Free funding for 15 hours
Early years free entitlement for 3 and 4 year olds
The free entitlement gives all eligible children the opportunity to take part in planned learning activities, and helps prepare them for school through the early learning goals set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage.
This entitlement offers children up to 15 hours of free early years provision a week for 38 weeks. This may incorporate lunchtime care. Pupils are eligible for this funding the term after their 3rd Birthday. From April 2024 2 year old children will also be eligible for 15 hours funding for working parents.
Additional sessions may be purchased if required, dependent on availability.
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Free funding for 3 and 4 year olds - 30 hours
You may be able to get up to 30 hours free childcare (1,140 hours per year, which you can choose how you take).
If you’re eligible for the extra hours, you sign up online to get a code to give to your childcare provider to reserve your place. You’ll get the extra hours once the next term starts.
If you’ve already registered, you can sign in to your childcare account.
Eligibility.
To apply for 30 hours free childcare:
You’ll need your details (and your partner’s, if you have one), including your:
National Insurance number.
Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR), if you’re self-employed.
You’ll get a childcare account if your application is successful. You can use it to get your code for 30 hours free childcare.
If you pay for childcare and want to use Tax-Free Childcare to get help with costs, you can also apply using this service.
It usually takes 20 minutes to apply.