30 free hours

[Millyjames]

Hi,
This is my first time posting.
I am due to go back to work after maternity leave after October half term and work 2.5 days (weds pm, thurs and friday). My 3yr old has started pre school, and although she is entitled to 30 free hours she is currently accessing 15hours - doing 3 hours each morning Monday to friday. I was planning on upping her hours in January and she was going to be collected by grandparents on the days I work (weds PM, thurs and fri) up until January. Due to covid I am apprehensive about grandparents collecting her and would like to up her hours so that she continues to do mornings but then also afternoons on the days I work. When I completed the pre school application they did say I wouldn't be able to change her hours until January and mentioned something about their claim not appearing fraudulently? I will ask on monday...but wondered if anyone had any experience of this - just to help prepare me.
Hope this makes sense and thanks in advance.

I think the application for free hours is done on a 3 monthly cycle, so have to apply before the deadline for the next cycle. I may be wrong but that's my understanding. Also just because I didn't realise this - the 30 free hours per week is only applicable to term time or the equivalent amount of term time weeks in a year. So I think roughly 39 weeks of the year you can claim 30 free hours per week.

38 weeks a year if they do it term time only. It is done term by term. You need to apply for your 30 hours code this term if you want them in January.

Yes have to do every 3mths. They remind you

Are you in England? And do you have a code that you have given to your childcare provider and have they inputted that in to their portal? If you haven’t done that, you need to go on to The childcare choices Website and apply for one. If you get a code, you will be eligible for 30 hours funded childcare in January as the closing date for inputting codes for this term was 31st August.