The promise of 30 hours of funded childcare sounds simple: eligible working parents receive 30 hours a week for their young child. In practice, families soon discover that there are application deadlines, termly funding periods, provider rules and additional charges to understand.
The 30 hours do not necessarily cover 30 hours every week of the year. They represent an annual entitlement of 1,140 funded hours, commonly offered as 30 hours a week over 38 weeks. A nursery may instead stretch those hours across most of the year, giving the family fewer funded hours each week.
The scheme also does not guarantee a place at a particular nursery or remove every childcare cost. Parents must establish their eligibility, obtain a childcare code and find an approved provider able to offer suitable funded sessions.
This guide explains how the 30-hour working-parent entitlement operates in England, who may qualify, when to apply and what parents could still need to pay.
What is the 30 hours funded childcare scheme?
Free Childcare for Working Parents provides eligible families in England with up to 30 funded hours a week for children aged from nine months to four years.
The standard entitlement is calculated over 38 weeks of the year:
30 hours × 38 weeks = 1,140 funded hours a year.
The word “free” is commonly used in the official name of the scheme, but “funded childcare” can give parents a more realistic understanding. The government funds the early education and childcare hours, while families may still pay for additional attendance and other services.
The hours can be used with an approved provider participating in the scheme, such as a registered nursery, preschool, childminder or certain school-based settings.
The scheme applies in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own childcare offers, eligibility rules and application processes.
Who can receive the 30 hours?
Eligibility depends on the child’s age and circumstances, the parents’ work and earnings, household arrangements and immigration status.
You and your partner, if you have one, must normally both be working or about to start work. Employment, self-employment and work as a company director can count.
Each parent must generally expect to earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage applicable to their age. This is an earnings test rather than a requirement to work exactly 16 hours during every week.
HMRC usually considers expected earnings over the three months after the application or reconfirmation. This can accommodate parents whose hours or income vary.
There is also an upper income limit. A family will not normally qualify if either parent expects to have adjusted net income above £100,000 during the current tax year.
The limit applies to each parent individually rather than to their combined earnings. For example:
- If one parent expects adjusted net income of £55,000 and the other expects £60,000, their combined income is above £100,000, but neither parent is individually above the limit.
- If one parent expects £105,000 and the other expects £25,000, the family will not normally qualify because one parent is above the individual limit.
Adjusted net income is not always identical to gross salary. Pension contributions, Gift Aid donations, benefits and other income can affect the calculation. Parents close to the threshold should check the official definition and consider obtaining financial advice.
The child must normally live with the applicant. The applicant and their partner must have National Insurance numbers, and the person applying must have an eligible immigration status and permission to access public funds where required.
Parents can check the current rules through the government’s Free Childcare for Working Parents guidance.
What if one parent is not working?
In a couple, both parents normally need to satisfy the work and earnings conditions. However, some families can still qualify when one parent works and the other is unable to work because of particular caring, disability or health circumstances.
This may apply where the non-working partner receives qualifying support such as Carer’s Allowance, certain National Insurance credits or an eligible Universal Credit element related to caring or limited capability for work.
The exact list of qualifying circumstances matters. Receiving a benefit does not automatically mean that the family meets the exception, so parents should use the official eligibility service rather than relying on a general description.
A single parent does not need to meet a second-parent test. Eligibility is based on that parent’s own work, earnings, income and circumstances.
Students are not automatically eligible simply because they are studying. A student who also works and meets the relevant earnings conditions may qualify. Depending on the course and family circumstances, separate childcare support may be available through student finance or an education provider.
Can self-employed parents and company directors qualify?
Yes. Self-employed parents can qualify if they meet the scheme’s conditions.
HMRC recognises that self-employed income may not arrive in equal weekly or monthly amounts. Where a parent works throughout the year but is paid irregularly, eligibility may be considered using average expected earnings over the tax year.
A start-up period can apply if the parent began their business less than 12 months ago. During this period, they may be able to qualify even if they do not yet expect to reach the usual minimum earnings threshold.
Earnings from more than one job can normally be combined. This is helpful for parents who have part-time employment alongside freelance or self-employed work.
Company directors may need to demonstrate that they satisfy the minimum income requirement. HMRC may check PAYE records or request evidence such as:
- Payslips
- Bank statements
- Invoices
- A statement from an accountant
- Annual payroll or tax information
Directors who are paid irregularly may need to provide evidence when they first apply and again when they reconfirm.
Dividends, investment income, rent from property and pension payments do not normally count towards the minimum earnings requirement, even though some of this income may form part of the adjusted net income calculation used for the upper limit.
Can parents qualify while on leave?
Parents may remain eligible while on annual leave or sick leave. Certain forms of family-related leave can also count, including maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption leave.
Additional timing rules can apply when the parent is on leave for the same child whose funded place is being claimed. The expected return-to-work date may determine when the entitlement can begin.
A parent preparing to return to work does not always need to wait until their first day back before applying. However, the earliest application date and eligible funding period depend on the child’s age and the return date.
Parents on Statutory Neonatal Care Leave or other qualifying leave should check the current guidance for their circumstances. If the online application does not reflect the family’s situation correctly, contact the childcare service before the deadline.
When can a child start receiving the hours?
A child does not normally begin funded childcare on the day they turn nine months old. The entitlement usually starts from the beginning of the funding period after they reach the eligible age.
The main funding periods begin on:
- 1 January
- 1 April
- 1 September
The usual pattern is:
- A child who turns nine months between 1 September and 31 December can usually start from 1 January.
- A child who turns nine months between 1 January and 31 March can usually start from 1 April.
- A child who turns nine months between 1 April and 31 August can usually start from 1 September.
For example, a baby who turns nine months on 18 February can normally begin using the hours from 1 April, provided the family is eligible and applies in time.
A baby who turns nine months on 3 April will normally wait until the September funding period. Reaching the eligible age shortly after a cut-off can therefore create a gap of several months.
The funded hours continue until the child begins school or otherwise reaches the end of the eligible early years period.
When should parents apply?
Parents can usually apply when their child is 23 weeks old. It is sensible to apply well before the deadline for the funding period in which the place should begin.
The principal deadlines are normally:
- 31 December for funding beginning in January
- 31 March for funding beginning in April
- 31 August for funding beginning in September
Do not leave the application until the final evening. Questions about identity, employment, income or household details can delay a decision. If a deadline is missed, the child may have to wait until the next funding period.
For example, if a child is eligible to start in September but the parent applies on 2 September, the provider may be unable to claim the funded hours for that autumn period. The family could have to pay the full fees until January.
Parents returning from certain types of leave may have different application windows. Check the dates that apply to the return-to-work arrangement rather than relying only on the child’s date of birth.
Finding a childcare place and applying for the code are separate tasks. Popular nurseries may have waiting lists many months in advance, so families should begin contacting providers before the online application window opens.
How do parents apply for 30 hours?
The application is made through the government’s childcare service. When applying, parents create a childcare account that can also be used for Tax-Free Childcare where eligible.
You may need:
- Your National Insurance number
- Your partner’s National Insurance number, where applicable
- A Unique Taxpayer Reference if you are self-employed and have one
- The child’s UK birth certificate reference number, if available
- Your work start date or expected start date
- Information about income, employment or self-employment
If the application is approved, the parent receives an 11-digit childcare code. This is sometimes called a 30-hours code, eligibility code or working-parent code.
The code must be given to the childcare provider, usually with the parent’s National Insurance number and the child’s date of birth. The provider uses these details to validate the code through the local authority.
Receiving a code does not reserve a childcare place. It confirms the family’s eligibility, but the provider must still have space and agree to the proposed attendance pattern.
Parents should not assume that every registered provider participates in the scheme. Ask specifically whether it offers Free Childcare for Working Parents for children of your child’s age.
What does 30 hours a week actually mean?
The entitlement provides 1,140 hours per year. Thirty hours a week is the standard presentation because the early education funding year is based on 38 weeks:
1,140 annual hours ÷ 38 weeks = 30 hours a week.
This arrangement may suit a preschool or school nursery that operates during school terms. A child could, for example, attend for six hours a day on five weekdays during those 38 weeks.
Many working parents need childcare throughout the year. Some providers therefore stretch the annual entitlement across more weeks.
If 1,140 hours are divided across 51 weeks, the average is approximately 22 hours and 21 minutes of funded childcare a week. The family pays for the remaining hours in its normal booking.
A provider may use a slightly different annual calendar because of closures, staff-training days or its own funding calculation. Ask for the exact schedule rather than assuming that “stretched funding” has the same meaning everywhere.
The 30 hours are a maximum entitlement, not a requirement. Families can use fewer hours. Unused hours are not paid directly to the parent and generally cannot be carried into a later funding year.
Why might parents still receive a nursery bill?
The funding covers eligible early education and childcare hours. It does not necessarily cover every service or every hour included in a nursery booking.
Parents may still pay for:
- Attendance outside the funded periods
- Meals and snacks
- Nappies and other consumables
- Optional activities and outings
- Additional services
- Care during weeks when no funded hours are available
- Late collection or other contractual charges
Suppose a child attends nursery from 8am until 6pm on three days each week. This is 30 hours of attendance. It does not automatically follow that the complete booking will be free.
The nursery may offer funded hours only within particular sessions, stretch the annual entitlement across the year or charge separately for meals. The family’s actual invoice will depend on the provider’s funding model and annual calendar.
Ask the nursery for a written illustration showing:
- The child’s booked hours
- The number of funded hours applied
- Any unfunded childcare hours
- Charges for meals, consumables or services
- The calculation during school holidays
- The expected monthly payment
Parents should be able to understand what is funded and what they are buying separately. If the explanation is unclear, ask the provider to walk through a sample invoice before signing a contract.
Can a nursery restrict when the hours are used?
Providers have some flexibility in how they organise funded places. A nursery may limit funded availability according to its opening hours, staffing, capacity and local funding agreement.
For example, a provider might:
- Offer funded places only on selected days
- Require the hours to be used within defined sessions
- Limit the number of funded places in each age group
- Stretch funding across the full year
- Ask families to book a minimum attendance pattern
This means that a family can be eligible for 30 hours but unable to obtain its preferred arrangement at a particular nursery.
Ask about funded availability before paying a registration fee or deposit. A nursery saying it “accepts 30 hours” does not necessarily mean it can provide 30 funded hours on the days you need.
Information on the provider’s website can offer a useful starting point, but confirm the current arrangements directly. Our article on what parents look for first on a nursery website explains which practical details should be easy to find.
Can the hours be split between two providers?
Families can sometimes divide funded hours between two approved providers. A child might attend a preschool for three mornings and a childminder for the remainder of the week.
Both providers need to know about the arrangement. Parents may have to complete a funding declaration stating where the child attends and how the entitlement should be divided.
The combined claim must remain within the child’s available hours. Two providers cannot each claim the full entitlement for the same child.
Local authorities may have rules about how funding can be divided across providers, days or sessions. Check the local arrangements before building a childcare plan around a particular split.
There is also a practical question. Using two settings can give a family valuable flexibility, but regular transitions may be tiring for some young children. Consider travel, sleep, meals and the child’s ability to form secure relationships in both places.
Why must eligibility be reconfirmed?
Parents must sign in to their childcare account approximately every three months and confirm that their details remain correct.
Reconfirmation is required even when employment, income and family circumstances have not changed. The account should show the next deadline, and parents may receive reminder messages.
During reconfirmation, you may need to check or update:
- Employment status
- Expected earnings
- Expected adjusted net income
- Partner and household information
- Contact details
Do not assume the nursery will complete this task for you. The provider can validate and use the code, but the parent is responsible for maintaining eligibility through the childcare account.
It is helpful to set a separate calendar reminder in case an email is missed or sent to an old address.
What happens if circumstances change?
Parents should update their childcare account if their work, income, relationship or household circumstances change.
Losing eligibility does not always cause the funded place to end immediately. A grace period may allow the child to continue receiving hours temporarily. The end date depends on when the change occurs and the funding cycle.
A grace period gives the parent time to return to qualifying work or make another childcare arrangement. It does not guarantee that the nursery will change or cancel its contract without notice.
The funding agreement and the childcare contract are related but separate. Even if funded eligibility ends, the family may remain responsible for fees until the nursery’s contractual notice period has been completed.
If the child is aged three or four, they should still be able to receive the universal 15-hour entitlement even if the family no longer qualifies for the working-parent hours. The provider may need to adjust its claim and the family’s invoice.
If parents separate, only one childcare code can be held for the same child. Parents who share responsibility should decide who will apply. If they cannot agree, HMRC may need to determine which application can proceed.
Can 30 hours be combined with other childcare support?
Funded childcare can be used alongside some other forms of support for eligible costs that remain.
Tax-Free Childcare allows eligible parents to pay money into an online childcare account, with the government adding £2 for every £8 paid, up to the scheme limits. It may help with additional nursery hours, holiday care and other approved childcare.
When a parent applies for Free Childcare for Working Parents, HMRC also checks whether the family may qualify for Tax-Free Childcare.
Families receiving Universal Credit may be able to claim help with up to 85% of eligible childcare costs, subject to the current rules and monthly limits.
You cannot normally receive Tax-Free Childcare and the Universal Credit childcare element at the same time. Starting one form of support can bring another to an end, so compare the likely help before switching.
Parents cannot claim two forms of support for the same cost. Funded hours should be deducted first, with Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit used only towards eligible childcare charges that remain.
For a wider comparison of the available schemes, see our guide to funded childcare hours and eligibility.
A simple 30-hours application checklist
Parents can use the following sequence:
- Check that the child will be the eligible age at the start of the required funding period.
- Check the work, minimum earnings, upper income and immigration conditions for both parents where applicable.
- Contact childcare providers early and ask about funded-place availability.
- Request a clear illustration of any additional charges.
- Apply through the government childcare service before the relevant deadline.
- Give the 11-digit code and required details to the chosen provider.
- Confirm that the provider has validated the code and agreed the start date.
- Read the childcare contract and funding declaration before signing.
- Reconfirm eligibility through the childcare account every three months.
- Update HMRC and the provider if work, income or household circumstances change.
Keep copies of important messages and record when the provider confirms that funding will be applied. This can make it easier to resolve questions about a later invoice.
Frequently asked questions
Does every child get 30 funded hours?
No. The 30-hour scheme depends mainly on the parents’ work, earnings, income and circumstances. All three- and four-year-olds in England can receive the universal 15 hours, whether or not their parents work.
Is the 30 hours completely free?
The eligible early education and childcare hours are funded, but parents may still pay for additional attendance, meals, consumables and optional services. Ask the provider for a written breakdown.
Do eligible three- and four-year-olds receive 45 hours?
No. Their universal 15 hours form part of the 30-hour total. An eligible child does not ordinarily receive 30 working-parent hours plus another 15 universal hours.
Can a part-time worker qualify?
Yes. Eligibility is based on expected earnings, not on having a full-time job. A parent generally needs to expect earnings equivalent to 16 hours a week at the applicable minimum wage.
Can self-employed parents receive the hours?
Yes. Self-employed parents can qualify. Average earnings and a start-up period may help where income is irregular or the business began less than 12 months ago.
Can a parent earning over £100,000 qualify?
A family will not normally qualify if either parent expects adjusted net income above £100,000 for the current tax year. The test applies individually rather than to combined household income.
Do the hours begin as soon as a baby turns nine months?
Usually not. Funding generally begins at the start of the next eligible period: 1 January, 1 April or 1 September.
Can the entitlement be used all year?
Some providers stretch the annual allocation across more weeks. This produces fewer funded hours per week because the total remains 1,140 hours a year.
Does a childcare code guarantee a place?
No. The code proves eligibility, but families must separately find a participating provider with suitable space and sessions.
What happens if I miss the application deadline?
You may have to wait until the next funding period and pay the full cost in the meantime. Contact the childcare service and provider promptly, but do not assume the entitlement can be backdated.
What happens if I forget to reconfirm?
The code may become invalid for a future funding period. A grace period may sometimes protect the place temporarily, but you should sign in to the childcare account immediately and speak to the provider.
Can grandparents be paid using the 30 hours?
Not for ordinary informal care. The entitlement must be used with an approved childcare provider participating in the scheme. A relative does not qualify simply because they regularly care for the child.
Can parents choose which 30 hours are funded?
Not always. Providers can organise funded places within their available sessions and business model. Parents should agree the exact funded pattern before accepting the place.
The 30-hour scheme can substantially reduce childcare costs, but the headline number does not tell a family exactly what its weekly schedule or monthly bill will look like.
Check eligibility early, apply before the deadline and ask providers precise questions about how they deliver the annual entitlement. Once the childcare code, funded sessions and remaining charges are all confirmed in writing, families can plan work and childcare with much greater confidence.
