The phrase “15 hours funded childcare” can refer to two different early years entitlements in England.
All three- and four-year-olds can receive 15 funded hours a week, regardless of whether their parents work or how much they earn. Some two-year-olds can also receive 15 hours because their family receives particular benefits or the child has certain additional needs or care experience.
These entitlements are different from Free Childcare for Working Parents, which can provide eligible working families with up to 30 hours a week for children from nine months old.
Understanding which scheme applies matters because the eligibility rules and application routes are not the same. The universal entitlement for three- and four-year-olds is usually arranged through a childcare provider, while the additional-support entitlement for two-year-olds is generally handled through the local council.
The two 15-hour childcare schemes at a glance
| Entitlement | Who can receive it? | How is it arranged? |
|---|---|---|
| Universal 15 hours | All three- and four-year-olds in England | Usually through a participating provider or local council |
| Early Learning for 2 year olds | Some two-year-olds whose family receives qualifying support or whose own circumstances qualify | Through the local council’s early years team or Family Information Service |
| Free Childcare for Working Parents | Eligible working families with children aged nine months to four years | Through a government childcare account |
The two 15-hour entitlements normally provide 570 funded hours a year:
15 hours × 38 weeks = 570 hours.
A provider may offer fewer hours each week across more weeks of the year. This is commonly called stretched funding.
Who receives the universal 15 hours?
Every three- and four-year-old in England can receive 570 hours of funded early education and childcare each year.
Parents do not need to be working. There is no minimum earnings requirement, benefits test or £100,000 upper income limit for this universal entitlement.
A child’s eligibility does not depend on:
- Whether either parent works
- The number of hours a parent works
- Household earnings
- Whether the family receives benefits
- Whether the child has additional needs
The entitlement is usually taken as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year. It continues until the child starts Reception or reaches compulsory school age, if later.
The official rules are available in the government’s guidance on 15 hours funded childcare for three- and four-year-olds.
Although the child is entitled to funded hours, this does not guarantee a place at a particular nursery, preschool, school nursery or childminder. The provider must participate in the scheme and have suitable availability.
When do the universal hours begin?
The universal 15 hours do not begin on the child’s third birthday. They normally start at the beginning of the next funding period.
The main start dates are:
- 1 January
- 1 April
- 1 September
The usual pattern is:
| Child’s third birthday | Funded hours usually begin |
|---|---|
| 1 September to 31 December | 1 January |
| 1 January to 31 March | 1 April |
| 1 April to 31 August | 1 September |
For example, a child who turns three on 15 February can normally begin using the universal hours from 1 April.
A child who turns three on 4 April will usually wait until the funding period beginning in September. This can feel like a long delay, but the entitlement is organised around funding periods rather than individual birthdays.
Parents should contact providers well before the relevant start date. A child may be eligible from September while the family’s preferred nursery has already allocated all its September places.
Which two-year-olds qualify for 15 hours?
Some two-year-olds receive a separate entitlement known as Early Learning for 2 year olds. Eligibility may arise from benefits received by the family or from the child’s own circumstances.
A two-year-old may qualify if the parent or carer receives:
- Universal Credit and the household’s annual income after tax is £15,400 or less, excluding benefit payments
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
The rules and thresholds can change, so parents should check the current position rather than relying on an older nursery leaflet or online discussion.
A child may also qualify because they:
- Have an education, health and care plan
- Receive Disability Living Allowance
- Are looked after by a local authority
- Have left care under an adoption order
- Have left care under a special guardianship order
- Have left care under a child arrangements order
These child-based criteria can apply even when the family does not receive one of the qualifying income-related benefits.
Parents can check the full current list in the government’s guidance on Early Learning for 2 year olds.
Can families with no recourse to public funds qualify?
Some families whose immigration status prevents them from claiming public funds may still be able to receive the two-year-old entitlement.
Eligibility depends on household income, the number of children and whether the family lives inside or outside London. The family must also remain within the applicable savings and investment limit.
The thresholds are different for:
- A family with one child outside London
- A family with one child in London
- A family with two or more children outside London
- A family with two or more children in London
Because these figures and immigration conditions can change, parents should contact their council’s Family Information Service for an individual assessment. Do not assume that “no recourse to public funds” automatically prevents the child from receiving early education.
A council may request evidence of income, immigration status, household composition and savings before making a decision.
When can an eligible two-year-old start?
The additional-support entitlement usually begins from the funding period after the child’s second birthday.
| Child’s second birthday | Application can usually be made from | Hours usually begin |
|---|---|---|
| 1 September to 31 December | 1 September | 1 January |
| 1 January to 31 March | 1 January | 1 April |
| 1 April to 31 August | 1 April | 1 September |
For example, a child who turns two on 10 November may be able to begin receiving the hours from January.
A child who turns two on 2 April will normally become eligible to start in September rather than immediately after their birthday.
Parents should apply close to the child’s second birthday or during the application period advised by their council. Applying early gives the council time to check eligibility and allows the family to search for a suitable place.
How do parents apply for the 15 hours?
The application route depends on which entitlement the child will use.
For the universal 15 hours for three- and four-year-olds, parents usually contact a participating nursery, preschool, childminder or school nursery directly. The provider or local council will explain what information is required.
Parents do not normally need to open an HMRC childcare account or reconfirm their details every three months for the universal hours.
For Early Learning for 2 year olds, parents should contact their local council’s:
- Early years team
- Family Information Service
- Funded childcare service
Many councils provide an online eligibility checker. Others ask parents to complete an application and supply evidence.
Depending on the qualifying route, the council may request:
- The parent’s name and address
- The child’s name and date of birth
- A National Insurance number
- Benefit or income information
- Evidence of Disability Living Allowance
- Details of an education, health and care plan
- Evidence relating to care or guardianship
If approved, the family may receive an eligibility reference, letter or code to take to a participating provider. Local procedures vary.
A funding approval is not the same as a confirmed childcare place. Parents still need to find a provider with availability for the days and sessions required.
What happens if a family qualifies for more than one scheme?
A working family with an eligible two-year-old may meet the rules for both Early Learning for 2 year olds and Free Childcare for Working Parents.
Official guidance advises families who qualify for both to apply for the additional-support two-year-old entitlement first. They may then be able to receive a further 15 hours through the working-parent scheme, bringing the total to 30 hours.
The two-year-old entitlement can offer additional stability because eligibility is connected to the child or family’s qualifying circumstances rather than being based only on continued employment.
Parents should tell the council and provider about both eligibility routes. Do not submit overlapping claims without discussing how the hours should be recorded.
Once a child turns three, the universal 15 hours form part of any 30-hour working-parent entitlement. An eligible three- or four-year-old does not normally receive 15 universal hours plus 30 additional hours to create a 45-hour entitlement.
Our guide to how 30 hours funded childcare works explains the employment, earnings, application and reconfirmation rules.
Where can the 15 hours be used?
The hours must be used with a provider that is approved and participating in the relevant scheme.
Depending on local arrangements, this may include:
- A registered day nursery
- A preschool or playgroup
- A registered childminder
- A maintained nursery school
- A nursery class attached to a school
- Certain other registered early years providers
A registered provider does not necessarily offer every funded entitlement. Some nurseries accept universal three- and four-year-old funding but have no additional-support two-year-old places. A childminder may accept funded children only on particular days.
Ask the provider:
- Which funded entitlements do you offer?
- Do you currently have a place for my child’s age?
- Which sessions can be funded?
- Do you offer funding over 38 weeks or stretch it?
- Are there minimum attendance requirements?
- Which additional charges might apply?
Families considering different types of care can read our guide to choosing between a nursery and childminder. Both types of provider can offer funded places if they meet the relevant requirements and participate in the scheme.
Can the hours be stretched across the year?
The standard entitlement is 570 hours a year, commonly described as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks.
Some providers allow families to use fewer funded hours each week over more weeks. For example, dividing 570 hours across 51 weeks produces an average of approximately 11 hours and 10 minutes a week.
This may suit families who need childcare throughout the year rather than during school terms only.
Stretched funding does not increase the annual entitlement. The family receives fewer funded hours during each week because the same 570 hours are being distributed across a longer period.
Providers may calculate stretched offers differently according to their opening calendar. Closures, staff-training days and the number of funded weeks can affect the weekly amount.
Ask for the calculation in writing. It should show:
- The number of funded hours available each week
- The number of weeks covered
- The provider’s closure dates
- Any unfunded childcare hours
- The resulting weekly or monthly charge
Does funded childcare mean there will be no bill?
Not necessarily. The entitlement funds eligible early education and childcare hours, but families may still pay for additional hours or services.
Possible charges include:
- Childcare outside the funded sessions
- Meals and snacks
- Nappies and other consumables
- Optional activities and trips
- Care during weeks not covered by the funding
For the additional-support two-year-old scheme, official guidance states that charges for items such as food, nappies, extra hours and trips must be optional. A family should be able to discuss an alternative if it does not want to purchase those extras.
Ask the provider for a written cost illustration before accepting the place. It should distinguish clearly between the funded provision and anything the family is choosing to buy.
Be cautious if a provider says that parents must purchase a large number of additional hours simply to access any funded place. Providers can organise sessions and limit availability, but the funding offer and contractual charges should be explained transparently.
If you do not understand the arrangement, ask the local authority’s early years funding team for guidance before signing the contract.
Can funded hours be split between providers?
It may be possible to divide the entitlement between two participating providers.
For example, a child might attend preschool for two mornings and spend another funded session with a childminder. This can help families combine early education with a more flexible care arrangement.
Both providers must know that the hours are being divided. Parents may need to complete a declaration showing where the child attends and how many hours each provider can claim.
The combined claim cannot exceed the child’s available entitlement. Two nurseries cannot each claim the full 15 hours for the same child.
Local authorities may set rules about:
- The number of providers that can be used
- How hours can be split across a day
- The maximum funded session length
- How parental declarations are completed
Consider the arrangement from the child’s perspective as well. Two settings can provide useful flexibility, but repeated journeys, different routines and multiple separations may be tiring for some children.
What happens if circumstances change?
A child receiving the universal three- and four-year-old entitlement does not lose it because a parent stops working, begins earning more or no longer receives benefits.
The universal hours continue until the child starts Reception or otherwise reaches the end of the eligible period.
A two-year-old accepted for Early Learning for 2 year olds will generally continue receiving the place even if the family’s financial circumstances later change. Parents should confirm this with their council because the local authority manages the eligibility decision and funding record.
Tell the provider and council about changes that affect the child’s attendance, address, care arrangements or eligibility evidence. A change in circumstances may also mean the family can receive additional help.
For example, a parent beginning eligible work may qualify for the working-parent offer. A child who turns three will move into the universal entitlement and may also qualify for the full working-parent hours.
Funding and the childcare contract remain separate. Even where eligibility continues, parents may need to follow the provider’s notice period when changing days, reducing paid hours or leaving the setting.
A simple checklist for parents
- Identify whether your child may qualify through age alone, additional support or the working-parent scheme.
- Check the date of the child’s next eligible funding period.
- For a two-year-old receiving additional support, apply through the local council.
- For the universal three- and four-year-old hours, contact participating providers directly.
- Search for a place before the funding start date.
- Confirm that the provider offers the correct entitlement.
- Ask whether the hours are term-time or stretched.
- Request a written explanation of any additional charges.
- Tell all providers if the hours will be split.
- Keep a copy of the funding declaration and childcare contract.
If you are unsure which entitlement applies, contact the local Family Information Service. It can explain local application routes and help identify participating providers.
Frequently asked questions
Does every two-year-old get 15 funded hours?
No. The additional-support entitlement is available only where the child or family meets particular criteria. Working parents who do not meet those criteria may qualify for Free Childcare for Working Parents instead.
Does every three-year-old receive 15 hours?
Yes. All three- and four-year-olds in England can receive the universal 15 hours from the funding period after their third birthday.
Do parents need to work to receive the universal 15 hours?
No. Parental employment and earnings do not affect the universal entitlement for three- and four-year-olds.
Do the hours begin on the child’s birthday?
Usually not. They normally begin at the start of the funding period after the child reaches the qualifying age. The main start dates are 1 January, 1 April and 1 September.
Do parents have to apply through HMRC?
Not for the universal three- and four-year-old entitlement or the additional-support two-year-old scheme. The universal hours are generally arranged with the provider, while two-year-old applications are handled by the council. HMRC manages the working-parent scheme.
Can a child receive 15 hours if their parent earns over £100,000?
A three- or four-year-old can still receive the universal entitlement because it has no parental income limit. The £100,000 individual income limit applies to Free Childcare for Working Parents.
Can a child with an EHCP receive the hours at age two?
Yes. A two-year-old with an education, health and care plan can qualify for Early Learning for 2 year olds, subject to the council confirming the application.
Does Disability Living Allowance make a two-year-old eligible?
A two-year-old receiving Disability Living Allowance can qualify for the additional-support entitlement. Parents should apply through their local council and provide the requested evidence.
Can a child use the hours with a childminder?
Yes, if the childminder is appropriately registered, participates in the scheme and has a suitable funded place available.
Can a nursery charge for meals?
A provider may charge separately for meals and other extras, but the arrangements should be explained clearly. Under the additional-support two-year-old scheme, listed extras should be optional and an alternative should be discussed where the family does not want to pay.
Can unused hours be saved for later?
Unused hours are not normally paid to the parent or carried into a later funding year. Ask the provider how absence, holidays and stretched funding affect the annual allocation.
Do funded hours guarantee a nursery place?
No. Eligibility confirms that funding is available, but parents must still find a participating provider with an appropriate vacancy.
The simplest way to understand the 15-hour offer is to separate it into two schemes. Every three- and four-year-old qualifies for the universal entitlement, while only some two-year-olds qualify through additional support or their own circumstances.
Check the correct application route, contact providers early and ask for the funding pattern and remaining costs in writing. That will make the difference between knowing that a child is eligible and understanding how the hours will work for your family in practice.
