Funding Rates for Early Childhood Education Services in New Zealand 2026
Services need to understand funding rates so they can plan their budgets, staffing, and resources properly.
The information provided here mayalso be used by services to help them to communicate transparently with parents about the funding their service receives.
Types of Services Covered
Funding rates apply to the following types of early childhood services:
- All-day centres
- Kindergarten association kindergartens
- Teacher-led centres and hospital-based services not under kindergarten associations
- Sessional teacher-led centres and hospital-based services
- Te Kōhanga Reo
- Home-based services
- Playcentres
Additional Funding Tables
In addition to core funding rates, there are tables showing amounts paid through:
- Equity funding grants
- Targeted funding grants
Government Subsidy
The government subsidises up to 30 hours per week of education and care per child. Where eligible, part of these hours may be covered by the higher 20-Hour ECE funding.
For the key funding dates in 2026, see our free, printable, ECE wall planner calendar.
Teacher Pay Scale
For teacher pay scales in relation to a service’s funding, visit: ECE teacher pay parity salary scales.
Support for Families
- Donations and tax credits: If your ECE service is a charitable organisation, visit the Inland Revenue website to learn more. Families may also be eligible for the FamilyBoost tax credit.
- WINZ childcare subsidy: Click here for subsidy information and rates.
- Fees and other costs: Click here for details on fees and charges.
Important Note on GST
When viewing funding in the Ministry’s Pourato portal, the rates are displayed as GST‑exclusive. This does not affect the actual funding received by GST‑registered services.
Since we are not aware of any ECE services that are not GST‑registered, the tables below present the full funding rates as GST‑inclusive.
Why Use These Tables
By using these funding tables proactively, services can plan budgets, staffing, and resources with greater confidence.
The funding tables also provide a valuable tool for transparent communication with parents and whānau, helping families understand the hourly rate amounts of government funding their service receives for their child. Making the most of this information ensures stronger planning and stronger partnerships.
Homebased ECE funding
Home-based services are required to employ a person responsible/ co-ordinator for every 50 children who is ECE qualified and holds a current practising certificate. A service licenced for 51 children must have 2 qualified and certificated teachers.
| $ PER FUNDED CHILD HOUR inclusive of GST | FROM 1 JANUARY 2025 | FROM 1 JANUARY 2026 | ||||
| UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | |
| Quality | $10.11 | $5.43 | $11.81 | $10.17 | $5.46 | $11.87 |
| Standard | $8.04 | $4.35 | $10.12 | Standard funding rate no longer applies. | ||
Free Kindergarten Association – kindergartens operating as all-day centres
| $ PER FUNDED CHILD HOUR inclusive of GST | FROM 1 JANUARY 2026 | ||
| UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | |
| 100% cert. teachers | $20.27 | $11.58 | $18.55 |
| 80-99% cert. teachers | $19.65 | $10.75 | $17.73 |
| 50-79% cert. teachers | $18.09 | $9.49 | $16.30 |
| 25-49% cert. teachers | $15.19 | $7.88 | $14.44 |
| 0-24% cert. teachers | $13.43 | $6.80 | $13.29 |
All-day Teacher-led Centres & hospital-based services
Full Pay Parity funding
| $ PER FUNDED CHILD HOUR inclusive of GST | FROM 1 JANUARY 2025 | FROM 1 JANUARY 2026 | ||||
| UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | |
| 100% cert. teachers | $18.60 | $10.74 | $17.68 | $18.69 | $10.80 | $17.77 |
| 80-99% cert. teachers | $17.98 | $9.91 | $16.86 | $18.07 | $9.96 | $16.94 |
| 50-79% cert. teachers | $16.43 | $8.66 | $15.42 | $16.51 | $8.71 | $15.50 |
| 25-49% cert. teachers | $13.56 | $7.06 | $13.59 | $13.63 | $7.10 | $13.66 |
| 0-24% cert. teachers | $11.80 | $5.98 | $12.44 | $11.86 | $6.01 | $12.50 |
Extended Pay Steps 1 – 11 + Management (all-day services)
| $ PER FUNDED CHILD HOUR inclusive of GST | FROM 1 JANUARY 2025 | FROM 1 JANUARY 2026 | ||||
| UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | |
| 100% cert. teachers | $17.60 | $10.24 | $17.14 | $17.69 | $10.29 | $17.23 |
| 80-99% cert. teachers | $16.89 | $9.30 | $16.22 | $16.97 | $9.35 | $16.30 |
| 50-79% cert. teachers | $15.38 | $8.08 | $14.81 | $15.46 | $8.12 | $14.88 |
| 25-49% cert. teachers | $12.58 | $6.54 | $13.06 | $12.64 | $6.58 | $13.12 |
| 0-24% cert. teachers | $10.90 | $5.51 | $11.96 | $10.96 | $5.54 | $12.02 |
Pay Steps 1 – 6 only (all-day services)
| $ PER FUNDED CHILD HOUR inclusive of GST | FROM 1 JANUARY 2025 | FROM 1 JANUARY 2026 | ||||
| UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | |
| 100% cert. teachers | $16.32 | $9.50 | $15.86 | $16.40 | $9.55 | $15.94 |
| 80-99% cert. teachers | $15.67 | $8.63 | $15.01 | $15.74 | $8.67 | $15.09 |
| 50-79% cert. teachers | $14.27 | $7.51 | $13.71 | $14.34 | $7.54 | $13.78 |
| 25-49% cert. teachers | $11.69 | $6.08 | $12.11 | $11.75 | $6.11 | $12.17 |
| 0-24% cert. teachers | $10.14 | $5.13 | $11.08 | $10.19 | $5.15 | $11.13 |
Pay Step 1 only or no pay step (all-day services)
An education and care service or hospital-based service that does not attest to paying all employed certificated teachers at least the amount specified at Step 1 of the salary scale is funded at the 0 – 24% base funding rate
| $ PER FUNDED CHILD HOUR inclusive of GST | FROM 1 JANUARY 2025 | FROM 1 JANUARY 2026 | ||||
| UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | |
| 100% cert. teachers | $15.79 | $9.17 | $15.33 | $15.87 | $9.21 | $15.41 |
| 80-99% cert. teachers | $15.17 | $8.33 | $14.50 | $15.25 | $8.37 | $14.57 |
| 50-79% cert. teachers | $13.82 | $7.25 | $13.25 | $13.89 | $7.29 | $13.32 |
| 25-49% cert. teachers | $11.33 | $5.88 | $11.70 | $11.39 | $5.91 | $11.75 |
| 0-24% cert. teachers | $9.83 | $4.95 | $10.70 | $9.88 | $4.98 | $10.75 |
Sessional teacher-led centres and hospital-based
Full Pay Parity
| $ PER FUNDED CHILD HOUR inclusive of GST | FROM 1 JANUARY 2025 | FROM 1 JANUARY 2026 | ||||
| UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | |
| 100% cert. teachers | $17.21 | $8.54 | $10.57 | $17.30 | $8.58 | $10.64 |
| 80-99% cert. teachers | $16.21 | $7.48 | $9.69 | $16.30 | $7.52 | $9.74 |
| 50-79% cert. teachers | $14.86 | $6.76 | $8.85 | $14.94 | $6.80 | $8.89 |
| 25-49% cert. teachers | $12.39 | $5.92 | $7.89 | $12.45 | $5.95 | $7.94 |
| 0-24% cert. teachers | $11.00 | $5.39 | $7.37 | $11.05 | $5.42 | $7.41 |
Extended Pay Steps 1 – 11 + Management
| $ PER FUNDED CHILD HOUR inclusive of GST | FROM 1 JANUARY 2025 | FROM 1 JANUARY 2026 | ||||
| UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | |
| 100% cert. teachers | $16.21 | $8.05 | $10.07 | $16.30 | $8.10 | $10.12 |
| 80-99% cert. teachers | $15.13 | $6.91 | $9.12 | $15.20 | $6.95 | $9.17 |
| 50-79% cert. teachers | $13.83 | $6.21 | $8.33 | $13.90 | $6.24 | $8.37 |
| 25-49% cert. teachers | $11.44 | $5.41 | $7.42 | $11.50 | $5.44 | $7.45 |
| 0-24% cert. teachers | $10.09 | $4.90 | $6.90 | $10.14 | $4.92 | $6.93 |
Pay Steps 1 – 6 only
| $ PER FUNDED CHILD HOUR inclusive of GST | FROM 1 JANUARY 2025 | FROM 1 JANUARY 2026 | ||||
| UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | |
| 100% cert. teachers | $15.03 | $7.47 | $9.34 | $15.10 | $7.51 | $9.38 |
| 80-99% cert. teachers | $14.04 | $6.41 | $8.46 | $14.11 | $6.44 | $8.50 |
| 50-79% cert. teachers | $12.84 | $5.78 | $7.73 | $12.90 | $5.81 | $7.77 |
| 25-49% cert. teachers | $10.64 | $5.04 | $6.90 | $10.70 | $5.06 | $6.93 |
| 0-24% cert. teachers | $9.38 | $4.57 | $6.42 | $9.43 | $4.59 | $6.45 |
Base Funding rate – Pay Step 1 only or no pay step (Sessional)
An education and care service or hospital-based service that does not attest to paying all employed certificated teachers at least the amount specified at Step 1 of the salary scale is funded at the 0 – 24% base funding rate
| $ PER FUNDED CHILD HOUR inclusive of GST | FROM 1 JANUARY 2025 | FROM 1 JANUARY 2026 | ||||
| UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | |
| 100% cert. teachers | $14.56 | $7.22 | $9.04 | $14.63 | $7.26 | $9.09 |
| 80-99% cert. teachers | $13.59 | $6.20 | $8.19 | $13.66 | $6.23 | $8.23 |
| 50-79% cert. teachers | $12.43 | $5.59 | $7.48 | $12.49 | $5.62 | $7.52 |
| 25-49% cert. teachers | $10.30 | $4.87 | $6.66 | $10.35 | $4.90 | $6.69 |
| 0-24% cert. teachers | $9.11 | $4.43 | $6.20 | $9.15 | $4.45 | $6.23 |
Te Kōhanga Reo
| $ PER FUNDED CHILD HOUR inclusive of GST | FROM 1 JANUARY 2025 | FROM 1 JANUARY 2026 | ||||
| UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | |
| Quality | $14.79 | $9.62 | $14.80 | $14.87 | $9.67 | $14.87 |
| Standard | $13.49 | $8.99 | $14.23 | $13.56 | $9.04 | $14.31 |
Playcentre funding
| $ PER FUNDED CHILD HOUR inclusive of GST | FROM 1 JANUARY 2026 | ||
| UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE | |
| Quality | $12.66 | $6.36 | $8.28 |
| Standard | $11.07 | $5.55 | $7.43 |
Playgroups
| FROM 1 JULY 2020 $ PER FUNDED CHILD HOUR inclusive of GST | UNDER 2 | 2 AND OVER | 20 HOURS ECE |
| Playgroups | $1.83 | $1.83 | N/A |
Equity Funding
| EQUITY FUNDING RATES inclusive of GST | FROM 1 JAN 2026 |
| Equity Funding A: Low Socio Economic (per funded child hour) | |
| EQI 1 | $1.17 |
| EQI 2 | $0.91 |
| EQI 3 | $0.52 |
| EQI 4 | $0.24 |
| Equity Funding B: Special Needs Funding (per funded child hour) | |
| EQI 1 | $0.55 |
| EQI 2 | $0.36 |
| EQI 3 | $0.23 |
| EQI 4 | $0.21 |
| Equity Funding Component C: Language (monthly) | |
| Language | $476.91 |
| Equity Funding Component D: Isolation (monthly) | |
| 1.65 to 1.83 | $116.04 |
| 1.84 to 2.53 | $174.74 |
| 2.54 and greater | $337.19 |
Targeted Funding for Child Disadvantage
| $ PER TARGETED HOUR | RATE FROM 1 MARCH 2025 and unchanged in 2026 |
| Eligible services | $0.41 |
