Advice Hub

Funded Childcare Entitlements

Eligible families in England may be entitled to government-funded childcare through the early years entitlements.

The amount of funded childcare available depends on your child's age and your family's circumstances.

How many funded hours can my child receive?

Children aged 9 months to 4 years

Eligible working parents can receive up to 30 hours of funded childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year.

This provides up to 1,140 funded hours per year.

Some childcare providers offer the option of spreading these hours across more than 38 weeks of the year. This is sometimes known as "stretching" the funding. We do not currently offer stretched funding, so funded hours are provided within the 38-week entitlement period.

Read the latest GOV.UK guidance on funded childcare

2-year-olds

There are two main funded childcare entitlements for 2-year-olds:

Working parents

Eligible working parents can receive up to 30 hours of funded childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year.

Families receiving additional support

Some 2-year-olds may be entitled to 15 hours of funded early education per week if their family receives certain forms of additional support.

If a child qualifies for both schemes, the two entitlements can provide up to 30 hours per week in total.

3- and 4-year-olds

All 3- and 4-year-olds in England are entitled to 15 hours of funded early education per week for 38 weeks of the year, regardless of their family's income or working status.

Eligible working families may receive an additional 15 hours, giving up to 30 hours per week.

The universal entitlement begins from the term after a child's third birthday.

Eligibility for Working Parents

To qualify for the working-parent entitlement, you and your partner, if you have one, will generally need to meet the government's eligibility requirements.

You may qualify if you are:

employed or self-employed
starting a new job
on statutory maternity, paternity, adoption or shared parental leave
on sick leave or annual leave in circumstances covered by the scheme
receiving certain other forms of statutory leave or support

Minimum earnings

You and your partner, if you have one, will generally need to expect to earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours per week at the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage over the relevant three-month period.

The exact minimum amount depends on your age and circumstances.

For the latest income thresholds, please check the government's eligibility guidance before applying.

Maximum income

You will generally not qualify for the working-parent entitlement if either parent has an adjusted net income of more than £100,000 in the current tax year.

Adjusted net income can include income from outside the UK.

Other eligibility requirements can apply, including requirements relating to immigration status and where your child normally lives.

Check your eligibility on GOV.UK

When Does Funding Start?

Funded childcare does not normally begin immediately when your child reaches the qualifying age.

The start date depends on when your child reaches the relevant age and the term in which this happens.

Child reaches qualifying ageFunding normally startsApplication deadline

1 April – 31 August1 September31 August

1 September – 31 December1 January31 December

1 January – 31 March1 April31 March

For working-parent funding, parents can apply from when their child is 23 weeks old, even though the entitlement itself starts from the relevant term after the child reaches 9 months.

There are additional rules for parents who are starting work or returning from maternity, paternity, shared parental or adoption leave.

We recommend applying as early as possible and checking your eligibility and start date directly with GOV.UK.

Find out when to apply for funded childcare

How to Apply

For the working-parent entitlement, you need to apply through the government's online Childcare Service.

Step 1 – Create a Childcare Account

Create or sign in to your GOV.UK Childcare Account.

You may need information including:

your National Insurance number
your employment or self-employment details
information about your income
your partner's details, where applicable
your child's details

Step 2 – Submit your application

Complete the online eligibility check and application.

You can normally apply from 23 weeks of your child's age for the working-parent entitlement.

Step 3 – Receive your eligibility code

If your application is approved, you will receive an 11-digit eligibility code through your childcare account.

Step 4 – Give the code to us

Please provide us with your eligibility code and the other information we require so that we can validate your entitlement with the local authority.

Receiving an eligibility code does not itself guarantee a place. Places remain subject to availability and our admissions arrangements.

Apply for funded childcare through GOV.UK

Reconfirming Your Eligibility

Working-parent eligibility must be reconfirmed every 3 months.

HMRC will normally remind you when it is time to reconfirm your details.

To keep your funding active:

Sign in to your GOV.UK Childcare Account.
Check that your circumstances and details are correct.
Confirm your eligibility.
Give us any updated information or code that we require.

If you do not reconfirm on time, your eligibility may be affected. In some circumstances, a grace period may apply.

Our Funded Childcare Policy

Funded childcare hours are provided in accordance with the Department for Education's statutory guidance and the requirements of our local authority.

The funded hours themselves are provided free of charge.

Government funding does not cover every cost associated with providing childcare. Certain additional items and services may therefore be chargeable.

Any chargeable extras will be clearly identified.

Meals and Snacks

We may charge for meals and snacks provided during your child's session.

These charges are optional, and parents must be given a reasonable alternative if they do not wish to pay for the chargeable food provision.

Please speak to us about our current meal arrangements and alternatives.

Nappies and Other Consumables

Parents may be asked to provide items such as nappies.

Where a consumable is chargeable, parents will be given the appropriate option to provide their own items or use the alternative arrangement offered by the setting.

Additional Hours

Hours outside your child's funded entitlement may be charged at our normal private rate.

Taking additional paid hours is not a condition of receiving funded childcare.

Additional Activities

Optional activities, events or additional services may incur a charge.

These will be clearly explained to parents in advance and will not be a condition of accessing the funded entitlement.

Clear Invoices

Where applicable, invoices will clearly distinguish between:

funded entitlement hours
additional paid hours
food charges
non-food consumables
optional activities or services

This allows parents to see exactly what they are being charged for.

Read the Department for Education's funded childcare charging guidance

Childcare Options

Funded childcare may be available through a range of approved early years providers.

These can include:

Day Nurseries

Day nurseries provide childcare throughout the year and commonly offer longer opening hours.

They may care for children from infancy through to school age.

Pre-schools and Playgroups

Pre-schools and playgroups generally provide early education for children before they start school.

Opening hours and funded-hour arrangements vary between settings.

School Nurseries

Some primary schools have nursery provision attached to the school.

These settings generally operate during school terms and may have specific session times.

Registered Childminders

Registered childminders are self-employed childcare professionals who care for children in a home-based setting.

Childminders can offer a smaller setting and may provide flexible arrangements depending on their availability.

We accept eligible government-funded childcare entitlements.

Please speak to us about your individual circumstances and the hours you require.

Find funded childcare providers in your area

Complaints Procedure

We want parents and carers to feel comfortable raising any concerns with us.

Step 1 – Speak to Us

If you have a concern or complaint, please speak to the Manager in the first instance.

We will listen to your concerns and aim to resolve the matter promptly and fairly in accordance with our complaints procedure.

Step 2 – Formal Complaint

If your concern cannot be resolved informally, you can make a formal complaint using our complaints procedure.

Please ask a member of staff for a copy of our full complaints policy.

Step 3 – Contact Ofsted

If you remain dissatisfied, you may be able to complain to Ofsted, depending on the nature of your concern and how our setting is registered.

Ofsted can consider concerns about whether childcare providers are complying with their registration requirements. However, Ofsted does not resolve individual contractual or financial disputes between parents and providers.

If your child is at risk, contact your local authority's children's social care team or the police. Call 999 if there is an immediate danger.

GOV.UK – Complain about childcare

Data Protection & Privacy

We take the privacy and security of children's and families' information seriously.

We process personal information in accordance with applicable data-protection legislation, including the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Our data protection and privacy arrangements cover matters such as:

the information we collect
why we collect it
how information is stored and protected
who information may be shared with
how long information is retained
your rights regarding your personal information

Our full Privacy Notice/GDPR Policy is available on request.

ICO – Children's information and the UK GDPR

Health & Safety

The safety and wellbeing of children in our care is our highest priority.

Our health and safety arrangements include:

regular fire drills
regular testing and maintenance of fire safety equipment and smoke alarms
appropriate public liability insurance
continuous supervision of children
secure and enclosed outdoor areas
procedures governing the collection and release of children
written policies and procedures covering key areas of health and safety

Children will not leave the premises with anyone other than an authorised parent/carer unless we have received appropriate prior instructions and authorisation.

Our full policies are available to parents and carers on request.

Useful Government Websites

Funded Childcare

GOV.UK – Free Childcare for Working Parents

Information about eligibility, applications, funded hours and reconfirmation.

Childcare Account

GOV.UK – Childcare Account

Manage your childcare account, eligibility and funding codes.

Find Funded Childcare

GOV.UK – Find free early education and childcare

Search for funded childcare providers in your area.

Childcare Choices

Information about funded childcare, Tax-Free Childcare and other childcare support.

Childcare.co.uk

A childcare directory for parents looking for childcare providers.