Which children qualify for High Needs Funding (HNF)?
Early Years HNF process will apply to all eligible children attending a setting on the Suffolk List of Providers or a School Nursery Class and are in receipt of:
- up to 15 hours early education entitlement (eligible children 9 months+)
- up to 30 hours early education entitlement (eligible 3 & 4 year olds)
Under the new funding arrangements, funding must follow children as near to ‘real time’ as possible, therefore it will be necessary to assess every eligible child each term in order to ensure that providers are properly funded for each child they have with clearly evidenced high needs.
Early Years HNF is available for children whose special educational needs are significant and complex and the support necessary to make provision for them, exceeds a nominal threshold of £2,550.00 (per annum) including the cost of the universal provision available for all children.
Please remember: HNF is a contribution, the amount is worked out by multiplying the funding band hourly rate by the number of funded hours claimed in a week.
| Early Years HNF Funding bands | Amount per funded hour | Example calculations |
|---|---|---|
| Complex | £24.50 | 15 hours x £24.50 = £367.50 |
| Complex-Severe | £38.00 | 30 hours x £38.00 = £1140.00 |
| Severe | £51.50 | 20 hours x £51.50 = £1030.00 |
How to apply for Early Years HNF (Suffolk Providers)
The submission period for Spring Term 2025 is Monday 06 January to Friday 17 January 2025
Please note: Any applications submitted outside of this window will not be accepted.
Within the full application form, you will need to upload your profile descriptor (Do not email this separately unless specifically requested by a member of the Early Years & Childcare Service).
**New** Repeat application will not require a descriptor – you can use the repeat application link if there have been no changes since the Autumn Term application. If there have been changes use the full application.
- Early Years HNF Guidance notes
- EY HNF application form questions – for preparation use (For settings use only – do not upload or send this document).
To complete an application you will need the following:
- Which cluster your setting falls within – use the Cluster Look Up Tool
- Details about child: Name, DoB, your assessments of the child
- Full application – A Profile descriptor for children over 2 years old (not required for under 2s & not needed for a repeat claim)
- Either your List of Provider (LoP) number, agency number or school number
- The name of any other childcare setting where the child claims Early Education Funding
- Repeat application – the 16 digit reference number from the first application, you can find this on the email you received to confirm the application and also from the PDF version if you saved it.
Profile descriptors
Only use one profile descriptor (select from 1-4 below) which applies to the child’s most significant need and highlight the relevant statements (you will need to upload as a Microsoft word file or PDF)
- 1. Communication and interaction
- 2. Cognition and learning
- 3. Social and emotional and mental health
- 4. Sensory and/or physical needs and medical conditions
Apply – Early Years HNF application form – **NOT AVAILABLE SUBMISSION PERIOD CLOSED
Apply – Repeat Early Years HNF application form **NOT AVAILABLE SUBMISSION PERIOD CLOSED
Please note: Any applications received outside of the application window will not be accepted.
Please check this page each term, updates and changes to the process will appear here.
If you have any queries regarding Early Years High Needs Funding please email: [email protected]