Back
GrantEngland

Disability Access Fund (Early Years Childcare)

Department for Education (delivered via local authorities to childcare providers)

Description

Additional funding paid to a child's early years childcare provider (not directly to parents) to support reasonable adjustments — such as extra staff training or equipment — enabling a disabled child to access their funded childcare place in England.

Amount

At least £975 per eligible child per year (2026/27 statutory minimum per DfE's local authority operational guide); the consumer-facing gov.uk page had not been updated past £938 as of this check — paid to the childcare provider, not the parent

Deadline

Rolling / no fixed deadline

Eligibility summary

  • Available in: England.
  • Open to individuals — not restricted to businesses.
Notes
Paid annually per eligible child directly to the childcare setting, not to parents — parents confirm eligibility via a declaration form and evidence of the child's DLA award. Sits alongside the broader, setting-level Inclusive Early Years Fund (from 2026/27) which is a distinct, separate funding stream and does not replace this one. Equivalent provision in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland was not confidently confirmed in this research pass — flagged rather than assumed symmetric. August 2026 re-check found two official DfE/gov.uk sources giving different figures: the consumer-facing gov.uk page still quotes £938/year, while the more recently dated 'Early years entitlements: local authority funding operational guide 2026 to 2027' states local authorities must pay at least £975/year per child for 2026/27 — the range below spans both rather than picking one, since it isn't clear the consumer page has been updated for the new statutory minimum.
Requirement
The child receives (child) Disability Living Allowance and accesses a funded early years entitlement place (available from 9 months old, following 2024 funded-hours expansion) at a participating provider.

Want help with this application?

This one is usually simple enough to do yourself using the free official link below — but if you'd rather have help, we're building relationships with vetted professionals and can let you know if that becomes available.

Some of the organisations we may connect you with pay us a referral fee if you use their service. This never affects which listings you see in the directory. No live partner is confirmed yet for this listing.

You can also do this yourself for free via the official source

How to apply

Your childcare provider will ask you to complete a parental declaration form and provide evidence of your child's Disability Living Allowance award — the provider then claims the funding from your local authority.

View official source

Last verified: 19 August 2026. See the footer disclaimer — this is general information, not financial or tax advice.