Free Childcare Hours Guide
Work out how many funded childcare hours your child is entitled to in England, based on their age, your working status, and your household income.
Check Your Childcare Entitlement
Answer a few questions about your child and your household to see roughly how many free childcare hours a week you’re likely to qualify for in England.
Child & Household Details
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Your Entitlement
Estimated free childcare hours per week
Free Childcare Hours at a Glance
A summary of England’s funded childcare entitlements by age band. Hours are provided over 38 weeks a year (term time), or fewer hours spread across more weeks at some providers.
| Age Band | Max Hours / Week |
|---|---|
| Under 9 months | 0 hours |
| 9 months – under 2 years (working parents) | 30 hours |
| 2 years old (working parents) | 30 hours |
| 2 years old (qualifying benefits, non-working) | 15 hours |
| 3–4 years old (universal, any income) | 15 hours |
| 3–4 years old (working parents) | 30 hours |
Free Childcare Hours FAQ
Answers to the most frequently asked questions about free and funded childcare hours in England.
Every 3 and 4 year old in England gets 15 hours of free childcare a week regardless of income, and eligible working parents can get 30 hours a week for children from 9 months old up to school age. Some 2-year-olds from low-income families also qualify for 15 hours a week based on receiving certain benefits.
For the 30-hour working parent entitlement, both parents (or a single parent in a one-parent household) generally need to work at least 16 hours a week at National Minimum Wage or Living Wage, and each earn under £100,000 a year. A non-working partner can still count as meeting the work condition if they receive certain benefits, such as Carer’s Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, or Employment and Support Allowance in the support group.
Entitlement starts from the term after your child reaches the qualifying age, with new terms beginning in September, January, and April. You need to apply through the Childcare Choices website ahead of time and reconfirm your eligibility every three months, as the funded hours do not start automatically.
This guide covers the England scheme run through Childcare Choices. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland each run separate, differently structured funded childcare schemes with their own eligibility rules, so check the relevant devolved government website for exact entitlements where you live.