Early years childcare fees regulations

The department sought views on: a proposed increase, from April 2020, to the application fee and the annual fee paid to Ofsted by early years settings on the Early Years Register; and the principles that should underpin a revised Early Years Register fee model from April 2021.

In terms of the proposed fee increase, just over half (56%) did not agree that uprating fees in this way was a reasonable approach to implementing a fee increase in April 2020. However, a quarter (25%) of respondents agreed this would be a reasonable approach, and 18% of respondents said they were neutral. In terms of a revised Early Years Register fee model from April 2021, nearly three quarters of respondents (73%) supported the principle of varying fees based on different categories.

The department decided not to implement any fee increase from April 2020. The department said it would develop a new Early Years Register fee model with the aim of introducing the revised model from April 2021. However, this may be delayed following the outbreak of the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.