Early Years Funding Made Easy with ‘Funding Loop’

If you’ve previously had a child at a Tommies nursery, you may already be familiar with ‘Funding Loop’. If not, this guide explains what Funding Loop is and the process you’ll need to follow so we can claim your funded hours.

In order for any nursery to claim funding on a parent’s behalf, parents must complete a Parent Declaration form with the information required by the Local Authority. Funding Loop is a digital platform that helps you to do this quickly and securely each term.

“So, what is Funding Loop?”

Funding Loop is a digital system that helps parents and nurseries apply for government funding with ease. As part of the funding requirements, you’ll need to reconfirm your information each term. Using your Funding Loop account, you can do this online instead of completing paper forms every term.

“How do I access my Funding Loop account?”

Once your funding code has been provided and verified by your nursery, we’ll upload your details to our Funding Loop. This triggers an email inviting you to sign up and register. You must complete this registration to give us permission to claim your funding. If you don’t, we won’t be able to claim the funding, and it won’t be applied to your childcare bills.

“What information will I need to confirm?”

When you log in, you’ll be asked to confirm details taken from our nursery management system, including:

• Your personal details
• Your child’s personal details, including date of birth
• Proof of identity (for first claims only): upload your child’s birth certificate or passport – you won’t be able to complete the form without this
• Your child’s attendance pattern (the hours they’ll attend)
• The number of funded hours we’re claiming on your behalf
• Any split funding (if you’re using another provider or childminder for eligible hours)

Please note: While you may be eligible for 30 hours, we offer this over a minimum of three full days. If your child attends fewer than three full days, your claim may show fewer than 30 hours.

“What are the benefits of using Funding Loop?”

A digital platform means you can review information, see automatic calculations, and submit your form to us in a few clicks. Your completed forms and any uploaded documents are saved online for future reference and can be downloaded or printed at any time. When you complete a form for a future term, Funding Loop remembers your previous information to make the process even quicker.

“What happens after I complete the Parent Declaration?”

Once you’ve submitted the Parent Declaration, your chosen nursery is notified. We then have everything we need to add your claim to the Local Authority portal and receive payment for the funded hours you’ve authorised us to claim.

“What if I don’t complete the Parent Declaration form?”

When you register for a place at a Tommies nursery, you’re asked to read and sign our terms and conditions. All places are offered without funding because we need proof of eligibility before we can claim hours. It’s the parents’ responsibility to provide the funding code and National Insurance number as early as possible to avoid delays or invoicing errors. Once checked, your Nursery Manager will get in touch if there are any issues with the code or the information provided.

“Do I need to do anything else after completing the Parent Declaration?”

If you’re claiming Working Family Funding (30 hours), you must reconfirm your details every three months. You’ll receive an email reminder from GOV.UK before the deadline. Reconfirmation is the parents’ responsibility; failing to do so may affect your eligiblity for funding.

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To learn more about the types of funding available and the eligibility requirements, please click here.