Universal 3 & 4 Year Old Entitlement
All 3 and 4 year olds are eligible for 15 hours of free childcare a week, for 38 weeks a year, which is equivalent to a maximum annual entitlement of 570 hours.
Number of Children Accessing the Universal 3 and 4 Year Old Entitlement
The table and graph below show the number of children accessing their universal 3 and 4 year old entitlement at the January census, in the years 2019 to 2024.
|
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universal |
4,603 |
4,541 |
4,484 |
4,479 |
4,536 |
4,349 |
The total number of children accessing the entitlement decreased slightly on the previous year, continuing the general declining trend.
Universal 3 & 4 Year Old Entitlement - % Uptake (January census)
North Tyneside has achieved high levels of take up for the universal 3 & 4 year old entitlement over many years. The table below shows the percentage of eligible 3 and 4 year olds accessing their universal 15 hour entitlement in North Tyneside at the January census, between 2019 and 2024.
|
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Tyneside |
99.0% |
97.0% |
98.0% |
100.0% |
105.2% |
104.8% |
| North East |
98.0% |
98.0% |
95.0% |
97.0% |
98.6% |
100.4% |
| England |
93.0% |
93.0% |
88.0% |
92.0% |
93.7% |
94.9% |
The percentage of eligible children accessing their entitlement in North Tyneside was 104.8% in January 2024, as North Tyneside attracted children from outside the borough. This suggests that North Tyneside has sufficient childcare to meet the needs of families wishing to access their 3 & 4 year old universal entitlement. North Tyneside’s uptake has been higher than both the North East and England averages since 2021.