Claiming 15 or 30 hours free childcare

From this September, 2025, 15 hours childcare for working families with children under 3 will expand to 30 hours, meaning eligible working families can now apply for 30 hours of childcare from the term after their child turns 9 months until they reach school age.

This expansion is designed to support your child’s early education and help you better balance work and family life. It’s the final phase of the childcare expansion, which could save families up to £7,500 per year.

Apply for your childcare code by 31 August to start using the support from September

What you need to do:

Check if you’re eligible: Working parents in England may be entitled to up to 30 hours childcare per week for children aged 9 months to school age, during term time (38 weeks per year).
Apply online via GOV.UK: If you're eligible, apply now for your childcare code – you’ll need this to access your hours.
Apply by 31 August: To start using your hours from 1 September, make sure you apply before the deadline.
Speak to your childcare provider: Check that they offer the hours and confirm their arrangements.
Keep your code up to date: You’ll need to reconfirm your details every 3 months via your GOV.UK account. You’ll get a reminder when it’s time.

For a step-by-step guide on how to apply, watch the video below with Early Years Educator, Steff, explaining the process

Already using 15 hours childcare for working families?

You don’t need to reapply for a new code.

Simply continue to reconfirm your details every 3 months on your GOV.UK account and your existing code will update automatically to enable you to take up 30 hours from September.

Click here to apply for 30 hours childcare for working families

At a glance: childcare support summary

There are a wide range of childcare offers available to help you juggle family life, and they all have different eligibility criteria and application processes.

Here’s a quick summary of what is available to you, so you apply for the one that fits your family. Remember – you might be able to use more than one offer together.

30 hours childcare for working families in England with children from 9 months old up to school age.
15 hours early learning for families in England with a child aged 2 and receiving additional support such as Universal Credit or whose child has an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan.
15 hours childcare for all families in England, regardless of their income, with children aged 3 and 4 years old.
New free breakfast clubs in 750 schools from April this year, providing 30 minute sessions before school to help children start every day ready to learn.
Tax-Free Childcare for working families, including the self-employed, in the UK with children aged 0-11 (or 0-16 if they have a disability).
Universal Credit Childcare for working families claiming Universal Credit with children under 17.
Wraparound childcare (before and after school childcare) for all primary school aged children in England during term time, running between 8am – 6pm. If you are eligible, you can use Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit Childcare to help pay for your place.

Click here to check your eligibility and see what support you might be able to get

How early years education helps children thrive

In this video, parents and practitioners at Rowland Hill Nursery share how early years education helps children grow in confidence, communication, and curiosity – all through play.

Discover how structured routines, stimulating activities, and passionate professionals are making a difference in families’ lives every single day – helping children build the skills they need to thrive when they start school.

Helping your child start Reception with confidence

The support you give at home, alongside the experiences children have in childcare, can both make a big difference in helping them get ready for Reception.

The new StartingReception.co.uk website offers friendly, flexible ideas to help you support your child as they grow, play, and explore new skills, including tailored support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Whether your child is building confidence, discovering words, or learning to get dressed on their own, you’ll find practical tips and real-life stories to help them feel curious, capable, and ready for what’s next.

Visit Starting Reception to find out more

Childminder Week:

Recognising the heart of home-based childcare

This week, we’re celebrating Childminder Week – recognising the skilled, dedicated childminders who play a vital role in young children’s early learning and development. By welcoming children into their homes, childminders offer flexible, high-quality care that helps children to learn, grow, and get the best start in life, while giving parents the support they need to juggle work and family life.

Donna Elvery, a childminder from Mettingham, shares how she supports children and families:

‘Childminders can provide a personalised environment to help children’s development, through a variety of activities that promote independence, social, emotional and physical skills. We work in partnership with parents, encouraging regular communication to support each child’s individual needs, and sharing our weekly plans and learning themes so parents can be involved in their children’s learning and next steps. The space I offer belongs to the children – it’s cosy, welcoming, and shaped by their interests, helping them feel safe, inspired and ready to learn.’

Looking for a childminder? Find a registered childminder near you and discover how they can help your child thrive.

You may be able to get 30 hours free childcare if:

you live in England
your child is 3 to 4 years old

There are different schemes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The childcare:

must be with an approved childcare provider
stops when your child starts in reception class (or reaches compulsory school age, if later)

You may have to pay for extra costs like meals, nappies or trips.

If you’ve already registered, you can sign in to your childcare account.

You can apply online for a childcare account to get a code for 30 hours to give to your provider.

How you can use 30 hours free childcare

You can get 30 hours of free childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year (during school term time).

You may be able to get free childcare for 52 weeks if you use fewer than 30 hours per week. Check with your childcare provider to find out if this is something they offer.

Eligibility

Your eligibility depends on:

if you are working
your income (and your partner’s income, if you have one)
your child’s age and circumstances
your immigration status

You can get 30 hours free childcare at the same time as claiming Universal Credit, tax credits, childcare vouchers or Tax-Free Childcare.

If you are working

You can usually get 30 hours free childcare if you (and your partner, if you have one) are:

in work
on sick leave or annual leave
on shared parental, maternity, paternity or adoption leave

If you’re on adoption leave for a child aged 3 to 4 years old, you must return to work within 31 days of the date you first apply for 30 hours free childcare.

If your working pattern has changed because of coronavirus (COVID-19), you may still be able to get 30 hours free childcare.

If you are not currently working

You may still be eligible if your partner is working, and you get Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer’s Allowance or contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance.

You can apply if you’re starting or re-starting work within the next 31 days.

Your income

You’ll need to expect to earn a certain amount over the next 3 months. This is at least the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week on average.

For example, over the next 3 months you expect to earn at least £1,813.76 - the National Living Wage for people over 25.

If you have a partner, they’ll need to expect to earn at least this much too.

If you’re self-employed and do not expect to make enough profit in the next 3 months, you can use an average of how much you expect to make over the current tax year.

This earnings limit does not apply if you’re self-employed and started your business less than 12 months ago.

If you or your partner have an expected ‘adjusted net income’ over £100,000 in the current tax year you will not be eligible. This includes any bonuses you expect to get.

Your adjusted net income is your total taxable income before any personal allowances and minus things like Gift Aid.

Your child

You will not be eligible if your child does not usually live with you.

If you foster your child, you cannot use the online application to get 30 hours free childcare. Speak to your social worker and your local authority if you want to apply.

Your immigration status

You will not be eligible if you’re from outside the EEA and your UK residence card says you cannot access public funds.

Your partner can apply instead if they’re from:

the UK or EEA
outside the EEA and their UK residence card says they can access public funds

When to apply

You can apply from when your child is 2 years and 36 weeks old.

When your child turns 3	When they can get 30 hours from	Recommended time to apply
1 September to 31 December	Term starting on or after 1 January	15 October to 30 November
1 January to 31 March	Term starting on or after 1 April	15 January to 28 February
1 April to 31 August	Term starting on or after 1 September	15 June to 31 July

You can apply outside of these recommended dates but you might not receive your code in time. You must have a valid code by the end of the month before a new term starts.

Check with your childcare provider to find out the exact date your 30 hours free childcare starts.

You have to reconfirm your eligibility every 3 months. If you apply more than 3 months before the term starts, you’ll have to reconfirm your eligibility in your account in order to keep your code valid.

Apply

Apply online for 30 hours free childcare.

If you are applying for 30 hours and someone else already claims Tax-Free Childcare for that child, your application will be unsuccessful.

If you have a partner

You must include your partner in your application if you are:

married or in a civil partnership and live together
not married or in a civil partnership, but living together as though you are

Their employment and income will not affect your eligibility if they:

are or will be absent from your household for more than 6 months
are a prisoner

You and your partner cannot both have accounts for the same child.

If you are separated

You and your ex-partner need to decide who should apply if you are jointly responsible for your child.

If you cannot decide, both of you must apply separately and HMRC will decide who gets a childcare account.

After you’ve applied

Once your application has been approved, you’ll get a code for 30 hours free childcare to give to your childcare provider.