Free hours

[JustMe9]

Hiya I am very confused about 30 hours free childcare... My son will be 3 next April (the end of April) so does it mean we will only get free hours from September? :(
When do we need to apply for it to get the code in time? Also, do we apply just by loggin in to the same accout we currently use for tax free childcare...? Thanks x

[BackforGood]

Yes, there is a fixed date for the start of each term (usually early April), and if your dc's birthday is after that, then their 'hours' kick in from the start of the following term.
Not sure about the rest but this will lift you off 'unanswered threads'

The best thing is to ask your Nursery about it - they will be answering parents' queries about this all the time.

[Justajot]

www.gov.uk/30-hours-free-childcare answers some of your questions

[itsaboojum]

Keep checking childcarechoices.gov.uk. In the section on "30 hours free childcare " is a button/link which currently reads "apply now for a September start ". This updates everybody so often to help you apply at the appropriate time.

Once you’re on the system you need to update every 3 months. You’re supposed to get email reminders of this. Some parents claim they simply don’t get the reminders, but I’m a bit undecided on this. Government websites are notoriously unreliable, so I can believe they’d fail to send out the reminders. But IME there is a strange, direct correlation between how generally well-organised a parent is and whether they get the reminders.

[JustMe9]

Thank you ladies :)
I just dont understand if I need to apply again or could I login by using my current login which I have for "tax free childcare"?

[Marmite27]

You’ll use the same log ins, but they show as two separate parts on your account.

[JustMe9]

Ok... I think Im getting it now lol

So how would I apply for it within the same account? Currently its only showing tax free childcare in there :D