30 Hours Free Childcare Calculator

Apply through the Government's Childcare Service at gov.uk/apply-30-hours-free-childcare. You'll need to create a childcare account, provide details about your work and income, and you'll receive an eligibility code within a few days. Give this code to your childcare provider along with your National Insurance number and child's date of birth. You must reconfirm your eligibility every 3 months.

Your child can start getting 30 hours from the term after they turn 3 AND after you receive your eligibility code. The terms start on 1 January, 1 April, and 1 September. For example, if your child turns 3 in February and you get your code in March, they can start from 1 April.

You can use the free hours at any Ofsted-registered provider that has signed up to offer the scheme, including nurseries, childminders, and some school nurseries. You can split the hours between up to 2 providers. Not all providers offer 30 hours, so check with them first.

You're considered working if you're employed, self-employed, or on zero-hours contract and earn at least £183.70 per week on average (equivalent to 16 hours at National Living Wage). You're also eligible if you're on maternity/paternity/adoption leave, sick leave, or annual leave. If one parent doesn't work, you may still qualify if they receive certain disability benefits or are a foster parent.

Yes! You can use both 30 hours free childcare AND Tax-Free Childcare together. Use the 30 free hours for your basic entitlement, then use Tax-Free Childcare to pay for any additional hours, meals, or extras. This combination provides maximum savings for working families.

The 15 hours universal entitlement is available to ALL 3-4 year olds, regardless of whether parents work. The additional 15 hours (making 30 total) is only for working families who meet the eligibility criteria. Some 2 year olds from disadvantaged backgrounds also get 15 hours. From 2024, working parents of 2 year olds and children from 9 months also qualify for 15 hours.

If you stop working or your income drops below the threshold, you have a "grace period" to continue using the 30 hours while you look for new work. The grace period lasts until the end of the current term plus one more term. After that, you'll revert to the 15 hours universal entitlement which is available to all 3-4 year olds.

Yes, many providers allow you to "stretch" your hours across more weeks. Instead of 30 hours over 38 weeks, you could take fewer hours over 52 weeks (around 22 hours per week). This is useful if you need year-round childcare. Discuss stretching options with your provider - not all offer it.