How to claim 15 hours funded childcare including how to get your code
Applications are now open for eligible working parents of 2-year-olds to receive 15 hours free childcare, starting from April 2024.
- From April 2024, eligible working parents of 2-year-olds will be able to access 15 hours childcare support.
- From September 2024, 15 hours childcare support will be extended to eligible working parents with a child from 9-months-old.
- From September 2025, 30 hours for eligible working parents with a child from 9-months-old up to school age.
How do I apply?
You need to meet the eligibility criteria before you can claim 15 hours free childcare.
You apply online here on Gov.uk.
You’ll need to make sure you have the following information to hand before starting the application:
- your national insurance number (or unique taxpayer reference if you are self-employed)
- the date you started or are due to start work
- details of any government support or benefits you receive
- the UK birth certificate reference number (if you have one) for your child.
You may find out if you’re eligible straight away, but it can take up to 7 days.
Once your application has been approved, you’ll get a code for free childcare to give to your childcare provider.
Applications are open from now until 31 March. If you miss the deadline you won’t be able to start using the new entitlements from 1 April. We encourage all parents to apply as soon as possible once they have receive their code.
What if I’m already registered for Tax Free Childcare?
Parents must reconfirm that they are still eligible for Tax-Free Childcare every 3 months.
As applications are now open for the new free hours entitlement, when eligible parents reconfirm they will receive a code which will also enable them to access the new offer.
To provide reassurance to parents with reconfirmation windows in late February and March, we’re taking additional steps to ensure every parent is able to give their code to their provider in good time.
If your reconfirmation window opens on or after the 15 February, HMRC will send you a letter with a temporary code before this date.
The letter will also explain how to use your code to claim your free place in April. Where possible, please wait for your letter to arrive. You don’t need to contact HMRC.
Before your letter arrives, you can speak to your provider and use your eligibility for Tax-Free Childcare to demonstrate your eligibility for the new free hours entitlement, as the eligibility criteria are the same. You can do this by showing your provider:
- Proof of your Tax-Free Childcare eligibility (this can be a screenshot from your childcare account, or simply showing your account to your provider)
- When your reconfirmation window is (you can get this from your childcare account)
- Your National Insurance number, and
- Proof of your child’s date of birth, for example your child’s birth certificate, to show they turn 2 on or before 31 March 2024.
However, you must wait for your code (either via letter or through your regular childcare account) to formally confirm your free place.
Do I need to wait for my reconfirmation window to add another child to my account?
A parent who is already using the childcare service for another child can add a new child to their account at any time.
Your reconfirmation cycle for your current Tax-Free Childcare will not affect this.
What happens once I receive my code?
You’ll need to take the code to your childcare provider, along with your National Insurance Number and your child’s date of birth.
Your childcare provider will process the code to provide your free place.
Your local authority can provide support for finding a free place in your area.
More details around the changes to 2 year old funded childcare can be found HERE