Eligible working parents and carers of children aged 3 – 4 can get an additional 15 hours of childcare support, bringing the total support they can get up to 30 hours a week.
Some parents of 2-year-old children may also be entitled to 15 hours childcare support, if they receive some additional forms of government support. Please note, if you’re eligible for both the working entitlement and the 15 hours for families receiving support, you cannot take up both offers, and should apply for the 15 hours for families receiving support. You can do this by contacting your local authority.
Your hours can be used per week for 38 weeks of the year.
You can use Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit Childcare whilst claiming your 15 or 30 hours of childcare support.
From September 2024
15 hours childcare support was extended to eligible working parents of children from the age of 9 months to 3-year-olds.
From September 2025
Eligible working parents of children from 9 months to school age will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare a week.
Check you’re eligible
Find out more about eligibility at www.gov.uk/check-eligible-free-childcare-if-youre-working.
You must live in England to apply for this childcare support. The amount of childcare support you can get depends on several factors.
When can I apply?
You need to apply the term before you want to take up a place.
For example, if you want to take up a place for your child from September, you need to apply during the summer term (1 April-31 August).
How do I apply?
If eligible, you’ll get an online childcare account and a childcare code.
Give the code to your childcare provider(s)
Give the code in your childcare account to your provider(s) along with your National Insurance number and your child’s date of birth.
Your childcare provider will check your code is valid – you can’t take up your place without it.
Reconfirm
You must confirm your details are up to date every 3 months or your code will expire.
Sign into your childcare account to confirm your details. You will receive a reminder to do this.
More Information
More information on different types of funding, combining funding, tax-free funding etc. can be found on https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
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