Funded childcare can make a significant difference to family childcare costs. It can also be confusing.
One of the most important things to understand is that being eligible for government-funded childcare and securing the nursery sessions you need are two related but separate questions.
Understanding that distinction makes the process much easier.
The key distinction
Government eligibility tells you how many funded hours your child is entitled to receive. A nursery must then have an appropriate place available and be able to accommodate the attendance pattern you require.
What funded childcare is currently available in England?
15 hours for all 3 and 4-year-olds
All children aged three and four in England can receive 570 funded hours each year. This is normally described as 15 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year.
The entitlement usually begins from the term following your child’s third birthday.
30 hours for eligible working parents
Eligible working parents can receive up to 30 hours of funded childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year for children from the term after they reach nine months until they start school.
Eligibility depends on matters including employment, income and the child’s circumstances. Parents should check their individual eligibility with the Government rather than assuming that they qualify.
15 hours for eligible 2-year-olds receiving additional support
Some two-year-olds can receive 15 hours of funded early learning because the family or child meets particular additional-support criteria. This is a separate entitlement from the working-parent scheme.
Does 30 hours mean 30 hours every week of the year?
No. The standard government entitlement is calculated over 38 weeks of the year.
Some nurseries may offer the ability to “stretch” funded hours across more weeks. This means using fewer funded hours each week so that the annual entitlement lasts for longer.
A stretched offer does not create additional funded hours; it simply distributes the same annual entitlement differently. Dickory Docks can explain which attendance and funding arrangements are available for your child.
Eligibility does not automatically reserve a nursery place
This is probably the most important practical point for parents.
Imagine that you have successfully applied to the Government and received a code confirming 30 hours of funded childcare. That confirms your entitlement to funding.
It does not require a particular nursery to have a space available on, for example, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 8am to 6pm.
Nurseries have to consider:
- the number and ages of children already attending;
- room capacity;
- staffing requirements;
- staff-to-child ratios;
- existing attendance patterns; and
- the sessions that remain available.
For this reason, parents should discuss availability with their preferred nursery as early as possible.
How do I claim working-parent funded childcare?
If you qualify for the working-parent entitlement, you will normally receive an 11-digit eligibility code.
Your childcare provider will need information including your eligibility code, your National Insurance number and your child’s date of birth so that the entitlement can be validated.
There are government deadlines for obtaining a code before the start of each funding period. As a general rule, the key dates are:
- 31 December for funding starting in January;
- 31 March for funding starting in April; and
- 31 August for funding starting in September.
Do not leave an application until the final day if you can avoid it.
Remember to reconfirm your eligibility
Parents receiving Free Childcare for Working Parents normally need to reconfirm their details with HMRC every three months.
This is easy to overlook once a nursery arrangement is running smoothly. Set a reminder when your next reconfirmation date becomes available. If your code is not kept up to date, it can affect the funding that your childcare provider is able to claim.
What exactly do the funded hours pay for?
The funded entitlement relates to eligible childcare and early education hours. It does not necessarily mean that every element associated with a child’s nursery day is government funded.
Depending on the nursery and attendance arrangement, parents may still pay for things such as:
- additional childcare outside funded hours;
- meals;
- consumables; or
- optional additional activities.
The important thing is transparency. Before accepting a place, ask the nursery to explain clearly which hours are funded, which elements are additional and what your expected monthly payment will be.
At Dickory Docks, because each child’s combination of age, attendance, funding and meals can be different, we can provide parents with an individual calculation.
Can funded and paid childcare be combined?
Yes. A child may attend for longer than their funded entitlement, with parents paying for additional childcare.
This is particularly common where parents need full working days rather than the precise number of hours covered by their government entitlement. The exact arrangement will depend on availability and the nursery’s session structure.
What about Tax-Free Childcare?
Tax-Free Childcare is different from funded childcare.
Eligible parents can use a Tax-Free Childcare account towards qualifying childcare costs they pay themselves. Dickory Docks accepts Tax-Free Childcare payments.
Parents may therefore use funded hours for part of their childcare and, where eligible, Tax-Free Childcare towards additional qualifying fees. Government rules determine which childcare-support schemes can be used together, so it is sensible to check your individual circumstances.
A simple way to approach funded childcare
- Check your government entitlement. Establish which funded childcare scheme applies to your family.
- Apply for your code where required. Do this before the relevant government deadline.
- Ask the nursery about availability. Tell them the days and hours you actually need.
- Provide your funding details. The nursery can validate your entitlement.
- Ask for a clear fee calculation. Make sure you understand funded hours, additional hours, meals and any other costs.
- Reconfirm when required. Keep your government childcare account up to date.
Funded places at Dickory Docks
Dickory Docks offers funded early years places, including 15-hour and 30-hour provision, subject to eligibility and availability.
Because every family’s childcare requirements are different, the best way to establish what your arrangement would look like is to tell us:
- your child’s date of birth;
- the days you require;
- your preferred attendance times; and
- which funding entitlement you expect to use.
Our team can then check availability and explain how the funding would apply.