Tearing my hair out, can anyone tell me when I get these free hours?!

[yunnn]

So much conflicting information. My daughter is two on Friday. Does she get the 30 free hours from the following week? If not when? I can’t see any official information

Not enough info to know in what way you are eligible.

Yes, from January

Funded hours start the term after they turn 2. January.

The term after - so from January. But it’s 15 hours universally for 2 year olds, with criteria for 30 hours including certain benefits. That might apply to you, just flagging in case you thought it was universal.

It's funded hours not free, most providers will charge some sort of sustainability fee. I'm a childminder and the funding is significantly lower than my hourly rate.
Yes she will be eligible from January but I presume you have a space lined up? You will need to give your provider your code asap as numbers need to be inputted in the next few weeks in order for providers to be paid in January.happy to answer any other questions!

Do you work?
Not work?
Receive any funding already?
The standard is the term after the birthday but need more info really.
This this site www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/?utm_source=Search&utm_medium=keyword&utm_campaign=Childcare_Choices_2024&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAi_G5BhDXARIsAN5SX7qIO22QNPDnJVjhDx_MGsGpjuE6XuHNUdyiM7vwUKQc2ruNl6OYxD0aAoTaEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

@Cartref26 sorry I thought 30 hours was universal? She has had 15 hours since September

@Dexterslab @Slimemonster she is in nursery with 15 hours free. I work earn a bit over 60k. Do I still get this in January? I can’t see any code on the tax free childcare site when I login, I’m sure I was sent a code in august for the September 15 hours. Wouldn’t I have had the code for 30 hours by now if it’s applicable from January?

That's not coming in until September 2025, until then it's 30 hours when they are 3 which is universal

@yunnn Universal 30 hours is from the term after they turn 3 currently I am fairly sure - my nearly 3 year old still only gets 15 hours.

https://www.gov.uk/check-eligible-free-childcare-if-youre-working

So it’s actually next September when she will have 30 free hours? Even though she won’t be 3?

Won’t be eligible for 30 hours in January then.

Argh, so much misinformation!

There’s no such thing as a universal offer for two year olds. There are two separate offers: 15 hours a week for disadvantaged two year olds (parents have to receive certain benefits) and 15 hours a week for two year olds of working families (both parents have to work in dual income families unless one has a disability or caring responsibilities), minimum and maximum income requirements apply. The working families entitlement will increase to 30 hours next September.

Important to note that it’s 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year. Your nursery/childminder may choose to “stretch” this across the whole year so eg 11 hours a week across 52 weeks of the year.

Funding always kicks in the term after a child hits the relevant age so for you, January 2025.

You might find the Childcare Choices website useful x

That’s the current plan. If all the nurseries aren’t bust by then.

Actually 30 hours for 3 year olds isn't universal either.

15 hours is and the additional 15 hours is income based like the younger children funding.

She has been recieving the 15 hours funded for 9 months plus which came in sept 2024.

She will get 30 hours from September 2025. If it had already come in it would have been Jan (being the term after they turned 2) you would have got it but it doesn't come in until Sept 2025 unfortunately.

From September 2025, all those entitled through working parents will get 30 hours from the term after they turn 9 months.

This may help you as you can fill form out with details and will tell you what you entitled too.

www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/?utm_source=Search&utm_medium=keyword&utm_campaign=Childcare_Choices_2024&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAi_G5BhDXARIsAN5SX7qJeBvGTAavb4GrMYG80_y5NDZh4t-t_MIByJjyV0-XsWMeM1gjMvwaApAnEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Sorry, misread and didn’t see you were actually about 30 hours specifically! Yes, it’s not available for two year olds (from eligible working families) until September 2025

Sorry ‘universal’ was probably the wrong term - childcare for working parents. But what I meant is, the criteria you get 15 hours under now.

Here is a good reference - it will tell you if you are eligible and for how much and when. - How to apply for help with childcare for working parents | Childcare Choices

Edit to add - also here is a good reference on when you will get what hours and when they start from depending on birth date Apply for free childcare if you're working - GOV.UK

So very complicated; out of interest is there an earnings limit beyond which you are not eligible?

Either parent earning over 100k

£100k.

And it’s removed as a cliff edge which is quite severe. Once the 30 hours comes in from 9 months, some parents might be losing £15-20k of support for earning a penny over the threshold.

Absolutely terrible policy.

If all parents work, she will get 15h until September, then 30h in September when the new scheme is fully rolled out.
The reason your DC is not yet eligible is purely because the new scheme for 9+ months has be rolled out in phases, the last one being sept 2025.

You can see your code in your account under "Free childcare for working parents", on my phone it is the second category on the home page, just under "your tax free childcare account".

The code will not change, it is the same as the one you have submitted in August. Your nursery might ask you for it again, just submit the same code and your NIN.
It might show as not valid for the spring term if you haven't yet reconfirmed your eligibility, so make sure you do that as soon as the window open and then give the code to nursery.

Source: went through the same thing last week for my DC turning 3 and I called the free childcare helpline.

All of this also depends on which part of the UK you're in.

Should be 9 month plus now 15 hours if u work enough hours and don’t work over threshold. 15 hours 2 year funding in January, 30 hours isn’t until next September, if the government don’t change it.