Local Authority funding for Government-funded early years entitlement

FOI request - Local Authority funding for Government-funded early years entitlement 2024/25 Financial year 2024/25

1) Did you have an underspend in the early years block for funded places at the end of the financial year 2024/25? Yes/no. If yes, please give amount of underspend: OR:

2) Did you have an overspend in the early years block for funded places at the end of the financial year 2024/25? Yes/no. If yes please give amount of overspend:

3) What actions, if any, were agreed relating to this underspend or overspend? Offset deficit in schools block Offset deficit in high needs block Carried forward to 2025/26 budget Re-distributed to the early years providers Retained in reserves Overspend met from contingency Overspend to be addressed in future financial years No action has been agreed Other - please specify

4) Under the 'Early years entitlements: local authority funding operational guide 2024 to 2025', what was the average percentage pass-through rate for all eligible categories of funded places in 2024/25?

5) Did any eligible group receive a different pass-through rate? Eg two-year-old children from disadvantaged families getting a pass-through rate higher than 95% Teachers' pay and teachers' pension employer contributions (TP&P) in 2024/25

6) How did the local authority distribute the additional funding you received in respect of teachers' pay and pensions?

a. Equally distributed among all providers via the hourly rate

b. Distributed to some providers based on numbers of teachers they employed

c. Only distributed to specific types of provider - eg schools or maintained nursery schools

d. Other method - please describe Childcare Sufficiency Assessments

7) Has your most recent Childcare Sufficiency Assessment (CSA) been published? Please provide a copy or link

8) When did you last carry out a Childcare Sufficiency Assessment? Since 01 September 2024 Between 01 September 2023 and 31 August 2024 Prior to 31 August 2023

I can confirm that the information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council. I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

1) Amount of underspend: £2,468,841

2) No

3) Offset deficit in high needs block

4) 96.68%

5) No

6) c. Only distributed to specific types of provider – eg. schools or maintained nursery schools

7) Yes Childcare sufficiency report - Key Findings - Lincolnshire County Council

8) February 2025