30 hour Extended Entitlement - Information for parents and childcare providers

30 hours Extended Entitlement for 3 & 4 year olds

The majority of working parents of three and four year olds could be eligible for an additional 15 hours of childcare per week. You may have seen or heard it referred to as 30 hours funded childcare.

The eligibility criteria are as follows;

•  Both parents are working (or the sole parent is working in a lone parent family) and each parent earns a weekly minimum equivalent to 16 hours at national living wage, and less than £100,000 per year.

Working will include employed and self-employed people. Parents do not necessarily have to actually work 16 hours a week, but their earnings must reflect at least 16 hours of work at the national living wage. This includes parents on zero contract hours who meet the criteria

• Both parents are employed but one or both parents is temporarily away from the workplace on parental, maternity, paternity or adoption leave
• Both parents are employed but one or both parents is temporarily away from the workplace on statutory sick pay
• One parent is employed and the other 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.

Having a 30 hour code does not mean your child is eligible to start their 30 hour place. The table below explains the cut-offs dates by which you must have a valid code to start your place in the next term.

If your child's third birthday falls between:

• 1 September – 31 December
  *Think about applying around mid- October
  Application deadline is 31 December
• 1 January – 31 March
  *Think about applying around mid-January
  Application needed is 31 March
• 1 April – 31 August
  *Think about applying around mid-June
  Application deadline is 31 August

The date your child becomes eligable for a funded place:

• Spring Term
  In the January after their third birthday with a valid 30 hour code issued by 31 December
• Summer Term
  In the April after their third birthday with a valid 30 hour code issued by 31 March
• Autumn Term
  In the September after their third birthday
  with a valid 30 hour code issued by 31 August

You can find further information and advice on the Childcare Choices website here https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/. Childcare Choices brings together all the government childcare offers in one place. Use the Childcare Calculator at www.gov.uk/childcare-calculator to see what offers are available to support you and your family.

To check your eligibility and complete an application to receive your 30 hour code confirming your eligibility, go to the Childcare Choices website today at www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.

If you experience problems finding out your eligibility or have questions, you can contact Childcare Service Customer Interaction Service on 0300 123 4097.

Tax-Free Childcare

Parents can use Tax-Free Childcare alongside the 15 and 30 hours funded childcare schemes in England, or any funded childcare hours provided by the Scottish, Welsh or Northern Ireland governments.

Parents can't use Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as they receive childcare vouchers, Universal Credit or tax credits. However, 30 hours Extended Entitlement can be received alongside these schemes. 

Use the Childcare Calculator at www.gov.uk/childcare-calculator to see what offers are available to support you and your family.

To find out more about the new and existing offers, and how they can help you, go to the Childcare Choices website today at www.childcarechoices.gov.uk