Ask us anything about funded childcare - eligibility, applying, and what to expect £100 voucher to be won!

[LibbyMumsnet]

From September, eligible working parents in England with children aged 9 months to school age will be able to access up to 30 hours of funded childcare per week - part of the government’s expanded childcare offer in England.

We know that for many parents, it’s not always straightforward. You might be wondering:
– Am I eligible?
– How do I apply – and what’s the deadline?
– What will funded hours actually look like in practice?
– How do I feel about sending my child to nursery or a childminder?

This Q&A is here to help. Whether you’re after clear, practical info about the funding or want a better sense of what formal childcare is really like, post your question below and we’ll do our best to get it answered.

No question is too small – if it’s on your mind, chances are it’s on someone else’s too.
We’ve brought together two brilliant experts to support this discussion:
👩‍💼 Sarah Walker, an experienced Early Years teacher, who can answer any questions about formal childcare
👩‍👧 Tina Williams, Head of Editorial at Mumsnet and a parent currently using funded hours, who’ll be sharing her real-life experience

They’ll be answering questions weekly throughout July and August in the lead-up to the 31st August application deadline.

💬 Ask your question below by 31st August and you’ll be entered into a prize draw to win a £100 VEX gift voucher (T&C’s apply)

Sorry if this has already been asked/answered - but if I chose a childminder - what should I look for in respect of them being able to be a registered childminder - is there a extra level of certification or inspection over and above other childminders ?

All childminders in England should be registered owth Ofsted or a childminder agency. It is illegal to provide childcare in your home for payment with being registered so ask for their Ofsted number. Youll be able to look up their inspection reports and you will need it to claim funded hours or use tax free childcare/ universal credit.

Hi there @MummaB96 - thanks for your question. To get the funded hours for working parents, you generally need to earn the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Minimum Wage (currently around £195/week if you're over 21). HMRC look at your average earnings, so if you're paid over the year meaning your weekly pay is slightly under that threshold, you will unfortuantely not be eligible.

Childcare Choices may help to find you other sources of support depending on your income, such as Universal Credit Childcare or the 15 hours for two year olds from families recieving additional support.

Hi @grahamw2000 - this sounds stressful and you're absolutely not the only one finding it tricky to navigate.

You're right that the guidance on this situation has recently been updated. If your partner is due to start full-time work on 29 September and is using paid leave beforehand, HMRC may still consider that as ‘in work’ for the purposes of the funded childcare application - as long as the earnings threshold is also met.

Childcare Choices advises that in these cases, parents should call HMRC directly to talk through the application, especially where it’s pending or your circumstances don’t fit neatly into the standard online journey.

To get the 30 hours funding for the September term, your code needs to be issued before 31 August for the funding to apply.

If you've already submitted the application and haven't heard back for a few days, it’s worth following up with the Childcare Service - and explaining clearly that your partner is on paid leave ahead of their start date and is due to return to work in the first month of the new term.

Hope this helps — and really hope you get it sorted in time

Hi there @San2022 - thanks for your question.

Being on maternity leave won’t automatically affect your eligibility for the 30 funded hours for your 2-year-old. As long as you meet the earnings threshold (or are on maternity leave from a job where you did), and your partner (if you have one) meets it too, then you should still qualify. You’ll need to reconfirm your details every three months, so just make sure they’re up to date during your leave.

And yes - when your second child turns 9 months, you’ll be able to apply for funded hours for them too, as long as you still meet the eligibility criteria, although the date you return to work from maternity leave may affect when you can take up the funded hours.

The hours apply per eligible child, not per family - so both children can benefit at the same time once they each reach the right age.

Hope that clears it up!

Hi there - thanks for your question.

If you're already receiving the 15 hours for families receiving additional support, you will need to apply separately for the 30 hours for working families.

If you meet the criteria, you can apply through the Childcare Service on GOV.UK if you haven’t already, and will need to confirm your details every three months. Your childcare provider will handle the paperwork once you have the code.

If you're using the 15 hours working parent entitlement, you just need to reconfirm as normal on your childcare account (but you may need to check with your provider to confirm you're increasing your hours). Hope that helps @TaleOfTheContinents.

Hi - thanks for your question @Whochangedmyusername

Nurseries and childcare providers must accept funded hours if they offer places for funded children. They cannot refuse your child just because you’re using funded hours, but it's up to them to decide if they want to offer funded places.

That said, places can sometimes be limited, so if a nursery is full, they might not be able to offer a spot. But the funding itself shouldn’t be a reason for refusal.

Hi @Almostone. If you’re newly self-employed and your business is less than 12 months old, you can earn less and still be eligible for 30 hours funded childcare. This gives you time to build your business and income.

You’ll need to provide your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) and other details when applying online. After the first year, you’ll need to show that your earnings meet the required level to keep qualifying, with eligibility checks every three months.

Applying early helps make sure your code is ready for the nursery start. You can find more information on childcarechoices.gov.uk.

Thanks for your question @TheMotherofDogs.

The 30 hours funded childcare is available from the term after your child is 9 months old, as long as you meet the eligibility criteria. So, since your daughter is already over 9 months old, you can definitely get 30 hours from September if you apply and receive your eligibility code by 31 August.

Your nursery should be able to confirm this once you have your code. If they’re unsure, it’s worth checking with your local authority to make sure everything is set up correctly.

Hi, thanks for your question. For 30 hours funded childcare, both parents usually need to be working and earning at least the National Minimum or Living Wage for 16 hours a week each. So if your husband stops working entirely to study full-time, this would affect your eligibility for the 30 hours.

However, you will still qualify for the universal 15 hours funding for your child once they’re 3, regardless of your partner’s student status.

It’s always worth checking your specific situation with your local authority or on childcarechoices.gov.uk to see what options are available. Hope this helps @Amy18120202!

Yes - you can start a new business and still be eligible. If you’ve been self-employed for under 12 months, you can earn less and still apply. You apply via the gov.uk website - not your provider - and you’ll need to reconfirm every 3 months.

The 30 hours offer is designed to support working families, but we know everyone’s circumstances are different - it’s worth checking what other support may be available through your local authority or the Childcare Choices website: www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Thanks for the question @ByPinkFis

Thanks for your question @Rayray22 - and yes, there is some flexibility for self-employed parents.

If you’ve been self-employed for less than 12 months, you don’t need to meet the minimum earnings threshold yet - there's a grace period while you get up and running.

But if you’ve been self-employed for longer than a year, both you and your partner usually need to be earning at least £195 per week (this can be averaged over 3 months) to qualify for the 30 funded hours before age 3. If you're just under, you can also use an average of how much you expect to earn over the current tax year if you do not expect to earn enough in the next 3 months.

From the term after your daughter turns 3 (so January), you should be able to access the universal 15 hours, and - if eligible - the 30 hours too.

Yes - being on paternity leave (whether paid or unpaid) doesn't automatically make you ineligible.

If your husband is usually employed and meets the minimum earnings requirement when working (at least £195 per week), you can still qualify for the funded childcare while he’s on paternity leave. HMRC counts your normal earnings outside of parental leave when assessing eligibility.

Just be sure to reconfirm your details when prompted, and explain the temporary change if needed. You can check your current eligibility on the Childcare Choices website: www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Hope this helps! @MittensForKittens123

Hi everyone, I wonder if anyone can advise what to do about a business lease deposit.

We took the lease out 9 years ago and paid a deposit of over £5000 … we recently found out that our original landlord went bust along with our deposit it seems!!

I believed that clients deposits went into a protected bank account so that it couldn’t be lost!

Any advice would be appreciated:) thanks

iv changed my password never got any response from the old one anyway am I doing something wrong

I must be doing something wrong I’ve changed my password but nothing happens never got any response free the old password WHY

I have baby born at end of June. I take 52 weeks of maternity leave.
If that will be space I could then get a space and do not have to wait until September.
Will I not get funding for end of June, July and August then and funding will start from September if I do not come back to work in April?

Hi,I am currently on skilled worker visa and my visa and I don’t have access to public funds. My daughter will turn 1 in November and I am planning to enroll her in nursery.Will my child be eligible for 30hrs funding?

How will it be determined if you are eligible for the 30 free hours with respect to your earnings? Eg. Is it based on your prior year’s income? How i statutory maternity pay accounted for in the tax year my child would start nursery?

I'm a first-time mom, and my baby was born in December 2024. My baby will be nine months old on September 1, 2025. Currently, I am on maternity leave and will return to work on December 2, 2025.

I would like to understand how the recent changes affect me and my baby. Can you explain how funded childcare and tax-free childcare work? Additionally, when should I apply for tax-free childcare and funded childcare?

Both my partner and I are working full-time, and I have to place my baby in nursery care full-time, which will cost about 90% of my salary. Unfortunately, we don't have any other options.

This is what it states on Childcare Choices

Your immigration status
To be eligible for funded childcare for working parents, you (and your partner if you have one and if they live with you) must have a National Insurance number.
The person who applies must also have at least one of the following:

• British or Irish citizenship
• settled or pre-settled status, or you have applied and you’re waiting for a decision
• permission to access public funds - your UK residence card will tell you if you cannot do this

There’s loads of information on the Childcare Choices website

www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

I’m heading back to work in January, and baby is going to day care full time. what do I need to do? Who do I contact? What are my first steps? Every time I google it there is always a multitude of answers especially as in Northern Ireland

Our kid is 3 years old but we will be sending him in a private day care, I am working but my husband is unemployed currently.

How many hours will be funded for our family?

PS: We have missed the deadline for applying in nursery school this year which should be free I think. I know that's such a shame but this is how it is now.