If your child is aged 9 months to 4 years old You can get 30 hours of free childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year. You may be able to get free childcare for more than 38 weeks a year if you take fewer hours over more weeks. Check with your childcare provider to find out if this is something they offer. If your child is 2 to 3 years old and you get extra support You can get 30 hours of free childcare through 2 separate schemes if both of the following apply: you’re eligible for Free Childcare for Working Parents you or your child get extra support You’ll get: 15 hours per week if you or your child get extra support (you’ll continue to get these hours even if you are no longer eligible for Free Childcare for Working Parents) 15 hours per week through Free Childcare for Working Parents You’ll get these 30 hours for 38 weeks of the year. You may be able to get free childcare for more than 38 weeks a year if you take fewer hours over more weeks. To apply, you need to speak to the early years team or Family Information Service at your local council . What counts as extra support You’re classed as getting extra support if any of the following apply: you get Universal Credit, and your household income is £15,400 a year or less after tax, not including benefit payments your child has an Education and Health Care plan your child gets Disability Living Allowance your child has left care under an adoption order, special guardianship order or a child arrangements order Things you may be asked to pay for Although the childcare is free, you may be asked to pay for some extras, such as: meals nappies additional hours additional activities, such as trips You do not have to pay for these extras. If you do not want to pay for them, your provider should agree to an alternative arrangement. You can still get the free childcare if you do not pay for any extra costs. If your provider says you must pay for extras and will not agree to an alternative arrangement, speak to your local council.

Find out when to apply for 30 hours of free childcare. Check with your childcare provider to find out the exact date your free childcare starts. When to apply for 30 hours of free childcare You can apply from when your child is 23 weeks old. When you can get your hours from will depend on the date your child turns 9 months old. 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 When to apply if you’re returning to work after maternity, paternity, shared parental or adoption leave The date you return to work will affect when you can apply for free childcare. If you’re on paid annual leave and receiving your salary, this counts as having returned to work. You can apply from when your child is 23 weeks old. When you can get your hours from will depend on the date your child turns 9 months old. 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 If you’re on shared parental leave for the child you’re applying for You can apply if both parents have either returned or will be returning to work within one month of the start of the autumn, spring or summer term. This means both parents must have returned or be returning to work by: 30 September (for autumn term) 31 January (for spring term) 30 April (for summer term) When to apply if you start a new job You can apply for free childcare if you’re starting a new job. The date you start will affect when you can get free childcare. You can apply from when your child is 23 weeks old. When you can get your hours from will depend on the date your child turns 9 months old. If you apply more than 31 days before you start your new job, you need to contact the Childcare Service helpline for help with your application. Date of starting 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

Free Childcare for Working Parents

Q: Confirm your details are up to date

To keep getting Free Childcare for Working Parents you must sign in to your childcare account every 3 months and confirm your details are up to date. You’ll then get an 11-digit code to give to your childcare provider. You can also use this service to sign in to your Tax-Free Childcare account to: pay money into your account pay your childcare provider apply for a new child There’s a different way to sign in to your account if you’re a childcare provider . Sign in Sign in to confirm your details are up to date. Sign in If you’ve been unable to use the service You may be able to claim compensation if you’ve had technical problems with your account.

Overview

You may be able to get 30 hours of free childcare a week through the Free Childcare for Working Parents scheme.

Your child must be aged 9 months to 4 years old and you must live in England.

There are:

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

The childcare must be provided by a registered provider, such as a registered nursery, playscheme or school. This is known as ‘approved childcare’.

Who can get free childcare

To be eligible for Free Childcare for Working Parents, you (and your partner, if you have one) need to both:

be in work or about to start a new job
earn over a certain amount

You’ll need a National Insurance number to apply.

You can use a calculator to check how much help you could get with childcare costs.

When to apply

You can apply for 30 hours of free childcare from when your child is 23 weeks old.

Check the deadlines for applying.

How to apply

To apply, you’ll need to set up a childcare account.

If your application is approved, you’ll get an 11-digit code that proves you’re eligible to get free childcare. You’ll need to give this code to your childcare provider.

If you already have a childcare account, you can sign in to your account.

Confirm your details are correct

To keep getting Free Childcare for Working Parents, you must confirm your details are up to date by signing in to your childcare account every 3 months.

Other help you may be able to get

As well as getting Free Childcare for Working Parents, you may be able to get either:

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will check if you’re eligible for Tax-Free Childcare when you apply for Free Childcare for Working Parents.

You cannot get both Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit childcare at the same time.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Step 1 Find out if you can get help with childcare costs
1. Check what help you could get with childcare costs
You can only get help with 'approved childcare'.
1. Find out what 'approved childcare' is
and Find where you can get childcare
Step 2 Get help paying for childcare
You can get help with childcare costs for children under 18. You might be able to apply for:
You could also get free childcare when your child is aged 9 months to 4 years. You might be able to apply for:
You can only get childcare vouchers if you have already joined a scheme.
1. Check the rules for childcare vouchers
Step 3 Check what to do if your circumstances change
1. If you're getting Universal Credit, tell government straight away if your circumstances change
If you're getting Free Childcare for Working Parents or Tax-Free Childcare you have to confirm if your details are up to date every 3 months.
1. Sign into your childcare account to find out when you next have to check your details
Your eligibility for support with childcare costs might also change.
1. Check if your eligibility for help with childcare costs has changed
Step 4 Check what to do when your child reaches school age
1. Apply for a primary school place
2. Find before and after school and holiday clubs
You might be able to use Tax-Free Childcare to pay for childcare like wraparound care, after school clubs or other activities.

Free Childcare for Working Parents

Overview

Who can get free childcare

When to apply

How to apply

Confirm your details are correct

Other help you may be able to get

Step 1 Find out if you can get help with childcare costs

and Find where you can get childcare

Step 2 Get help paying for childcare

Step 3 Check what to do if your circumstances change

Step 4 Check what to do when your child reaches school age

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Free Childcare for Working Parents

Overview

Who can get free childcare

When to apply

How to apply

Confirm your details are correct

Other help you may be able to get

Part of Get childcare: step by step

Step 1: Find out if you can get help with childcare costs

and Find where you can get childcare

Step 2: Get help paying for childcare

Step 3: Check what to do if your circumstances change

Step 4: Check what to do when your child reaches school age

Is this page useful?

Help us improve GOV.UK

Help us improve GOV.UK

Step 1 Find out if you can get help with childcare costs

Step 2 Get help paying for childcare

Step 3 Check what to do if your circumstances change

Step 4 Check what to do when your child reaches school age