May 18, 2017

30 Hours Free Childcare Explained

Your guide to the ‘30 hours free childcare’ scheme and how your family could benefit from it at Just Childcare Nurseries.

You may already know that the government is rolling out a scheme offering ‘30 hours free childcare’ to some families with children aged 3 to 4-years-old. The ‘30 hours free childcare’ scheme is great news for eligible families, who could claim up to double the amount of free childcare they are currently entitled to.

What is the ‘30 Hours Free Childcare’ scheme?

All 3 and 4-year-olds in England are currently entitled to up to 15 hours a week free childcare for 38 weeks of the year (during school term-times). From September 2017 this entitlement could go up to 30 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year for some working families.

This could take your free childcare entitlement from 570 hours a year up to 1,140 hours a year.
Will Just Childcare Nurseries be offering 30 hours free childcare?

They will! Many nurseries in England have said they will not be offering the extra hours, but our nurseries will be taking part in the scheme.

We’ll also be spreading the 1,140 free hours over 12 months (instead of 38 weeks), to help spread the savings throughout the year.  This means that if your child attends nursery during half terms and holidays, you’ll benefit from free childcare every week – not just during term-time.

How do I know if I am entitled to 30 hours free childcare?

In order to receive 30 hours free childcare, you’ll need to be able to answer ‘Yes’ to the following questions:

  1. Will my child be aged 3 or 4 when the scheme starts?
  2. Are both parent/carers working (or am I as a sole parent/carer, working)?
  3. Does each parent/carer earn (on average) the equivalent of 16 hours a week at National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage?
  4. Does each parent/carer have an annual income of less than £100,000?
  5. Do I live in England?

The easiest way to find out whether or not you’re eligible is to use this free online calculator.

How do I apply for 30 hours free childcare?

To apply for 30 hours free childcare you’ll need to make an online application to HRMC.

  1. Once you’ve completed your application, you’ll be told whether or not you’re eligible for 30 hours free childcare.
  2. If you are eligible you will then receive a code.
  3. You will need to bring your code into the nursery and give it to your Nursery Manager, along with your National Insurance number.
  4. Then all you have to do is wait for your Nursery Manager to check the code is correct, and set up your free childcare hours for you. It’s as simple as that!

As this is a brand new scheme, the information that is currently available can be a little confusing. We’re always available to answer any questions you might have. Pop in to the nursery for a chat about how you can get help with your childcare costs any time.

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