30 Hours Free Childcare: Eligibility, How to Apply, and What's Covered

What is 30 hours free childcare?

If both parents work (or you’re a working single parent), your 3 or 4 year old can get 30 hours of free childcare per week — that’s 1,140 hours a year, term-time.

Every family already gets 15 universal hours. The 30 hours scheme doubles that for working families. At average nursery rates, the extra 15 hours alone saves around £2,500–£3,500 per year, and the full 30 hours saves £5,000–£7,000 per year compared to paying full fees.

Who qualifies?

You’re eligible if

• You live in England
• Your child is 3 or 4 years old (from the term after their 3rd birthday)
• Both parents are working (or you’re a single parent who works)
• Each parent earns at least the National Minimum Wage for 16 hours/week — that’s £195/week or £10,158/year if you’re 21+ (lower thresholds apply for younger parents)
• Neither parent earns more than £100,000 per year

You still qualify if

• One parent works and the other receives certain benefits (Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance)
• You’re self-employed (including in your first year of trading)
• You’re on parental leave, sick leave, or annual leave
• You’re a foster parent (for children not placed with you)

You don’t qualify if

• Either parent earns over £100,000/year
• You or your partner isn’t working (unless they receive qualifying benefits)
• You’re claiming the Universal Credit childcare element or tax credits childcare element for the same hours (though you can claim UC childcare costs for hours beyond your funded 30)
• Your child hasn’t yet turned 3

Use our Funding Eligibility Checker to check your family’s eligibility in under a minute.

How to apply

Step 1: Check when your child can start

Free hours start the term after your child’s 3rd birthday:

Child’s birthday	Free hours start
1 April – 31 August	September (autumn term)
1 September – 31 December	January (spring term)
1 January – 31 March	April (summer term)

Step 2: Apply online

1. Go to gov.uk/apply-for-tax-free-childcare
2. Set up a government childcare account (or sign in if you have one)
3. Apply for the 30 hours entitlement
4. HMRC will check your eligibility — usually confirmed within a few days

Step 3: Get your eligibility code

Once approved, you’ll receive an 11-digit eligibility code in your childcare account. You’ll need:

• Your eligibility code
• Your child’s date of birth
• Your National Insurance number

Step 4: Give the code to your provider

Share these details with your nursery or childcare provider. They use the code to claim the funded hours from the local authority on your behalf.

Apply early: Apply before the term starts to make sure your code is ready. Ideally, apply at least 2-3 weeks before your child’s start date.

What does 30 hours cover?

Included

• Up to 30 hours per week of childcare and early education
• Available for 38 weeks per year (term-time)
• Can be used at nurseries, preschools, childminders, and school nursery classes
• Stretching available: Some providers let you spread hours across 52 weeks (e.g., 22 hours per week, year-round) instead of 38 weeks of 30 hours

Not included

Nurseries can charge for extras beyond the funded hours:

• Meals and snacks
• Nappies and wipes
• Sun cream and other consumables
• Trips and outings
• Additional hours beyond the 30 (at the nursery’s standard rate)

These extra charges vary a lot between nurseries. Some include meals in their funded offer; others charge £3–£8 per day. Always ask for a breakdown of additional costs when visiting — it can make a real difference to your monthly bill.

How to use your 30 hours

Choosing your hours

You can use your 30 hours flexibly:

• All at one provider: 30 hours per week, e.g., 6 hours per day across 5 days
• Split between two providers: e.g., 20 hours at nursery + 10 hours with childminder
• Stretched over the year: e.g., 22 hours per week for 52 weeks instead of 30 hours for 38 weeks
• Term-time only: 30 hours during school terms

The maximum you can use in a single day is typically 10 hours. Check with your provider — they may have their own policies on how hours can be used.

Combining with Tax-Free Childcare

If you need more than 30 hours of childcare per week, you can use Tax-Free Childcare to help pay for the additional hours. The government tops up your payments by 20%, saving you up to £2,000 per year per child.

Both schemes are managed through the same government childcare account.

Reconfirming your eligibility

You must reconfirm your eligibility every 3 months through your childcare account. HMRC sends email reminders, but they sometimes land in spam — set a calendar reminder too.

What’s the grace period?

If your circumstances change and you no longer qualify (e.g., one parent stops working), you don’t lose the 30 hours immediately:

• You keep the hours until the end of the current term
• Plus one more full term after that

This gives you time to find new work or adjust your arrangements without abruptly losing childcare.

Example: If you fail reconfirmation in October (autumn term), you keep 30 hours for the rest of the autumn term plus the entire spring term. You’d lose the extended hours at the start of the summer term.

30 hours in practice: what parents should know

Not all nurseries offer 30 hours

Some nurseries only offer the 15-hour universal entitlement. Before applying for 30 hours, confirm your preferred nursery accepts the full 30.

Availability can be limited

Funded places are popular. Some nurseries have waiting lists for funded sessions. Contact nurseries early — ideally several months before your child’s start date.

Session patterns vary

Nurseries structure their funded hours differently:

• Some offer mornings only (9am-12pm, 15 hours over 5 days)
• Some offer full days (e.g., 3 full days for 30 hours)
• Some are flexible and let you choose

Ask about session patterns when you visit. Find nurseries near you and compare options with Good Nurseries.

Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland

30 hours free childcare is an England-only scheme. The devolved nations have their own funded childcare:

Country	Entitlement	Eligibility
Scotland	1,140 hours/year (~30 hrs/week)	All 3-5 year olds + eligible 2 year olds (not means-tested)
Wales	30 hours (Childcare Offer for Wales)	Working parents of 3-4 year olds
Northern Ireland	12.5 hours/week pre-school	All children in their pre-school year

Scotland’s scheme is particularly generous as it’s available to all families, regardless of whether parents are working.