Nursery asking for extra fees for 15 hours funded

[Teacup40]

Good morning everyone, I wonder if anyone can help me?
My son is entitled to 15 hours funded care and is due to start in September. We have had a fair few visits and all fine until yesterday on his last visit before starting in September they told me that there is a £100 registration fee for tapestry and uniform etc I asked if this is compulsory as I'm not too bothered about uniform and I noticed other children without uniforms she advised me it was, is this correct? I don't want to come across as entitled I'm so grateful for the 15 hours he gets but I just know I'm struggling already and will not have the £100 fee so if this is right I'll not be able to send him.

This is completely different to funded hours. A registration fee has nothing to do with funded hours. My 2 have been to different (private) nurseries. Both charged registration fees and also deposits (deposits refunded why they left if all fees were up to date)

The free hours are somewhat disingenuous. Usually they do not cover the costs for the nursery, so the majority of nursery's will find a way of charging for this, both my DCs private nursery and the school pre school she attends charge additional fees. You can refuse to pay but they can terminate your contract. Pretty much every nursery find a way to charge it and most nursery's have very long waiting lists. So if the fee isn't crazy and I needed child care I would pay it.

Registration fees are normal but if you weren’t told about it in registering then I’d question it.

Yes, a gym is a business, but a nursery is a business too. They need to make money or what is the point? Do you think nursery owners want to slog their guts out for no reward/profit? And before anyone says the owners don't work hard, the owners have been very hands on in both my kids nurseries and I want their businesses to be successful.

It’s a bit of a grey area OP and I don’t think they are allowed to enforce any charges which block you from accessing the free hours.

However, if you’ve signed a form saying you agree to their T&Cs, and that outlines a fee, you’ve probably shot yourself in the foot because the time to discuss it was then. If they’re oversubscribed, they could agree to destroy your registration and put you back on the waiting list.

You need to speak to the nursery.

I've just attended a meeting at my DC's nursery about extra charges. They said that legally these charges have to be optional (although they did spend the rest of the meeting explaining how difficult they would make it for anyone who chose not to 'voluntarily' opt in to the extras).

I haven't looked into it any further because, in my case, I think the charges are fair. But it might be where they stand legally if you don't agree with the charges/their approach (my nursery said they were limited in what they could do because they draw down government funding. This makes them different to other private businesses).

I thought private nurseries could have a uniform policy requiring parents to purchase uniform.

Yes I thought that also. Nurseries usually have waiting lists so surely they take the children who will be using them for more than the free hours and recoup the money from the fee paying portion

surely they will just tell anyone who only wants the free hours that they are ‘on the waitlist’

You need to clarify the uniform situation with the nursery then but they're perfectly in their rights to charge a registration fee. I've never known a nursery not to, but since you've apparently never came across this why not put you kid in a nursery you can actually afford?

Yes, nurseries can be a business. I sent mine to a non profit nursery that was outstanding, they don’t need to be.

What ever the economic ins and outs though, as pointed out by other posters, they cannot legally make charges for administrative costs they incur. So it doesn’t matter if you think it’s not extra or not part of the funding, legislators have already mulled this over the made it clear the OP cannot be charged.

Uniform I’m easy on, they will have to wear clothes of some sort so in essence you need less clothes. You can probably pick up some second hand for little or even free if you ask around. I’m assuming this is polo shirts and joggers rather than top and tails though.

The only form I signed was a basic. Registration form for child's info, parent info medical/allergy info no t&Cs but yes I do need to speak to them. Thank you.

I had no choice but to come to this nursery all the others including the ones I've used before are full.

@fruitbrewhaha nurseries cannot charge additional fees as a condition of using the free hours - they can charge additional fees that are part of their usual pricing structure.

This means they can charge an administration fee, so long as it is to all pupils and not just to those who are claiming free hours.

They are well within their rights to charge the registration fee, so long as all parents are paying it. It is not against the law.

Most nurseries are private companies - you cannot expect them to operate in a way that isn’t profitable / incurs a loss.

That's why if it is affordable I would advise paying it or you may be left without childcare.

I think speak to them. Explain you have not been made aware of any charges until now. Is there anything that can be done? They are breaking the rules and while you understand why, it’s leaving you in a difficult position because you don’t have any spare money.

Is there a fund to cover these amounts for low income families? Is there any fund raising? Is this something that could be done and can you be involved in setting this up?

Yes to be fair to them they did say they charge everyone this fee so its not just because I'm using the funded hours. I dont expect or want them to run at a loss I just wish they had explained this in the beginning instead of springing it on me.

Yes I'll speak to them and see if anything be done, thank you.

If he is three I would try a school nursery. Much cheaper.

Do you qualify for UC? They can help.

You got fleeced. Never paid more than £25/50 for private preschool deposits.

For those stating the nursery is allowed to make these charges the legislation is here.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-and-childcare--2/early-education-and-childcare-effective-from-1-april-2025

Section A1.32 onwards. It’s very clear.

My DDs school pre school sessions run 9 - 12 and 12.30 to 3.30. So if you book them in for a day you pay £2 per day for lunch time cover, and you send in a packed lunch. So £10 per week. They then ask for 'voluntary contributions' of £10 per half term for baking and forest school. If you do not pay these fees you recieve reminders. Plus 'voluntary contributions' to any school trips of around £25.00. I thought school would work out cheaper but when you then factor in the £2 for this charity day or that, the contributions asked for for this tombola and that it probably works out more expensive. I think because schools are struggling they charge much more now in extras than they did when my eldest went to pre school.

The one my son is going to it is £4 a day. £1.50 for school lunch and £2.50 for lunchtime cover. There are morning, afternoon and all day sessions. Nothing else. I appreciate not all schools are like this.

Thank you for that, that's really helpful!

it has to be optional!

however in the nursery my daughter goes to not a single other child brings a packed lunch and there are all sorts of wonderful outings and teachers that come in to do activities - these need to be paid for! if i opted out the nursery experience would be crap and she'd be left out so I just pay it - ends up around 150 a month top up for the "free hours" 😑

also i only actually get 22 hours because my nursery is open all year and the funding paid 38 weeks - no option to go term time only