If eligible, you can have up to 15 hours of 'funded early education and childcare' for 38 weeks of the year during school term time (570 hours in total).

Some childcare settings or childminders may be able to stretch the hours over school holidays so you may access fewer hours over more weeks. The hours can be split between two childcare settings or childminders.

To apply for 2 year old funding follow the link below to the online application form:

Click HERE to Apply

Parents must make sure they have applied for 2 year funding before the termly deadlines.

Termly deadlines are as follows:

Autumn Term - 31st August

Spring Term - 31st December

Summer Term - 31st March

Once you are eligible for 2 year old funding and have started taking your funded hours at a childcare provider funding will not be withdrawn even if your circumstances change.

For more information on 2 year funding and to see the eligibility criteria please see link to the Families Information Service Hub (FISH) website below:

FISH Website

If you are a parent or guardian of a child aged 3 or 4 years old you can receive 570 hours of government-funded childcare or early education each year. This is usually taken as 15 hours each week for 38 weeks. 

This is able to be accessed from the term after the child turns 3 until they reach compulsory school age or start full-time education.

You do not need to apply to receive the 15 hours funded childcare, you simply need to show your chosen childcare provider proof of your child's age, such as their birth certificate.

All funding can be 'stretched' to cover the holidays as long as your childcare providers offers this service. To find our more information about the 'stretched offer' please visit the FISH website:

Stretched Offer Information

For more information about 15 hours funding for 3 & 4 year old children please follow the link below:

FISH Website

You could be entitled to 20% off your childcare costs through 'Tax-Free Childcare', or you could claim up to 85% of your childcare costs via 'Universal Credit for Childcare'. Find out if you are eligible for either of these benefits HERE

If you are currently employed and are a parent/guardian of a child aged 3 or 4 years old, you could receive an additional 15 hours of government funded childcare each year. 

This means you could receive a total of 30 hours per week term time of funded childcare. 

You will not qualify if you have an income of £100,000 or more. 

To apply for the 30 hours funding and see full eligibility criteria please visit the website Childcare Choices

If your application is successful you will be issued with a voucher code, you will need to take this to your chosen childcare provider along with your National Insurance number before the start of the term that you intend to begin using the funding.  

You can apply up to 16 weeks before their third birthday, but you may need to reconfirm you are still eligible before the termly deadline to ensure your code remains valid.

Termly deadlines are as follows:

Autumn Term - 31st August

Spring Term - 31st December

Summer Term - 31st March

Please Note: to make sure you continue to be eligible to receive the additional 15 hours childcare, you must access your account at the Childcare Choices website every 3 months and either update your information or confirm that your information has not changed.

For parents starting a new 30 hours place they must make sure they are not starting the term in their grace period as the code will be invalid.

To find out more about the 30 hours funding please follow the link below:

FISH Website