Check your eligibility and apply

Eligibility for 30 hours of funded childcare will be checked by the government. You can find out more about eligibility criteria here and you can apply for 30 hours of funded childcare through their Childcare Service website.

If you disagree with your eligibility results or have any queries about the process please call the Childcare Service helpline on 0300 1234 097.

You will need to have applied and received a code by a certain date in order to access 30 hours at the start of a funding period as follows:

Valid code with start date of on or before	Funding Period
31 August	Autumn (from 1 September)
31 December	Spring (from 1 January)
31 March	Summer (from 1 April)

You should allow plenty of time to apply to ensure that a valid code is received well ahead of the deadline. You can apply for 30 hours before your child is eligible for 3 and 4-year-old funding but you must have a valid code at the start of the funding period. Please note: if you become eligible after the start of a funding period, or eligibility has ended prior to the start of the funding period, you must wait until the following period to access your 30 hour place.

All eligible parents MUST reconfirm their 30 hours and Tax-Free Childcare entitlement every 3 months.

The top things parents need to know about this new offer can be found in the Childcare Choices factsheet.

Speak to your provider

You should talk to your childcare provider about your childcare needs, find out if they are offering 30 hours (not all providers are able to offer 30 hours and some childminders don’t accept any funding) and check what times the funding is available. You can share your funded childcare between more than one provider, as long as you do not exceed 30 hours per week or 1140 hours per year.

Ask if the funding can be used during term-time only or stretched all year round. If you choose to stretch your funding this will give you fewer hours over more weeks of the year.

Some providers may charge for additional services or activities not covered by the 30 hours funding. These may include food and drinks or activities such as yoga and music. Ask your provider for a price list for any additional charges.

Confirm your place

If you are eligible, you will receive an 11 digit code to take directly to your participating childcare provider. Your childcare provider will check the code and confirm your eligibility.

You should receive a contract or registration form to confirm your funded hours, chargeable hours and any optional services.

Finding your 11 digit code

Once you have received your 11 digit code you can find it again in your Childcare service account using the green ‘Apply or sign into your account’ button and answer questions about your youngest child’s age and then sign in using your Government Gateway ID, which you received when you applied.

You will also need to sign in to your account to re-confirm your eligibility every three months.

Tax-Free Childcare

The government Tax-Free Childcare scheme can be used alongside the 15 and 30 hours of funded childcare. You can apply for both the 30 hours and Tax-Free Childcare schemes through one online application.

The top things parents need to know about both these offers can be found in this Childcare Choices factsheet.

Further information and advice

The Childcare Choices website contains lots of useful information on the government help that is available towards childcare costs.

The charity Employers for Childcare offers personalised advice and guidance to families so they get the financial support they’re entitled to.