degree Apprenticeship Training Provider Guidance in April 2025, the Department for Education is pleased to announce the publication of the EYTDA Employer Guidance. Developed in collaboration with a sector-led Implementation group, this guidance aims to support employers in the early… Continue reading EY: Publication of Early Years Teacher Degree Apprenticeship (EYTDA) Employer Guidance: DfE
See the JCT newsletter for May which includes some suggestions for early years settings. The theme of the newsletter is vocabulary development. See JCT Newsletter May 2025
