Announced in March 2023, a new childcare scheme launches this year providing 30 hours of free childcare for every child over the age of 9 months.
BUT, it will be rolled out in phases…
- 15 hours of free childcare for 2 year olds from April 2024
- 15 hours of free childcare for 9 months – 3 years old in September 2024
- 30 hours of free childcare for every child over the age of 9 months from September 2025.
To help you understand what your family qualifies for and when, we’ve made a handy chart…
| My child was born…. | Summary | If family is low income, could be eligible for an additional 15 hours for 2 year olds from…. |
| Before March 2021 | Sadly these kids will benefit only from existing schemes. Won’t get the new ‘expanded’ 2 year old 15 hr/week offer as it won’t have launched in time for this child to benefit. Can, however, get 15 hours free from April 2024 under the existing scheme – or 30 hours depending on parent income | Now |
| April 2021 to August 2021 | Will be able to access the ‘new’ expanded 15 hour scheme for 2 year olds from April 2024, and switch into the existing 15 hour (or 30 depending on parent income) scheme for 3 and 4 year olds from September 2024 | Now |
| September 2021 to December 2021 | Will be able to access the ‘new’ expanded 15 hour scheme for 2 year olds from April 2024, and switch into the existing 15 hour (or 30 depending on parent income) scheme for 3 and 4 year olds from January 2025 | Now |
| January 2022 to March 2022 | Will be able to access the ‘new’ expanded 15 hour scheme for 2 year olds from April 2024, and switch into the existing 15 hour (or 30 depending on parent income) scheme for 3 and 4 year olds from April 2025 | Jan to March 2024 |
| April 2022 to August 2022 | Will be able to access the ‘new’ expanded 15 hour scheme for kids aged 9 months+ from Sept 2024, and switch into the existing 15 hour (or 30 depending on parent income) scheme for 3 and 4 year olds from Sept 2025 | April 2024 to August 2024 |
| Sept 2022 to August 2023 | Will be able to access the ‘new’ expanded 15 hour scheme for kids aged 9 months+ from Sept 2024, and switch into the new 30 hour scheme for all children under 5 from Sept 2025 | Sept 2024 to August 2025 |
| Sept 2023 to November 2023 | Will be able to access the ‘new’ expanded 15 hour scheme for kids aged 9 months+ from Sept 2024, and switch into the new 30 hour scheme for all children under 5 from Sept 2025 | Not relevant – by the time they’re eligible, all children between 9mo and 5 years will have access to 30 hours per week |
| December 2023 | Will be able to access the ‘new’ expanded 15 hour scheme for kids aged 9 months+ from January 2025, and switch into the new 30 hour scheme for all children under 5 from Sept 2025 | Not relevant – by the time they’re eligible, all children between 9mo and 5 years will have access to 30 hours per week |
Here’s how to apply for the funding
1. All schemes mentioned above (the existing 15-hour and 30-hour schemes, and the new ‘expanded’ schemes) have additional eligibility criteria related to parents’ working hours and wages as well as the children’s age. Check your eligibility on the Government’s Childcare Choices website.
2. Apply for a code directly on the Government website.
3. Find a nursery that offers the scheme you want (not all do!) and arrange a place. Note that many nurseries don’t yet know whether they will offer the new 15 hour scheme, as LAs haven’t yet told them what their income will be for it. (It’s not their fault!). They should know by March 2024.
And if the scheme wasn’t complicated enough… here’s the small print:
- If the date that the benefit starts seems weird, it might be because all schemes are available for children in the term AFTER they turn those ages. That means birthdays after April start in September, after September start in January, and after January start in April.
- All 3 schemes are ‘term time only’, meaning 38 weeks per year. If you use 30 hours of free childcare across (say) 48 weeks, you’ll actually get only 24 hours per week. Sorry, this sucks.
- All of this applies to England only
