All 3 and 4-year-olds living in England are currently entitled to 15 hours a week (570 hours per year) free childcare for 38 weeks of the year (during term-time). Some eligible working parents however, are now entitled to up to 30 Hours Free Childcare – that’ s 1,140 hours a year!
The government rolled this scheme out in 2017 to support working families. It’s a great idea but it’s fair to say the system can be a little complicated, so it’s a good idea to get to grips with the facts to make sure you don’t miss out.
You can use 30 Hours Free Childcare to pay for:
• Registered nurseries, childminders and nannies
• Registered after-school clubs and play schemes
• Home care workers from a registered home care agency
30 Hours Free Childcare Facts!
Early Years Providers don’t have to offer 30 Hours Free Childcare (we do!), so check that they do before you register with them if you want to use your entitlement!
Some Early Years Providers only have limited 30 Hours Free Childcare Places available
You don’t have to take up the full 30 hours to receive the funding if you don’t want to For example, if you only want so take up 25 hours per week, this will still be funded by 30 hours scheme
You can split the offer between more than one childcare provider (but no more than two sites a day) If you do split the offer between providers, you’ll need to provide your eligibility code and information to each provider