Talk

We look forward to your questions coming in!

Here’s a bit more about our brilliant experts who’ll be answering your questions throughout July and August:

Sarah Walker is an experienced Early Years teacher based in Bradford, working across two local schools (Carlton Mills and Marshfield Primary). In 2022, she was shortlisted for the Award for Outstanding New Teacher. In 2023, Sarah collaborated closely with the Director of Early Years to spearhead the transformation of Carlton Mills - from “Requires Improvement” to “Outstanding” - demonstrating her expertise in curriculum development. Passionate about fostering a love of learning from the earliest stages, Sarah continues to drive high standards and innovation in early years practice.

Tina Williams is Head of Editorial at Mumsnet and a parent currently using funded childcare hours. She’s well-versed in the ups and downs of nursery life, from applications and settling in, to how funded hours can work in real life. Tina will be sharing her own family’s experience, as well as tips for navigating the process as a working parent.

Hi everyone - thanks for all your questions so far! Sarah and Tina will be starting to answer some of them this week.

Hi everyone!
Sarah and Tina will be logging on today to answer some of your questions.
We hope you find their replies helpful - do keep the questions coming, as they'll be back each week.
MNHQ x

Hi @HappyPerson258 Great question! Yes it’s 30 hours per week in term time (38 weeks of the year) But a lot of providers offer something called a "stretched offer," where the hours are spread out across the full year . Effectively it equates to around 22 funded hours per week across the year. BUT you can also use tax free childcare scheme to help cover the other costs.

Hi @Twinnietwin, no you don’t need a code to get the universal 15 hours for 3- and 4-year-olds. Your childcare provider usually arranges this with the local authority on your behalf. You might need to fill in a form with your child’s details, but you don’t need to apply online.

Hi @missymousey, it is important that government childcare entitlements are accessible and affordable for families. Government funding for the entitlements does not cover consumables like meals, nappies or sun cream or additional activities, such as trips, so providers are able to ask parents to pay for these things provided they are not mandatory or a condition of accessing an entitlements place. Providers are not allowed to charge you for things like craft supplies; if you are concerned about what your provider is charging you for, speak to your local council.

Hi @Unexpectedlysinglemum I think I’m in the same boat as you. My DS is using the 15 hours funding, but will increase to 30 hours in September. I didn’t need to make a new application for the extra hours — I just had to reconfirm my details through the website and pass the code on to my nursery.

Everyone using the funded hours needs to reconfirm their details every three months and provide the code again. I guess it’s just a way to keep track of any changes to personal circumstances.

Hi @JaneLBow, thanks for your question. Some private schools do offer the funded hours, but their daily or sessional fees often exceed what government funding covers. This results in additional charges for parents — unfortunately, it's a fairly common situation across childcare providers. It’s worth asking the school for a breakdown of what the funding covers versus what’s charged on top, so you can better understand how the fees are structured. As with any other type of provider, the fees cannot be mandatory if they're in relation to the entitlement hours.

Hi @Danikm151, at present the government are not planning to review how much nurseries can charge for permitted optional extras such as consumables, meals, or activities like trips. However, they have been clear that any charges related to the entitlements hours must be voluntary and must not be a condition of accessing an entitlements place.

Hi @hannahp1209, the number of children a childminder can look after is capped by regulation - usually up to three children under the age of five, depending on the ages and needs of the children. With more families accessing funded hours, some providers may have limited space, so it’s a good idea to confirm availability early and keep in regular contact with your childminder or setting.

Hi @Ifyoulikepinacolads, the government engaged with local councils, providers, and groups representing parents before implementing this policy. There was a recent high court judgment which confirmed that according to the law, there must be no mandatory charges in relation to the entitlement hours.

Hi @Rf2024, you will need to update your details every 3 months, to let HMRC know you are still eligible for 30 hours and Tax-Free Childcare. Sometimes you might need to give them some more information when you reconfirm if their systems can't automatically detect that your income meets the threshold, for example if you have recently become self-employed. HMRC should contact you with the evidence they need.

Hi @OpalPoster, early education and childcare in Wales is the responsibility of the Welsh Government, so they are responsible for their own childcare offers. They provide more information about their own entitlements here: ^https://www.gov.wales/childcare-offer-for-wales-campaign^

Hi everyone,
Some brilliant questions coming through - thank you for sharing! Sarah and Tina will be back later this week to answer more of them.
If you’re interested in reading about other parents’ experiences using funded childcare hours - or want to share your own - head over to our sponsored discussion here:
👉 Using or considering funded childcare hours? Share your experience – £100 voucher to be won
MNHQ x

Thanks for your question @Fancyquickthinker - we know juggling costs, holidays and changing schedules can be a lot.

Funded hours can’t usually be saved or carried over month to month, but some providers offer stretched funding across the year, which can help smooth things out. It’s worth checking with your provider if they can be flexible with changing days too.

Looking ahead to the school years, there is also more childcare support now for primary school-aged children, like free breakfast clubs and wraparound childcare.

You can find more info here: www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

We understand it can feel confusing - you're not alone in finding invoices hard to follow @pushchairprincess

Local authorities are responsible for overseeing how nurseries deliver funded hours and making sure it’s being applied correctly. If you're unsure about how your funding is being used, you can contact your local council to ask for clarification or raise concerns. They should be able to help explain what you’re entitled to and how it’s being applied.

Hi @lillypopdaisyduke you can usually switch providers, but how easy it is depends on your current provider’s notice period. It's worth checking your contract first.

Thanks for your thoughtful questions @khalid66. We know how important it is to feel confident when planning childcare. You can find all the latest info including eligibility and information about the application process here: www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Here’s a quick rundown:

Eligibility: Funded hours are for working parents (incl. self-employed) earning the equivalent of at least 16hrs/week at national minimum/living wage and under £100k adjusted net income per year).

Hours: You could get up to 30 hours a week of funded childcare over 38 weeks of the year, depending on your child’s age and your eligibility.

Full-time/part-time: You don’t have to use the full hours, and many providers offer flexible options such as 'stretching' the offer so you use fewer hours over more weeks.

UK regions: The offer is different outside England, so if you're in Scotland, Wales or NI, check local guidance.

Application: You apply online through GOV.UK and usually get confirmation within a few days. You’ll need to reconfirm every 3 months.

Heads up: Make sure your provider offers the funding, and apply in plenty of time before the termly deadline to avoid missing out.

Hi @LittleDeeAndME!

Applications for the 30 hours code are often processed straight away, but it can take up to 7 working days once submitted.

Always check with your provider or local authority if you’re worried about timing.

Hi @DenDenDenise Yes, your earnings will impact your eligibility. To be eligible for 30 hours of free childcare both parents (or the sole parent in a single-parent household) must be working and each earning the equivalent of at least 16 hours a week at the National Minimum or Living Wage, and neither parent's income can exceed £100,000 adjusted net income per year.

Here's a link to more information about eligibility https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/30-hours-childcare-support/working-families/eligibility

Hi @Britanniaa, great question. You'll need to reconfirm every three months, so when you change jobs or reduce your hours, just update your details when you next reconfirm. If you still meet the financial eligibility criteria, you’ll get a new code as usual.

Hi @ketchuporbrownsauce! If your nursery raises fees and it no longer works for your budget, you can switch to another setting or childminder that suits you better. Just check your current contract for any notice period, and talk to both providers to make the move smooth. Funding doesn’t transfer between settings, but your new provider can claim the remaining funded hours once you start with them. If you need help sorting this out, your local council should be able to advise you.

Hi @itsturtlesallthewaydown you can see a breakdown of cut off dates on the Childcare Choices website: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/15-and-30-hours-childcare-support/working-families/how-it-works

If your child turns 9 months old between 1 April - 31 August , you can access funding from the term starting on or after 1 September.

There are 3 terms in total, starting 1 September, 1 January, 1 April.

Hi @LuckyRainbow777! Thanks for your question.

While there is no exhaustive list of what consumables can and cannot be charged for, your provider should be making clear to you what it is you are paying for. Providers cannot charge you top-up fees, business running costs, for materials necessary for childcare, registration fees as a condition of taking up an entitlements place, a non-refundable deposit for an entitlements place, general charges, or any other additional fee that is not specifically identified and itemised as being for a permitted voluntary extra. If you have any concerns about what you're paying for, please speak to your local council.

At the moment, the 30 hours funded childcare for under-3s isn’t universal and is only available to eligible working families. There aren’t any plans to offer universal 15 hours for under-3s like for 3- and 4-year-olds.

We understand how much of a difference this support makes to family budgets. Keep an eye on government announcements as policies can evolve, and charities or local councils may offer extra help too.

Thanks for your question @MidnightPatrol