Get free childcare if you're working
What you'll get
The number of hours of free childcare you can get depends on the age of your child.
If your child is aged 9 months to 2 years old
Children aged 9 months to 2 years old currently get 15 hours of free childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year.
From September 2025 this will increase to 30 hours per week. As the deadline for applying for 15 hours of free childcare has passed, you鈥檒l now be applying for 30 hours instead.
You may be able to get free childcare for more than 38 weeks a year if you take fewer hours over more weeks.
Check with your childcare provider to find out if this is something they offer.
If you鈥檙e already getting 15 hours of free childcare
You鈥檒l automatically get 30 hours of free childcare from September, as long as you鈥檙e still eligible. You鈥檒l need to confirm your details are up to date in the usual way and give the code to your childcare provider.
If your child is 2 to 3 years old and you get extra support
You can get 30 hours of free childcare through 2 separate schemes if both of the following apply:聽聽
- you鈥檙e eligible for free childcare for working parents聽
- you or your child get extra support
From September 2025 you鈥檒l get:聽
- 15 hours per week through free childcare for working parents聽
- 15 hours per week if you or your child get extra support (you鈥檒l continue to get these hours even if you鈥檙e no longer eligible for free childcare for working parents)
You鈥檒l get these 30 hours for 38 weeks of the year. You may be able to get free childcare for more than 38 weeks a year if you take fewer hours over more weeks.
To apply, you need to speak to the early years team or Family Information Service at your local council.听
What counts as extra support
You鈥檙e classed as getting extra support if any of the following apply:聽
- you get Universal Credit, and your household income is 拢15,400 a year or less after tax, not including benefit payments
- your child has an Education and Health Care plan
- your child gets Disability Living Allowance
- your child has left care under an adoption order, special guardianship order or a child arrangements order
If your child is 3 to 4 years old
You can get 30 hours of free childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year.
You may be able to get free childcare for more than 38 weeks a year if you take fewer hours over more weeks.
Check with your childcare provider to find out if this is something they offer.
Things you may have to pay for
Although the childcare is free, you may have to pay for some extra costs, such as:
- meals
- nappies
- additional hours
- additional activities, such as trips
Your provider should not charge you a non-refundable registration fee or any top-up fees to cover the cost of your free childcare.
Ask your provider what extra costs you will have to pay for.