There’s no denying it: childcare is expensive. In fact, according to a landmark survey of 27,000 parents of young children by Pregnant The Screwed, 43% of mums said that the cost of childcare has made them consider leaving their job.
What’s more, a devastating 99% of parents say that the cost of childcare is making the cost of living even more challenging.
According to statistics from NCT, the UK average cost of sending a child under two to nursery is part-time (25 hours) is £138 per week or full-time (50 hours) is £263 per week and it’s worth keeping in mind, this cost will be higher in areas such as London.
But if you live in England (there are different schemes in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and have a child aged 3-4, financial help is at hand.
Is your childcare eligible?
The childcare must be with an approved childcare provider. This includes registered childminders, nannies, playschemes, nurseries or club and more.
The provider will also need to be on an Early Years Register with Ofsted or with a registered early years childminder agency. You can ask your provider about this if you aren’t sure.
The rules about how childcare providers become approved are different depending on where you live but you can check the rules in your area here.
The free hours end when your child starts in reception class (or reaches compulsory school age if that happens later).
You may have to pay for extra costs like meals, nappies or trips.
You won’t be eligible if your child doesn’t live with you.
If you foster, speak to your social worker and local authority to apply. You cannot use the online application.
How you can use it
You can get 30 hours of free childcare each week for 38 weeks of the year during school term time.
If you use fewer than 30 hours per week you may be able to get free childcare for the entire 52 weeks of the year.
Check with your childcare provider to find out if this is something they offer.
Are you eligible?
Whether you qualify depends on if you’re working, your and your partner’s income (if you have one), your child’s age and circumstances and your immigration status.
You can still get 30 hours of free childcare at the same time as claiming Universal Credit, tax credits, childcare vouchers or Tax-Free Childcare – but it could affect your tax credits.
You can’t apply if someone else claims Tax-Free Childcare for your child.
If you’re working
You can usually get the free 30 hours of childcare if you (and your partner, if you have one) are working, on sick or annual leave or on shared parental, maternity, paternity or adoption leave.
If you’re on adoption leave for a child aged three to four years old, you must return to work within 31 days of the date you first apply for the 30-free hours of childcare for that child.
If you’re not currently working
You may be eligible if your partner is working and you get Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer’s Allowance or contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance.
You can apply if you’re starting or restarting work within the next 31 days.
Your income
You’ll need to expect to earn at least the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week on average: at least £1,976 over three months for people over 23.
If you have a partner, they’ll need to earn at least this much too.
If you’re self-employed and do not expect to make enough profit over the next three months, you can use an average of how much you expect to make over the current tax year. This only applies if you started your business less than 12 months ago.
If you or your partner have an expected ‘adjusted net income’ (your total taxable income before any personal allowances and minus things like Gift Aid) over £100,000 in the current tax year you will not be eligible. This includes bonuses.
Your immigration status
You (or your partner if you have one) must have a National Insurance number and British or Irish citizenship, settled or pre-settled status, or you have applied and you’re waiting for a decision and permission to access public funds (your UK residence card will tell you if you cannot do this).
When to apply
You can apply when your child is two years and 36 weeks old.
If your child turns three from 1 September to 31 December, apply from 15 October to 30 November for the term starting on or after 1 January.
If your child turns three from 1 January to 31 March, apply from 15 January to 28 February for the term starting on or after 1 April.
If your child turns three from 1 April to 31 August, apply from 15 June to 31 July for the term starting on or after 1 September.
Applying outside of these dates might mean you don’t receive your code in time. You must have a valid code by the end of the month before a new term starts.
Check with your childcare provider to find out the exact date your hours of free childcare start.
If you have a partner
You must include your partner in your application if you are married or in a civil partnership and/or live together.
Their employment and income will not affect your eligibility if they are or will be absent from your household for more than 6 months or are a prisoner.
Two people cannot have accounts for the same child.
If you are separated from your partner
If you are jointly responsible for your child you need to decide who should apply.
If you cannot decide, apply separately and HMRC will decide who gets a childcare account.
How to apply
Apply online and once your application has been approved, you’ll get a code for 30 hours’ of free childcare to give to your childcare provider.
Give the code in your childcare account to your provider along with your National Insurance number and child’s date of birth.
You will need to reconfirm your eligibility every three months. If you apply more than three months before the term starts, you’ll have to reconfirm your eligibility to ensure the code remains valid.
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