We explain who is eligible for 30 hours free childcare, what’s covered, how to apply and what you can do if you you don’t meet the criteria
Working parents in England can get up to 30 hours free childcare a week funded by the Government – if they’re eligible.
But it’s a strangely complicated and confusing scheme – so here’s everything you need to know including a couple of catches.
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What is Free Childcare for Working Parents?
Also referred to as ‘free hours’ or ‘funded hours’, the Government initiative offers up to 30 free childcare hours a week for parents in work or about to start a new job for kids between nine months and four years old.
It’s a really helpful scheme in that it can save eligible parents hundreds of pounds a month – with the average nursery charging between £70 and £85 for a 10-hour day for under twos.
You can use the free hours for approved childcare such as nurseries, nannies, childminders as well as after school and holiday clubs and play schemes. You can check if they’re registered using the Ofsted website.
Who’s eligible for the free hours?
The scheme is for working parents so you should be employed or self-employed or about to start a new job, with a child between the age of nine months and four years.
Like Tax-Free Childcare, another government scheme that gives you a 20% boost on childcare fees, you and your partner (if you have one) will need to earn a minimum amount over a three month period.
For example, if you’re over 21, you’ll need an income of at least £203.36 a week or £2,643.68 over three months before tax.
It’s the equivalent of earning National Minimum Wage or the Living Wage for 16 hours a week.
Neither parent can earn more than £100,000 a year and you have a National Insurance number.
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What’s the catch?
Now, the first thing to know is that these 30 free hours a week can only be used 38 weeks a year – it’s a maximum of 1,140 free hours a year.
So if you’re using them across an entire year (if your nursery lets you), it works out at around 22 free hours a week. Your nursery may also have its own rules about when they can be used – for example only during term time.
You might be able to use the hours for more than 38 weeks a year if you take fewer hours over more weeks.
And secondly, while technically the free hours apply when your child is nine months – it actually applies the term after your child turns nine months. More on this below.
And as with Tax-Free Childcare, you’ll need to reconfirm your eligibility every three months by logging into your account.
When can my baby actually get the free hours?
So, this is actually not very well explained. While the free hours are supposedly available for babies when they are nine months old, it’s actually not. The free hours are actually available at three specific dates throughout the year and it depends on when your baby is born.
So, if your baby turns nine months between April 1 and August 31, you can get the hours from September 1. It means that most babies will be older than nine months when you can get the funding. For example, for babies turning nine months on April 1, they’d actually be 14 months when they’re allowed the free childcare hours.
If your child is nine months between September 1 and December 31, you’ll get the free hours from January 1 and the next date is April 1 for babies who turn nine months between January 1 and March 31. In the next section there’s a chart which makes it clearer.
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When can I apply?
Now, this is really important because there are also deadlines for applying.
You can apply from when your baby is 23 weeks old but the deadlines (and when you can get the hours) will depend on when your baby turns nine months. I’ve everything you need to know in the chart below.
| When your child turns 9 months old | When you can get your hours from | Deadline for applying |
| Between 1 September and 31 December | 1 January | 31 December |
| Between 1 January and 31 March | 1 April | 31 March |
| Between 1 April and 31 August | 1 September | 31 August |
Now, it’s slightly different if you’re going back to work after maternity, paternity, shared parental or adoption leave.
If you’re on any of the above types of leave looking after your child and are planning to go back to work, the date matters.
The chart below shows when you can get your free hours depending on when you return to work and the deadline of when to apply.
| Date of returning to work | When you can get your hours from | When to apply |
| Between 1 October to 31 January | 1 January | 1 September to 31 December |
| Between 1 February to 30 April | 1 April | 1 January to 31 March |
| Between 1 May to 30 September | 1 September | 1 April to 31 August |
Is anything not covered by the 30 free hours?
The hours don’t cover meals, nappies, extra hours and additional activities, such as trips so you might have to pay for them depending on the nursery. However, these charges can’t be mandatory – so you can’t be forced to pay them – or a condition of getting a funded place and you can discuss alternative options your nursery might have with them. For example, you could speak to them about bringing in your own food for your child.
Are there any other rules for the 30 free hours?
Yes. You can only use them between the hours of 6am and 8pm, can’t use more than 10 hours a day and you can only split them between two places in a single day – for example, a nursery and a childminder.
Childcare providers also don’t have to offer any free hours and they may not offer the full entitlement.
Can I use my free hours with Tax-Free Childcare?
Yes you can – if you’re eligible for both schemes.
What if I don’t qualify for the 30 free hours?
You might still be able to get the free hours if your partner is working, and you are on carer’s leave or if you get any Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, Limited Capability for Work Benefit, contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance.
If you don’t meet the criteria for the 30 free hours but get extra support, for example Universal Credit, and your child is between two and three years old, you may still be able to get 30 free hours childcare under two different schemes. There’s more information about this on the Government website.
All parents of three and four years olds get 15 hours of free childcare a week from the term after your child turns three.
How do I apply?
Login to your childcare account using your Government Gateway ID. You’ll need your National Insurance number, and your partner’s (if you have one), your child’s birth certificate reference number and the date (or approximate date) you’re going back to work. If you’re self-employed you’ll need your Unique Taxpayer Reference.
It’s quite straight forward to apply and should take you about 20 minutes.
What about if I live in Scotland or Wales?
The rules are different outside of England.
For example, in Scotland all three and four year old children get 1,140 funded hours a year including a free healthy meal and snack.
