Funded Childcare Hours

Overview

Funded childcare hours are a set of nation-specific entitlements that provide free places at registered childcare providers rather than cash payments. In England, working parents of children from 9 months to school age can claim up to 30 hours per week for 38 weeks a year, following the final phase of the rollout in September 2025; universal 15 hours a week applies to all 3- and 4-year-olds, and disadvantaged 2-year-olds can also access 15 hours. Scotland provides 1,140 hours a year (approximately 30 hours a week in term-time) of funded early learning and childcare for all 3- and 4-year-olds and for eligible 2-year-olds. Wales operates the Childcare Offer, under which working parents of 3- and 4-year-olds can access up to 30 hours a week for up to 48 weeks a year. Northern Ireland provides a funded pre-school place of around 12.5 hours a week in the year before the child starts primary school. Working-parent entitlements generally require both parents to expect to earn at least the National Minimum Wage equivalent of 16 hours a week and to have an adjusted net income under £100,000 each. Applications are made through the relevant national scheme, with England's English working-parent entitlement requiring eligibility reconfirmation every three months via the Childcare Service. Because funded hours are delivered in-kind, the indicative value on this page is an estimate of the childcare cost displaced. Individual eligibility is determined by the relevant administering body. This page references criteria from the primary GOV.UK, mygov.scot, GOV.WALES, and nidirect sources; the authoritative source for any individual entitlement remains the national scheme and the childcare provider.

Applies in UK-wide. Administered by DfE. This page is general information; contact DfE for your individual circumstances.

Eligibility criteria include

• WORK STATUS
  Working-parent entitlements require the applicant (and partner, if any) to be in paid work, starting a new job, or on qualifying leave (statutory maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental, sick or annual leave). ^[GOV.UK]
• INCOME
  Each working parent must expect to earn at least the National Minimum/Living Wage equivalent of 16 hours a week (about £2,379 over the next 3 months for an adult aged 21+). ^[GOV.UK]
• INCOME
  Neither parent may have an adjusted net income above £100,000 in the current tax year. ^[GOV.UK]
• AGE
  Free working-parent entitlement applies to children between 9 months and school age (in England). Universal entitlement applies from age 3 in England (earlier in other nations). ^[GOV.UK]
• RESIDENCE
  Eligibility rules vary by nation. Claimants should check the scheme in the nation where they live. ^[GOV.UK]
• IMMIGRATION
  Applicant must hold a National Insurance number and have British/Irish citizenship, settled or pre-settled status, or permission to access public funds. ^[GOV.UK]
• OTHER
  Eligibility for the England working-parent entitlement must be reconfirmed every 3 months via the childcare account. ^[GOV.UK]

Sources