Early Years Disability Access Fund

What the funding is for 

The Disability Access Fund gives early years providers additional funding. 

This funding supports providers to make reasonable adjustments to their settings. These adjustments can help build a child’s capacity or benefit all children who go to that setting.  

Early years childcare providers include:  

• childminders
• nurseries and schools
• other private, voluntary or independent early years providers  

Who is eligible

Early years providers are responsible for identifying children who are eligible. 

A child may be eligible if they receive:  

• Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• funded early learning

Children are eligible if they take up any funded early learning. They do not have to take up their full entitlement of 570 hours of early education to receive DAF.  

All early year’s providers that are eligible to receive funding for early learning are also eligible for the DAF. 

If a family is not receiving DLA 

Find out more about the Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

These organisations can support families that need help to complete the DLA forms: 

• Citizens Advice
• Contact a family
• MENCAP
• National Deaf Child Society
• Cerebra
• National Autistic Society 

Read our Easy Read guide to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children:

Who is not eligible for the DAF 

Four-year olds in primary school reception classes are not eligible for the DAF.  

How much funding providers will receive for each child  

The child’s childcare provider will receive the annual rate per child, per year. 

The current annual rate is £938. This amount will go up to £975 in April 2026.  

The provider will receive this in one lump sum once a year per eligible child. DAF will not be offset against any other funding which the local authority provides.  

The DAF is not based on an hourly rate. It is an additional entitlement.  

What provider will receive the funding 

If a child splits their entitlement across two or more settings, the parent or carer will need to choose which setting the DAF should be paid directly to. 

If a child moves to another setting within a financial year, the new setting is not eligible for DAF for that child in the same financial year. The local authority cannot recoup the funding that’s already been paid to the original setting. 

Some children may live in one local authority but go to a setting in another local authority. It is the responsibility of the local authority the provider is in to check if the child is eligible and for funding the DAF.  

How to apply

To apply, providers will need to:

1. Read the Early Years SEN inclusion Fund (SENIF) and Disability Access Fund (DAF) guidance and information:

2. Watch the SENIF and DAF video guide.

3. Download and complete pages 2 to 6 and appendix D of the Early Years SEN Inclusion Fund and Disability Access Fund (DAF) application and review form.

4. Download and sign the parental declaration form and include this with a copy of the child’s DLA award letter in your application.

5. Read the Tips for providers in completing invoices for SENIF and DAF payments.

6. Include an invoice for £938 - download and use the Early Years SENIF and DAF invoice template.

1. Email the completed form and invoice to SENIF-DAF@royalgreenwich.gov.uk or post it to:

Early Years funding, SEND Outreach Service
Discovery School
Battery Road
West Thamesmead
SE28 0JN

What happens next

If we receive a complete application containing all the necessary information and invoice for payment, we’ll notify you as the provider and make the payment direct to you.

If the application is incomplete or inappropriate, we’ll contact you to let you know.

Contact us