15 hours free childcare for 3 and 4-year-olds

All 3 to 4-year-olds in England can get 570 free hours per year. It’s usually taken as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year. You can choose to take fewer hours over more weeks, if your childcare provider offers this option. Some 3 to 4-year-olds are eligible for 30 hours of free childcare a week. Check if you’re eligible and find out how to apply . The free early education and childcare: must be with an approved childcare provider stops when your child starts in reception class (or reaches compulsory school age, if later) You can get it from the term after your child’s 3rd birthday, starting on 1 January, 1 April or 1 September. You may have to pay for extra costs such as: meals nappies additional hours additional activities, such as trips Ask your provider what extra costs you will have to pay for. Contact your childcare provider or local council to find out more. This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg) . Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland There are different schemes in Scotland , different schemes in Wales and different schemes in Northern Ireland .

Universal Credit and childcare

You may be able to claim back up to 85% of your childcare costs if you’re eligible for Universal Credit . This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg) . You (and your partner if you live with them) will usually need to either: be working - it does not matter how many hours you or your partner work have a job offer How much you’ll get The most you can get back each month is: £1,031.88 for one child £1,768.94 for 2 or more children You can claim Universal Credit online . If you cannot afford to pay for childcare upfront You might be able to get help to pay for the upfront cost of childcare if you cannot afford to pay in advance. If you stop working If you stop working you must report a change of circumstances in your Universal Credit account .

Childcare vouchers and other employer schemes

The following schemes are closed to new applicants: childcare vouchers childcare your employer arranges with a provider (known as ‘directly contracted childcare’) If you joined one of these schemes on or before 4 October 2018 you might be able to keep getting vouchers or directly contracted childcare. This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg) . If you joined a childcare voucher scheme or a directly contracted childcare scheme on or before 4 October 2018 You can keep getting vouchers or directly contracted childcare as long as: your wages were adjusted on or before 4 October 2018 you stay with the same employer and they continue to run the scheme you do not take an unpaid career break of longer than a year You can take up to £55 a week of your wages, which you do not pay tax or National Insurance on. How much you can take depends on the amount you earn and when you joined the scheme. If the business you work for changes owner, your employee rights are usually protected . Check with your new employer if you can still get vouchers or directly contracted childcare. If you get Tax-Free Childcare You cannot continue to claim childcare vouchers or directly contracted childcare if you successfully apply for Tax-Free Childcare. Which scheme you’re better off with depends on your situation. Use the childcare calculator to work out which type of support is best for you. You must tell your employer within 90 days if you get Tax-Free Childcare. They’ll then stop giving you new vouchers or directly contracted childcare. You can continue to use any vouchers you already have, including to make a joint payment for childcare with Tax-Free Childcare. There’s no deadline for using your vouchers or directly contracted childcare. Once you’ve told your employer that you’re getting Tax-Free Childcare, you cannot rejoin their voucher scheme or their directly contracted childcare scheme. Tax and employer childcare schemes You do not have to pay tax and National Insurance on: childcare vouchers, if you joined a scheme and your wages were adjusted on or before 4 October 2018 directly contracted childcare, if you joined a scheme and your wages were adjusted on or before 4 October 2018 workplace nurseries You must pay tax and National Insurance on: cash your employer gives you to pay for childcare childcare provider’s fees your employer pays school fees your employer pays

Help with childcare while you study

School or sixth form You could get weekly payments through Care to Learn if you’re under 20 at the start of a publicly-funded course, for example at school or sixth form. This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg) . Further education You can apply for Learner Support to pay for childcare if you’re 20 or over and in further education, for example studying for an NVQ, BTEC or PGCE. You could also get weekly payments through Care to Learn . Full-time higher education You can apply for a Childcare Grant if you’re in full-time higher education to pay for childcare costs for children: under 15 under 17 if they have special needs

Childcare you can get help paying for ('approved childcare')

You can get help with the cost of childcare through:

Tax-Free Childcare
Free Childcare for Working Parents

You must use an ‘approved childcare’ provider in order to qualify.

If you or your child get extra support, you may be eligible for a separate scheme instead. Find out about free education and childcare for 2 year olds if you get extra support.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Approved childcare providers

You can get Tax-Free Childcare from a:

registered childminder, nanny, playscheme, nursery or club
childminder or nanny with a registered childminder agency or childcare agency
registered school
home care worker working for a registered home care agency

You can get Free Childcare for Working Parents from a:

registered childminder, playscheme, nursery or club
childminder with a registered childminder agency or childcare agency
registered school

This is known as ‘approved childcare’.

For Free Childcare for Working Parents, the provider will also need to be on an Early Years Register with Ofsted or with a registered early years childminder agency. Check this with your provider.

How to find an approved childcare provider

You can check if a childcare provider is approved or search for one in:

Childcare at school

Tax-Free Childcare can help with paying for care that is outside school hours, for example after school clubs or breakfast clubs.

If your child has not started primary school, you can get help paying for childcare provided by a school. This includes nursery school fees.

You cannot get help paying for:

your child’s compulsory education
private lessons during school time (for example, private music lessons during school hours)

You cannot claim Free Childcare for Working Parents for care outside school hours if your child is attending a state-funded school nursery or reception class.

Childcare provided by relatives

If you live in England or Scotland

You can only get Tax-Free Childcare to help pay for childcare provided by a relative (for example, a grandparent) if they’re a registered childminder and care for your child outside your home.

You cannot claim Free Childcare for Working Parents for childcare provided by a relative (for example, a grandparent).

You cannot get help for childcare provided by your partner. This is not accepted as ‘approved childcare’.

If you live in England and get Free Childcare for Working Parents, you can pay the childcare provider using Universal Credit, childcare vouchers or Tax-Free Childcare.

If you live in Northern Ireland

You can only get help paying for childcare provided by a relative if all of the following apply:

they’re in a childcare approval scheme in Northern Ireland
they care for your child outside your home
they care for at least one other child that is not related to you

If you live in Wales

You can only get help paying for childcare provided by a relative if they’re a registered childminder and care for your child outside your home.

Foster carers

If you’re a foster parent of a child aged 9 months to 4 years old you can claim Free Childcare for Working Parents as long as:

you’re in paid work outside your fostering role
your adjusted net income is under £100,000

To apply, speak to both your social worker and your local authority.

Childcare provided by a foster carer

You can only claim Tax-Free Childcare if you’re registered as a childcare provider and live in England.

You may be able to claim if a foster carer provides childcare in Wales, provides childcare in Scotland or provides childcare in Northern Ireland.

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. You are currently viewing: 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.

Childcare you can get help paying for ('approved childcare')

Approved childcare providers

How to find an approved childcare provider

Childcare at school

Childcare provided by relatives

If you live in England or Scotland

If you live in Northern Ireland

If you live in Wales

Foster carers

Childcare provided by a foster carer

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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Childcare you can get help paying for ('approved childcare')

Approved childcare providers

How to find an approved childcare provider

Childcare at school

Childcare provided by relatives

If you live in England or Scotland

If you live in Northern Ireland

If you live in Wales

Foster carers

Childcare provided by a foster carer

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