The financial support that is available to parents to help with the cost of childcare is increasing. These include major changes to make it easier for parents with childcare responsibilities to move into or take on more paid work. Starting from April 2024, existing childcare support will be expanded in phases. By, September 2025, working parents with children aged 9 months old to when they start school will be eligible for 30 hours childcare support.
| All parents | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Hours |
15 Hours |
15 Hours |
15 Hours |
| Now | APR 2024 |
SEP 2024 |
SEP 2025 |
| Working families |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Hours |
30 Hours |
30 Hours |
30 Hours |
| Now | APR 2024 |
SEP 2024 |
SEP 2025 |
| Families with additional needs |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Hours |
15 Hours |
15 Hours |
15 Hours |
| Now | APR 2024 |
SEP 2024 |
SEP 2025 |
| Working Families |
||
|---|---|---|
| 15 Hours |
15 Hours |
30 Hours |
| APR 2024 |
SEP 2024 |
SEP 2025 |
| Working Families |
|
|---|---|
| 15 Hours |
30 Hours |
| SEP 2024 |
SEP 2025 |
*38 weeks a year. Eligibility criteria apply.
Providers may ask for charges in addition to the free childcare.
In England, all parents and carers of 3 and 4-year-olds are entitled to 15 hours a week childcare support with registered childcare providers. Eligible working parents and carers of children aged 3-4 can also get an additional 15 hours childcare support, bringing their total up to 30 hours a week.
Some parents of 2-year-old children may also be entitled to 15 hours support.
Your hours can be used per week for 38 weeks of the year (during school term time). You may be able use your hours for up to 52 weeks if you use fewer than your total hours per week. Check with your childcare provider to find out if this is something they offer.
You can use Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit for Childcare whilst claiming your 15 or 30 hours of childcare support.
Check here to find the right offer for you and how to apply for 30 hours of childcare.
There are similar childcare support schemes in Scotland and Wales.
Starting from April 2024, existing childcare support will be expanded in phases. By September 2025, most working families with children under the age of 5 will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare support.
The changes are being introduced gradually to make sure that providers can meet the needs of more families. This means that:
From April 2024, working parents of 2-year-olds will be able to access 15 hours childcare support.
From September 2024, 15 hours childcare support will be extended to working parents of children from the age of 9 months to 3-year-olds.
From September 2025, working parents of children under the age of 5 will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare a week.
Like the existing offer, depending on your provider, these hours can be used over 38 weeks of the year (during school term time), or up to 52 weeks if you use fewer than your total hours per week.