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)

Criteria hasn't changed and students aren't eligible. Both parents have to be working and earning a minimum of £195/week.

Is your partner working at all?

does this funding work through holidays also while parents have to work through holidays

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 @EdgyHelper

Once a child is in a full time place at a state school they can't use 15/30 hours entitlement funding

Wraparound childcare is before and after school childcare for primary school aged children in England. The provision typically runs from around 8am until 6pm, during term time, either on a school site or another local setting such as a community centre, a nursery, or a childminder. This is different from out-of-school activities, or school clubs, which are less frequent and can be a one-off activity. If you are eligible, you will be able to use Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit Childcare to help pay for your place.

Hi @PastaLaVista3,

Parents can use Tax Free Childcare and the 15/30 hours at the same time (the 30 hours has the same income criteria so if you're eligible for that, you can also get Tax Free Childcare). This means you can use your funding entitlement and use the Tax Free Childcare to help with the costs of any hours.

Different providers have different patterns of provision- they can ask you to take the hours in a certain way- but you cannot take more than 10 hours of the funded hours in a day. You might want to speak with your provider to see if they offer any different patterns.

Yes @Dizzywizz, as long as:
Your child is not yet enrolled in a state school reception class.
You continue to meet the eligibility requirements (earning the equivalent of 16hrs/week at NMW and under 100k adjusted net income per year).

So, if your child doesn't start Reception until Easter, you can continue claiming the 30 hours funding in a nursery, preschool, or with a childminder until the end of the Spring term.

Hi @ketchuporbrownsauce ,

You can split the 15/30 hours any way you like, as long as the total hours add up to no more than 15/30 per week. You also can't use more than 10 hours in a day, you can't use them before 6am or after 8pm, and you can only use up to a maximum of 2 sites in a single day.

But each setting must be Ofsted-registered and eligible to accept government-funded hours.

Can I ask for my funding to be changed from term time only to stretched if I change my job from term time only - can I get Jan to March, if my job changes in January, and my current term time claim was to the year end ?

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^

Thanks @TinaWilliamsMumsnet🙏 this is really useful to know!

Hi @EmilyW14 - you can visit the Childcare Choices website for help and guidence. There is a tool you can use to help to see what you are eligible for - https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Hi @Givingup2025 - you're so close to the big milestone of your little one starting school! And yes, you can still use Tax-Free Childcare for holiday clubs. If eligible, you can receive Tax-Free Childcare for your child until 1 September after their 11th birthday, or until 1 September after their 16th birthday if they are disabled.

Are there enough providers in my area offering the expanded funded hours for children under 3, and how do I find them?

I see that you aren’t working because of your disability and therefore receive PIP. It may be that you will qualify for 15 hours funding via your Local Authority which is dependent on income and benefits you receive. If you go on to your LA website and search for funding for 2 year olds there should be some information on there. If not ask at your Local Family Hub who should be able to give you some information.