Applying for funded childcare can feel more complicated than the headline promise of 15 or 30 hours suggests. Parents may encounter an online childcare account, eligibility codes, council applications, nursery forms and termly deadlines—all for schemes that are commonly described using similar language.
The correct application route depends on which entitlement your child will use.
Eligible working parents apply through the government childcare service. Families applying for the additional-support entitlement for a two-year-old normally use their local council. The universal 15 hours for three- and four-year-olds are usually arranged directly with a participating childcare provider.
Receiving approval does not automatically reserve a nursery place. Parents must apply for the entitlement and arrange suitable childcare as two related but separate tasks.
This guide explains how to apply for funded childcare in England, when to apply, what information you may need and what happens after you receive a code.
First identify which funded childcare scheme applies
There are three main funded early education and childcare routes in England.
30 hours for eligible working parents
Eligible working families can receive up to 30 funded hours a week for children aged from nine months until they start school. The hours are based on 38 weeks of the year, although some providers allow families to use fewer hours each week over more weeks.
This entitlement depends on factors including work, expected earnings, individual income and immigration status. Parents apply through the government childcare service.
15 universal hours for three- and four-year-olds
All three- and four-year-olds in England can receive 570 funded hours a year, normally presented as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks.
There is no parental work or income test. Families usually arrange these hours directly with an approved nursery, preschool, childminder or other provider.
15 hours for eligible two-year-olds receiving additional support
Some two-year-olds qualify for 15 hours because their family receives particular benefits or because of the child’s circumstances. This scheme is called Early Learning for two-year-olds.
Applications are normally handled by the family’s local authority rather than through the standard working-parent childcare account.
Our guide to funded childcare hours and eligibility provides a fuller comparison of the available schemes.
How do working parents apply for 30 funded hours?
Working parents apply through the government’s online childcare service. The same application creates a childcare account that can also be used for Tax-Free Childcare if the family qualifies.
You can start the application once your child is 23 weeks old. Do not confuse the earliest application date with the date that funded childcare can begin. The child must reach the qualifying age, and funding normally starts at the beginning of the following funding period.
Before applying, prepare the information the service may request. This includes:
- Your National Insurance number
- Your partner’s National Insurance number, if applicable
- Your Unique Taxpayer Reference if you are self-employed and have one
- The child’s UK birth certificate reference number, if available
- The date you started or expect to start work
- Information about your expected income
You normally need to include your partner if you are married or in a civil partnership and live together, or if you live together as a couple. Only one parent can hold the working-parent code for the same child.
The government states that the online application usually takes around 20 minutes. If approved, you receive an 11-digit code to give to your chosen childcare provider. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
The provider will usually ask for the code together with the parent’s National Insurance number and the child’s date of birth. It then validates the code through the local authority.
Approval confirms that the family meets the eligibility conditions. It does not require a nursery to offer a place or accept the precise days and hours the family wants.
When should working parents apply?
Funded working-parent childcare begins in set funding periods rather than immediately when the child turns nine months old.
| Child turns nine months | Funding can normally begin | Application deadline |
|---|---|---|
| 1 September–31 December | 1 January | 31 December |
| 1 January–31 March | 1 April | 31 March |
| 1 April–31 August | 1 September | 31 August |
For example, a child who turns nine months on 10 February may normally begin using the entitlement from 1 April, provided the parent applies by 31 March and meets the other conditions.
A child who turns nine months on 2 April would normally wait until the September funding period.
Apply before the deadline and allow time to resolve any questions about employment, income or identity. Applications made on the final day leave little time to deal with a technical problem or a request for more evidence.
Returning from maternity, paternity, adoption or shared parental leave can affect the application window. Starting a new job also has specific timing rules. Parents in either situation should check the dates that apply to them instead of relying only on the child’s birthday. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Our guide to funded childcare from nine months explains the age, term and eligibility rules in more detail.
How do you apply for the universal 15 hours?
All three- and four-year-olds in England can receive the universal 15-hour entitlement. Parents do not normally need to complete the working-parent application or obtain an HMRC eligibility code for these hours.
Contact a nursery, preschool, registered childminder or other approved provider and ask whether it offers universal funded places.
The provider may ask for:
- The child’s full name
- The child’s date of birth
- Proof of age, such as a birth certificate or passport
- The parent’s contact details
- Information about any funding used with another provider
- A signed parental declaration
The precise process can vary by provider and local authority. Some councils use an online portal, but the nursery will normally explain what the parent needs to complete.
The universal entitlement starts from the funding period after the child’s third birthday:
- A child turning three between 1 September and 31 December can normally start from 1 January.
- A child turning three between 1 January and 31 March can normally start from 1 April.
- A child turning three between 1 April and 31 August can normally start from 1 September.
All three- and four-year-olds in England are entitled to 570 hours a year, and the entitlement continues until the child starts Reception or reaches compulsory school age, if later. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
A child does not automatically receive a place at the family’s preferred nursery. Parents should enquire early, particularly if they need popular days, full-day care or a September start.
How do you apply for 15 hours for an eligible two-year-old?
Families applying for Early Learning for two-year-olds should contact their local council’s early-years team or Family Information Service.
Eligibility may arise because the family receives qualifying benefits or because the child:
- Has an education, health and care plan
- Receives Disability Living Allowance
- Is looked after by a local authority
- Has left care under an adoption, special guardianship or child arrangements order
The council may ask for information such as the parent’s National Insurance number, the child’s details and evidence connected with the qualifying circumstances. Application and verification arrangements vary between councils.
You can normally apply close to the child’s second birthday. The funded place begins from the appropriate term:
| Child turns two | Funding can normally begin |
|---|---|
| 1 September–31 December | 1 January |
| 1 January–31 March | 1 April |
| 1 April–31 August | 1 September |
If the application is approved, the council may issue a reference, letter or code that the family gives to a participating provider.
A working family might qualify both for the additional-support entitlement and the working-parent offer. Government guidance says that eligible families should apply for Early Learning for two-year-olds first and contact the local council before applying for the working-parent hours. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
This matters because the additional-support entitlement may continue even if the parent later stops meeting the working conditions.
Do you need a nursery place before applying?
You do not necessarily need to have completed nursery registration before applying for a working-parent code. However, it is sensible to look for childcare well before the funding start date.
The application and the place are separate:
- The government or council decides whether the child is eligible.
- The provider decides whether it has an appropriate place available.
A valid code does not guarantee availability on particular days. A nursery may accept funded childcare but have no remaining baby places, no availability on Mondays or only offer funding during selected sessions.
When contacting providers, give them:
- Your child’s date of birth
- Your preferred start date
- The days you need
- Approximate arrival and collection times
- The funded entitlement you expect to use
Ask when the nursery can hold a place and whether you need to pay a deposit. Confirm how any deposit is returned or credited and what happens if your funding application is unsuccessful.
Do not assume that “30 hours accepted” means you will receive 30 completely free hours in your preferred pattern. Ask for a written illustration based on the actual schedule you need.
What happens after you receive a childcare code?
Give the 11-digit working-parent code to the provider together with any other information it requests. The provider will check the code through the local authority and confirm whether it can apply the entitlement to the child’s place.
Ask for written confirmation showing:
- The agreed start date
- The funded hours used each week
- Whether the entitlement is term-time or stretched
- The days and session times booked
- Charges for additional childcare
- Charges for meals or consumables
- Deposit and notice arrangements
The provider may also ask you to sign a funding declaration. This allows the local authority to check the child’s entitlement and confirms how the funded hours are being claimed.
If you divide the hours between two providers, tell both of them. You cannot allow each provider to claim the full entitlement for the same period.
Local authorities may set rules about how hours are split across settings or days. The providers should be able to explain the process.
Why must working parents reconfirm?
Receiving a working-parent code is not the end of the application process. You must sign in to your childcare account approximately every three months and confirm that your details remain accurate.
Reconfirmation is required even when nothing has changed. The account normally shows the deadline, and the government may send reminders, but responsibility remains with the parent.
Check:
- Your contact details
- Your employment status
- Your expected earnings
- Your partner and household details
- The date by which reconfirmation must be completed
If you applied more than three months before the place begins, you may need to reconfirm before the first funded term starts.
The government requires working parents to reconfirm through their childcare account every three months to keep receiving the entitlement. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
The universal 15 hours for three- and four-year-olds do not normally require this three-month HMRC reconfirmation. The additional-support entitlement for two-year-olds is managed under the council’s process.
What if your application is delayed or refused?
First check whether the application needs more information. HMRC may be unable to confirm recent employment, self-employment or irregular income automatically.
Company directors and some people without regular PAYE information may be asked to provide evidence such as:
- Payslips
- Bank statements
- Invoices
- A statement from an accountant
- Payroll or tax information
Respond promptly and keep copies of any documents submitted.
If you believe the decision is wrong, follow the review or appeal instructions provided with it. You can also contact the Childcare Service helpline if you cannot access your account or have difficulty using the online service.
Tell the nursery that the application is unresolved. Do not assume the provider can claim the funding retrospectively. If the deadline passes without a valid code, you may need to pay for the place or wait until the following funding period.
For a two-year-old’s additional-support application, contact the council directly. Ask what evidence is missing, whether the decision can be reviewed and when the child could start if eligibility is confirmed.
What will funded childcare actually cover?
Government funding pays for the early education and childcare hours themselves. It does not necessarily cover every cost connected with attending a nursery.
A provider may charge separately for:
- Additional hours outside the funded sessions
- Meals and snacks
- Nappies or other consumables
- Optional activities and trips
Current statutory guidance states that funded hours must be accessible without mandatory charges attached to them. Charges for meals, consumables and optional activities must be voluntary, and providers should offer an alternative where a parent does not wish to purchase them. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
However, a family may still have a substantial bill if the child attends for longer than the funded sessions. Ask for a complete monthly estimate rather than looking only at the number of funded hours.
For example, a nursery may be open from 8am to 6pm but offer funded hours between 9am and 3pm. A parent booking a full day may pay for the time before and after the funded session, as well as meals.
Our guide to how 30 hours funded childcare works explains annual hours, stretched arrangements and the costs that may remain.
A simple funded childcare application checklist
- Identify which entitlement applies to your child.
- Check the child’s qualifying age and funding start period.
- Find the correct application route: government childcare account, local council or provider.
- Gather National Insurance, income, employment and child details where required.
- Apply before the relevant deadline.
- Search for a participating childcare provider separately.
- Give the eligibility code or council approval to the provider.
- Confirm that the provider has validated it.
- Obtain the agreed sessions and remaining charges in writing.
- Reconfirm a working-parent code every three months.
- Update the service if your circumstances change.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I apply for 30 funded hours?
Eligible working parents apply through the government childcare service and create a childcare account. If approved, they receive an 11-digit code to give to their provider.
Where do I apply for the universal 15 hours?
The universal entitlement for three- and four-year-olds is normally arranged directly with a participating childcare provider. The nursery or council will explain any local forms required.
Where do I apply for the two-year-old additional-support hours?
Contact your local council’s early-years team or Family Information Service. Do this before applying for working-parent hours if your two-year-old may qualify under both routes.
How early can I apply for working-parent childcare?
You can normally apply from when your child is 23 weeks old. The funded hours cannot begin until the relevant funding period after the child reaches nine months.
Can I apply after the deadline?
You can submit an application, but a late code may not be valid for the funding period you wanted. You may have to wait until the next start date, so apply before 31 March, 31 August or 31 December as appropriate.
Does a childcare code reserve a nursery place?
No. It confirms eligibility for funding. You must separately find a provider with suitable availability and agree the attendance pattern.
How long is a working-parent code valid?
You must reconfirm your circumstances through the childcare account every three months. Check the deadline shown in your account rather than relying only on reminder messages.
Can funded hours be divided between two nurseries?
They can sometimes be divided between two approved providers, subject to local rules. Both providers must know about the arrangement, and the combined claim cannot exceed the child’s entitlement.
Do I apply again when my child turns three?
If you use working-parent childcare, continue reconfirming through your childcare account. The universal 15 hours become available from the term after the child’s third birthday, but they form part of the 30-hour total rather than creating 45 hours.
What if I lose my job after receiving a code?
Update your childcare account. A grace period may allow the funded place to continue temporarily, depending on the timing of the change. A three- or four-year-old can still receive the universal 15 hours.
Can I apply without choosing a nursery first?
Yes, but start looking for a place early. Approval does not guarantee that a provider will have space or offer funding during the times you need.
Do funded hours cover food and nappies?
Not necessarily. Providers can charge for meals, consumables, additional hours and optional activities, but these charges should not be made a mandatory condition of accessing the funded hours.
Applying for funded childcare is easier once you separate the process into three steps: establish eligibility, obtain the necessary approval or code and arrange a suitable place with a participating provider.
Apply before the deadline, confirm that the provider has validated the entitlement and ask for a written breakdown of the schedule and remaining costs. Working parents should then keep the code active by reconfirming every three months.
Those steps help prevent one of the most common childcare problems: having an approved entitlement but discovering too late that there is no suitable place available or that the nursery’s funded sessions do not match the family’s working day.
