Free Childcare Hours in the UK: Every Entitlement Explained (2026)

Free childcare hours at a glance

Most families in England are entitled to some free childcare — but working out exactly what you qualify for can be confusing, especially with the recent expansions. The short version: if you’re working, your child can get up to 30 hours a week of funded childcare from 9 months old.

Here’s the full picture for England (2025/26):

Entitlement	Age	Hours	Who qualifies
Universal 15 hours	3-4 year olds	15 hrs/week, 38 weeks	All families
Eligible 2 year olds	2 year olds	15 hrs/week, 38 weeks	Families on certain benefits
Working parent hours (under 3)	9 months to 3 years	Up to 30 hrs/week, 38 weeks	Working parents
Extended 30 hours	3-4 year olds	30 hrs/week, 38 weeks	Working parents

At typical nursery rates, a family using 30 funded hours saves roughly £5,000–£7,000 per year compared to paying full fees. Even 15 universal hours is worth around £2,500–£3,500 a year in most areas.

15 hours universal entitlement (all 3–4 year olds)

Every child in England gets 15 hours of free early education from the term after their 3rd birthday until they start school. No means testing. No work requirements. Every family qualifies.

How to claim

You don’t need to apply through the government. Simply contact your chosen nursery and tell them you want to use your 15-hour entitlement. They’ll ask for:

• Your child’s birth certificate
• Proof of address
• A parent declaration form (the nursery provides this)

The nursery claims the funding directly from your local authority.

Where can you use it?

Any Ofsted-registered:

• Day nursery
• Preschool or playgroup
• Childminder
• School nursery class
• Maintained nursery school

15 hours for eligible 2 year olds

Some 2 year olds qualify for 15 hours of free childcare if the family receives certain benefits or meets specific criteria.

Who qualifies?

Your 2 year old is eligible if you receive:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Universal Credit (annual household income under £15,400 after tax)
• Tax Credits (annual household income under £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit 4-week run on
• Guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Support under the Immigration and Asylum Act

Your 2 year old also qualifies if they:

• Are looked after by the local authority
• Have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan
• Receive Disability Living Allowance
• Have left care through adoption, a special guardianship order, or a child arrangements order

How to apply

Contact your local council to apply. They check your eligibility and issue a funding code. You can also check eligibility at gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs.

Working parent hours (9 months to 3 years)

Since September 2025, working parents in England can access up to 30 hours of free childcare for children from 9 months old.

This was rolled out in stages:

• April 2024: 15 hours for working parents of 2 year olds
• September 2024: 15 hours for working parents of children from 9 months
• September 2025: Extended to 30 hours for working parents of children from 9 months

Eligibility

Same as the 30 hours scheme for 3–4 year olds:

• Both parents working (or single parent working)
• Each parent earning at least the National Minimum Wage for 16 hours/week — that’s £195/week or about £10,158/year if you’re 21 or over
• Neither parent earning over £100,000/year

If one parent isn’t working but receives Carer’s Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, or contribution-based ESA, the household can still qualify.

How to apply

Apply through the government childcare account at gov.uk. Once approved, you’ll get an eligibility code to give to your nursery. Allow a few weeks for processing — don’t leave it until the last minute before term starts.

Check your eligibility with our Funding Eligibility Checker.

Extended 30 hours (3-4 year olds)

Working parents of 3 and 4 year olds get double the universal hours — 30 hours instead of 15. This is the most established funded hours scheme.

Full details in our dedicated guide: 30 Hours Free Childcare.

How funded hours work in practice

Term-time vs stretched hours

Funded hours are calculated on a term-time basis: 38 weeks per year. But many nurseries offer to “stretch” hours across 51-52 weeks.

Term-time (38 weeks):

• 30 hours per week during school terms
• No funded hours during school holidays (you’d pay full fees or use no childcare)

Stretched (52 weeks):

• Approximately 22 hours per week, all year round
• Fewer hours per week but consistent year-round childcare

Most working parents find stretched hours easier to manage, even though you get fewer hours each week. Paying full fees during school holidays can be a nasty surprise if you’re not expecting it.

What nurseries can (and can’t) charge for

Funded hours cover childcare and early education. Nurseries cannot charge:

• A top-up fee for the funded hours themselves
• Registration or admin fees specifically for funded children
• Require you to buy additional paid hours as a condition of accessing funded hours

Nurseries can charge for:

• Meals, snacks, and drinks
• Nappies and wipes
• Sun cream and other consumables
• Trips and special activities
• Additional hours beyond your funded entitlement

If you feel a nursery is charging unfairly for funded hours, contact your local authority.

Splitting hours between providers

You can split funded hours between up to two providers. This gives you flexibility if, for example, your child attends nursery three days a week and a childminder two days.

Both providers need your eligibility code (for 30 hours and working parent hours).

Free childcare hours in Scotland

Scotland has a generous funded childcare scheme:

• 1,140 hours per year (approximately 30 hours per week, 38 weeks)
• Available to all 3-5 year olds (not means-tested)
• Also available to eligible 2 year olds (families on certain benefits, looked-after children, families with a kinship care order)
• Managed by your local council, not the government childcare account

How to apply in Scotland

Contact your local council directly. Most councils have an online application form. You’ll typically need:

• Your child’s birth certificate
• Proof of address
• Proof of benefits (for 2 year old entitlement only)

Find nurseries in Scotland with Good Nurseries — we list Care Inspectorate ratings alongside Ofsted.

Combining free hours with other support

Free childcare hours can be combined with:

• Tax-Free Childcare: Use for the paid hours beyond your funded entitlement. The government tops up your payments by 20%, saving you up to £2,000 per child per year.
• Employer childcare schemes: Some employers offer salary sacrifice or childcare support. Worth checking your benefits package — it’s often buried in HR documents.

You cannot combine free hours with:

• Universal Credit childcare element for the same hours (but you can claim UC childcare costs for hours beyond your funded entitlement)
• Tax credits childcare element for the same hours

How to find nurseries offering funded hours

Most registered nurseries offer some funded hours, but availability varies. When searching for a nursery:

1. Search nurseries near you on Good Nurseries
2. Check the nursery listing for funding information
3. Contact the nursery directly to confirm:
   • Which funded entitlements they accept
   • Whether they offer stretched hours
   • What additional charges apply
   • Availability of funded places (popular nurseries may have waiting lists)

Use our Childcare Cost Calculator to estimate your total costs after funded hours are applied.