A complete guide to funded childcare hours in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland — including the 2026 expansion to working parents of children from 9 months old.
·6 min read
The UK government provides funded childcare hours to help with the cost of childcare. The entitlements differ depending on your child’s age, whether you work, and which country you live in.
Funded Childcare Hours — England
Full Entitlements (from September 2025)
Child’s age
Hours per week
Weeks per year
Total hours per year
Eligibility
9 months – 23 months
30 hours
38 (term time)
1,140
Both parents working (or sole parent working)
9 months – 23 months
15 hours
38 (term time)
570
Parent on qualifying benefits (not working)
2 years old
30 hours
38 (term time)
1,140
Both parents working
2 years old
15 hours
38 (term time)
570
Parent on qualifying benefits or all families (check latest rules)
3–4 years old
30 hours
38 (term time)
1,140
Both parents working
3–4 years old
15 hours
38 (term time)
570
All families — universal entitlement
Roll-Out Timeline
Date
Change
Existed before 2024
15 hours for all 3–4 year olds; 30 hours for working parents of 3–4 year olds; 15 hours for disadvantaged 2 year olds
April 2024
15 hours extended to working parents of 2 year olds
September 2024
15 hours extended to working parents from 9 months old
September 2025
30 hours extended to all working parents from 9 months old
Working Parent Eligibility
Requirement
Detail
Minimum earnings
Each parent must earn at least £8,670 per year (equivalent to 16 hours per week at National Living Wage)
Maximum earnings
Neither parent can earn over £100,000 per year
Self-employed
Counts — you must expect to earn at least £8,670 per year
On maternity/paternity leave
Still eligible — the working test is based on your normal employment
Student
May be eligible if working the required hours alongside study
Single parent
Only your income is assessed
Couple
Both parents must meet the minimum earnings test
One parent works, one doesn’t
Only 15 hours universal entitlement (for 3–4 year olds) — not the 30-hour working parent entitlement
Exceptions to working requirement: The non-working parent is exempt if they receive Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, ESA (support group), Carer’s Allowance, or a National Insurance credit for caring for a severely disabled person.
How to Apply (England)
Step
What to do
1
Go to childcarechoices.gov.uk
2
Create a Government Gateway childcare account
3
Enter your details — employment, income, National Insurance number
4
Receive your eligibility code (usually within a few days)
5
Give the code to your childcare provider
6
Reconfirm eligibility every 3 months — if you miss reconfirmation, you lose entitlement
Key Dates
Term
Apply by
Hours start
Autumn term (September)
31 August
1 September
Spring term (January)
31 December
1 January
Summer term (April)
31 March
1 April
Apply at least 2–3 months before the date you need the place — popular settings fill up quickly.
Funded Childcare — Scotland
Entitlement
Hours per year
Eligibility
All 3- and 4-year-olds
1,140 hours per year
Universal — all families
Eligible 2-year-olds
1,140 hours per year
Families receiving qualifying benefits
Scotland — Eligible 2-Year-Olds
Your 2-year-old qualifies if you receive:
Benefit
Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Universal Credit (income below threshold)
Tax credits (income below £16,480)
Support under the Immigration and Asylum Act
Pension Credit (guarantee element)
Also eligible: looked-after children, children with a parent who is a care leaver (up to age 26), and children who are the subject of a kinship care order.
How to apply (Scotland): Contact your local council’s early years team directly.
Funded Childcare — Wales
Entitlement
Hours per week
Eligibility
Foundation Phase Nursery
10 hours minimum (term time)
All 3–4 year olds — delivered by schools
Childcare Offer for Wales
30 hours total (20 hours childcare + 10 hours Foundation Phase)
Working parents of 3–4 year olds
Flying Start
12.5 hours per week
Children aged 2–3 in eligible areas
Wales — Working Parent Eligibility
Requirement
Detail
Minimum earnings
Each parent earns at least equivalent of 16 hours at NMW
Maximum earnings
Neither parent earns over £100,000
Application
Through your local council
Funded Childcare — Northern Ireland
Entitlement
Hours
Eligibility
Pre-school education
12.5 hours per week (term time)
All children in their final pre-school year (3–4 year olds)
No additional hours scheme
—
Northern Ireland does not currently offer a 30-hour scheme
What Funded Hours Cover — and Don’t Cover
Covered
Not covered (you may be charged)
The childcare place itself
Meals and snacks
Staffing and facilities
Nappies and wipes
Basic activities and resources
Sun cream and toiletries
Trips and outings
Additional hours beyond entitlement
Registration or admin fees charged by some providers
Providers cannot charge a top-up fee for the funded hours themselves. They can only charge for genuine optional extras. If a provider says you must pay a “top-up” to access funded hours, this is not permitted — report it to your local council.
Typical Additional Costs
Extra
Typical cost
Meals (per day)
£3–£8
Consumables pack (per term)
£20–£50
Additional hours (per hour)
£5–£10
Stretching Your Hours
You can often “stretch” your funded hours across more weeks rather than taking them only in term time:
Option
How it works
Term time only (38 weeks)
30 hours per week × 38 weeks = 1,140 hours
Stretched across 51 weeks
Approximately 22 hours per week × 51 weeks = 1,140 hours
Custom arrangement
Agree a pattern with your provider that uses 1,140 hours across the year
Not all providers offer stretched hours — check with your setting.
Tax-Free Childcare
On top of funded hours, you may qualify for Tax-Free Childcare to help with costs beyond your free entitlement:
Detail
Information
How it works
For every £8 you pay in, the government adds £2 (20% top-up)
Maximum per child per year
£2,000 (government contribution) — so you pay £8,000 and get £10,000
Disabled children
Maximum £4,000 per year (you pay £16,000, get £20,000)
Eligibility
Same as 30-hour funded childcare — both parents working, earning £8,670–£100,000
How to apply
childcarechoices.gov.uk
Can I use both?
Yes — use funded hours for the first 30 hours, then Tax-Free Childcare for additional hours
Important: You cannot claim Tax-Free Childcare and childcare vouchers at the same time. Tax-Free Childcare is also not compatible with receiving the childcare element of Universal Credit or Working Tax Credit. Compare the value of each before choosing.
Childcare Costs — Working Out the Best Option
Scenario
Best option
Working parent, child over 9 months, earning £8,670–£100,000
30 funded hours + Tax-Free Childcare for extra hours
On Universal Credit
30 funded hours (if working enough) + UC childcare element (up to 85% of costs)
Not working, child aged 3–4
15 universal hours
On qualifying benefits, child aged 2
15 funded hours
Working parent in Scotland, child 3–4
1,140 hours per year (council delivered)
Cost Comparison — With and Without Help
Annual childcare cost for one child, 50 hours per week (nursery in England):
Scenario
Annual cost to parent
No help at all (50 hrs × £6/hr × 51 weeks)
£15,300
30 funded hours only (20 extra hrs paid)
£6,120
30 funded hours + Tax-Free Childcare
£4,896
30 funded hours + UC childcare element (85%)
£918
The combination of funded hours and government support can reduce costs dramatically.