Access to funded early years education remains unequal

Date: 10th August 2026
Category: Education, Leisure and Cultural Activities

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More families are accessing formal early years education and childcare, but children living in the most deprived areas continue to face greater barriers to accessing these services, according to a new Department for Education (DfE) survey of parents with children aged 0 to 14 living in England.

The latest Childcare and Early Years Survey of parents found that 67% of children under four were using formal early years provision in 2025, an increase from 64% in 2024. The number of one-year-olds using formal early years provision also increased to 45%, the highest level recorded since 2010-11. The DfE said this rise was largely linked to the expansion of funded early years entitlements. Children under four who were using formal early years provision spent a median of 26.7 hours a week in early years settings in 2025, compared with 24 hours a week in 2024.

However, access remains unequal. While 77% of children in the least deprived areas accessed early years education, this fell to 59% in the most deprived areas. Family income also made a difference, with 84% of children from families earning £65,000 or more accessing provision, compared with just 47% from families earning less than £20,000.

Although more families are using early years services, 24% of parents still find childcare costs difficult or very difficult to afford. The findings highlight the need to address inequalities so that all children can benefit from high-quality early learning and development.

Early Years Alliance CEO Neil Leitch said: 

“While we welcome increases in the proportion of children using formal early education and care, and positive trends in overall availability and affordability, as these figures show, there is clearly still a long way to go to ensure that every child can benefit from early education. 

“Given the wealth of research pointing to the benefits of early education for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, it’s both concerning and disappointing to see they remain less likely to use formal provision than families from wealthier backgrounds. We’re clear that much more must be done to ensure that the current government approach to early years policy doesn’t simply widen inequality further. 

“A child’s background or circumstances should have no bearing on whether they are able to access high-quality and affordable provision. As the government continues with its comprehensive sector review, we urge them to ensure that this translates into quick and meaningful change that benefit both families and providers alike.”

Read more on Early Years Alliance webpage.