30 Hours Free Childcare for Working Parents
Currently all three and four year olds are entitled to 15 hours a week of free early learning (from the term after their 3rd birthday). From September 2017 this will be This has now been doubled to 30 hours for working families.
Am I eligible?
To qualify, both parents need to be working (or the sole parent must be working in a lone parent family) and each parent earns on average:
- a minimum equivalent to 16 hours per week at national minimum wage or national living wage
- less than £100,000 per year
Families where one parent does not work or neither parent works will not usually be eligible for the entitlement unless:
- both parents are employed but one, or both parents is temporarily away from the workplace on maternity or paternity leave, adoption leave or statutory sick pay
- one parent is employed and one parent has substantial caring responsibilities based on specific benefits received for caring
- one parent is employed and one parent is disabled or incapacitated based on receipt of specific benefits
Apply for 30 hours free childcare