England Childcare Funding Rate Map 2026-27
The map shows the early years funding rate by local authority in England for 2026-27. Each area is coloured by the hourly rate its providers receive under the Early Years National Funding Formula (EYNFF). Hover or click any area for the exact figure. Switch age band using the controls below the map.
Rates vary significantly across England's 151 local authorities. The national average for 3-4 year-olds is £6.42 per hour; the highest is £9.23 per hour in Camden. Fifty councils receive the minimum floor rate of £6.01 per hour.
Hover or click any area to see the funding rate.
London boroughs (zoomed view)
Colour shows the 2026-27 local authority funding rate for 3-4 year-olds. For 3 and 4-year-olds this is the before-termly-adjustment rate (the figure DfE expects councils to pass on to providers). This is what the council is funded per funded hour, not the price a nursery charges. Isles of Scilly and the City of London are excluded from the funding formula.
Early years funding rate by local authority: 2026-27 at a glance
- National avg (3-4 yr)
- £6.42/hr
- Funding floor
- £6.01/hr
- Highest rate (Camden)
- £9.23/hr
- Under-2 national avg
- £12.04/hr
3-4 year-old rates are the before-termly-adjustment figure (the provider-facing rate per DfE operational guidance).
For the full analysis of what these rates mean, read England Childcare Funding Rates 2026-27: The Full Analysis.
Frequently asked questions about early years funding rates
›What does this map show?
The map shows the 2026-27 early years funding rate for every local authority in England, split by age band: 3-4 year-olds, 2-year-olds and under-2s. Rates are the before-termly-adjustment figure paid by local authorities to childcare providers under the Early Years National Funding Formula (EYNFF).
›What is the EYNFF rate for 3-4 year-olds in 2026-27?
The national average EYNFF rate for 3-4 year-olds in 2026-27 is £6.42 per hour (before termly adjustment). Rates range from £6.01 per hour for the 50 local authorities on the funding floor to £9.23 per hour in Camden. Fifty councils receive the minimum floor rate.
›Why do early years funding rates vary by local authority?
The DfE sets individual EYNFF rates for each local authority based on local cost factors: average wages, property costs and deprivation indices. Rates are highest in Inner London and lowest in rural areas. The gap between the highest and lowest 3-4 year-old rates is 54% in 2026-27.
›Does the funding rate cover the full cost of nursery?
In many areas it does not. Provider surveys show the funded rate often falls short of actual delivery costs. The national average shortfall for 3-4 year-olds is estimated at £2.61 per hour. This is why many nurseries charge for meals, consumables or additional sessions on top of funded hours.