Who can get 15 and 30 hours of free childcare?

Free childcare hours are available to eligible families in the UK to help with the cost of childcare. The number of free hours a family can get depends on their circumstances and the government’s regulations.

Families with children aged 3 to 4 are entitled to 15 hours of free childcare per week. This is known as the universal offer and is available to all families regardless of income.

In addition to the 15 hours, some families may also be eligible for an additional 15 hours of free childcare, bringing the total to 30 hours per week. This is known as the extended offer and is available to families who meet certain criteria.

To qualify for the extended offer, families must meet the following criteria: both parents must be working (or the sole parent is working in a lone-parent family), each parent must earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours per week at the national minimum wage, and each parent must earn less than £100,000 per year.

Parents must apply for the free childcare hours through the government’s childcare service website. The eligibility criteria will be assessed, and if successful, parents will receive a code that can be provided to their childcare provider.

Families should check their eligibility for the 30 hours of free childcare and take advantage of this valuable support to help with the cost of childcare.