Rough Guide to Free Childcare in England (2023 Edition)
Today we provide a rough guide to free childcare schemes available in England. There are many different ways eligible families can obtain at the very least some free childcare, so today we look at the various Government schemes and options available. The good news is that there is even one that’s available to pretty much everyone — and it’s quite generous. We’ll take a look at that childcare funding scheme first.
‘Universal’ Free Childcare Hours for 3- & 4-Year-Olds
(The “15 Hours” Scheme)
Up to 570 Free Childcare Hours Available
With Universal Free Childcare, children aged 3 or 4 can receive up to 570 hours of free childcare over the course of the year.- Also known as their Free entitlement, it typically equates to 15 hours of free childcare per week over the course of 38 weeks of the year.
- Some childcare providers may be able to stretch the hours out in a different pattern if it better suits families.
- The childcare would be available through a nursery, preschool or childminder that’s properly registered to offer free childcare places, plus some other types of provider.
Eligibility
Universal free childcare is not means tested and all children aged 3 and 4 living in England are eligible to receive the free hours. 3- and 4-year-olds moving to England from abroad are also entitled, even without British citizenship. Eligible children can start their free childcare in the term following their 3rd birthday.
How to Apply
Families should apply through their local childcare provider. If you live/work in Streatham and are interested in your child getting their free entitlement at Little Cedars Nursery, please apply here or get in touch to discuss a nursery place with us. You can also find out more about childcare funding via your local council (you can find yours here).
‘Extended’ Free Childcare Hours for 3- & 4-Year-Olds
(The “30 Hours” Scheme)
Up to 1140 Free Childcare Hours Available
With Extended Free Childcare, eligible 3- and 4-year-olds can receive up to 1140 hours of free childcare per year instead of only 570.- Also known as 30 hours’ free childcare, it typically equates to 30 hours of free childcare each week over 38 weeks.
- As before, however, some childcare providers may be able to offer a different pattern of hours each week, for example if families prefer to take the free hours over 51 weeks of the year rather than limit them to term time only.
- As with the Universal scheme, the free childcare would be available through a nursery, preschool or childminder that’s properly registered to offer free childcare places, plus some other types of provider.
Eligibility
In contrast to the Universal scheme above, Extended free childcare for children in England aged 3 and 4 is means tested and there are quite a few additional rules around eligibility. These relate to income, job status, immigration status, and your child’s circumstances. In regard to income, generally speaking, eligibility requires that the parent(s) – or a single parent and their partner – are working and are each earning at least £8,668 per annum (less if aged under 23) but less than £100,000. The lower figure is based on 16 working hours per week on at least the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage. There are several exceptions to the general guidelines, though, and it is therefore wise to consult the more detailed eligibility information available here.
How to Apply
Applications for the Extended (30 hours) free childcare scheme must be made online via the Government website. Children are eligible to start using their free childcare in the term following their 3rd birthday, but parents can apply for it once they reach the age of 2 years and 36 weeks. Don’t leave your application too late because a code will be required in order for your childcare provider to access the childcare funding and you need to know that code in the month preceding the start of the term your child joins. The code will also need to be reconfirmed once every quarter.
Free Childcare for Disadvantaged 2-Year-Olds
Up to 570 Free Childcare Hours Available
Some disadvantaged children aged 2 can also receive up to 570 hours of free childcare over the course of the year.- This usually equates to 15 hours of free childcare each week over 38 weeks of the year.
- As with some the schemes above, some childcare providers may be able to spread the hours out in a different way, e.g. less hours per week over more weeks of the year.
- The childcare would be available through a nursery, preschool or childminder that’s properly registered to offer free childcare places, plus some other types of provider.
Eligibility
In order to be eligible, children’s parents/carers must be in receipt of one or more qualifying Government benefits. These include JSA, ESA, Income Support and Universal Credit amongst others. Household income and any savings must also fall below certain thresholds.
Children may also be eligible, however, if they are in an ‘additional needs’ category. For example, they receive Disability Living Allowance, have an ECH Plan, are being looked after by the local authority, have left care under certain types of order, or fall into another specific category. Some non-UK citizens may also be eligible. More details are available here.
How to Apply
You can apply via your local childcare provider or council.
Tax-Free Childcare
£2,000 to £4,000 in Free Childcare Potentially Available
For those that are eligible, up to £2,000 in free childcare is available each year to children aged 11 or under* through the Tax-Free Childcare scheme.- For disabled children up to the age of 16 inclusive*, up to £4,000 may be available.
- The funding is paid into a special online Childcare account and equates to a maximum of either £500 or £1,000 per quarter, as appropriate.
* Children are no longer eligible from 1st September in the year that they are 11 years of age, or 16 if disabled.
The free childcare funding is funded by the Government via the online Childcare account, which the parent (or even their relative or friend) pay into. For every £8 they pay in, the Government will top up the account by an additional £2, up to the maximum(s) described above. The funding is paid from the account direct to the registered childcare provider, who must be signed up to the scheme. It can be used for no other purpose.
Eligibility
This particular scheme is quite widely available. Although it is means tested, the bar is set quite high. Each parent (or a parent and their partner if they have one) can be earning up to £100,000 per year yet be eligible. Generally speaking, they should also be earning no less than the equivalent of 16 working hours per week on at least the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage, although there are exceptions to the rule.
Aside from household income and the age of children, which we covered above, there are additional rules around eligibility relating to job status, immigration status, and your child’s circumstances. More information is available here.
How to Apply
You can apply for Tax-Free Childcare here.
Childcare Vouchers
(Closed to New Applicants)
A.k.a. Employer-Supported Childcare
You can sacrifice up to £55 per week of your earnings, which will be free of National Insurance and Income Tax, to fund Childcare Vouchers.- Closed to new applicants but see the Eligibility section below for more information.
Eligibility
This scheme is still available, through participating employers, but only to those who joined it before 4 October 2018. However, it is closed to new applicants. Exactly how much of your earnings you can use in this salary sacrifice scheme will depend on the date you joined the scheme and how much you earn.
More information is available here.
Free Childcare Through Universal Credit
Following the Spring Budget 2023, childcare funding through Universal Credit is to be improved with nearly 50% more generous funding becoming available from July 2023.- The proposed changes will also mean that the childcare funding will be pre-paid by the Government from that date, rather than families having to pay for it first and then claim it back (as is the case at time of writing, April 2023).
- This funding will increase to as much as £951 per month for one child or £1,630 per month for 2, from July 2023. Before that date the maximums are £646.35 and £1,108.04 respectively.
- The maximum eligible families can claim, however, is 85% of their childcare costs, which for some may be lower than the figures stated above.
Eligibility
You or your partner, if you have one, must usually be working, be on a low income and claiming Universal Credit. The child you are claiming free childcare for must be under 17. How much you earn and the level of any investments and savings you might have will be taken into account when you claim and other criteria and caveats will also affect your eligibility.
Read more about the changes to free childcare through Universal Credit proposed in the Spring Budget here and learn more about free childcare through Universal Credit here.
How to Apply
You can apply for Universal Credit here or call them on 0800 328 5644.
Free Childcare Through Tax Credits
(Closed to New Applicants)
Claim Back up to 70% of Childcare Costs if Eligible
Those already claiming for childcare costs via Working Tax Credits may be able to obtain up to £122.50 for one or £210.00 for more than one child each week.- This is up to a maximum of 70% of eligible childcare costs.
- Funding is paid, retrospectively, to the parent/carer’s bank/building society account.
Eligibility
As this scheme is closed to new applicants, new claimants will need to apply for free childcare through Universal Credit instead (details are shown above). Existing claimants will need to use an approved childcare provider (properly registered etc.) that provides the childcare in person, not online.
More information is available here.
Free Childcare for Children Aged from 9 Months
(Coming Soon)
The Chancellor of the Exchequer proposed radical improvements to childcare funding in his 2023 Spring Budget in March 2023. These include the following additions for eligible children of working parents:
2-year-olds may be eligible for the ’15 Hours’ scheme from April 2024.- Children aged from just 9 months may be eligible for the ’15 Hours’ scheme from September 2024.
- Children aged from 9 months to 3 years may become eligible for the ’30 Hours’ scheme from September 2025.
- Eligibility for the above will follow the same criteria as currently in place for the existing ’30 hours’ scheme (a.k.a. Extended Free Childcare) for 3- and 4-year-olds.
Learn more about the coming changes to childcare funding for children aged from 9 months here.
Student Childcare Grants
Undergraduate Students Can Receive up to 85% of Childcare Costs
Up to 85% of childcare costs incurred by students may be claimed, up to a maximum of £188.90 per week for 1 child or £323.85 for 2 or more (correct for academic year 2023-2024).- For the academic year 2022-2023, the figures are £183.75 and £315.03 respectively.
- The grant is paid into a Childcare Grant Payment Service (CCGPS) account and the childcare provider will request payments from this, usually weekly, as appropriate.
Eligibility
Eligibility rules include the following:
- You need to be a full-time student studying in higher education and living permanently in England;
- You need to be eligible for undergraduate student finance based on income, which must be under a certain threshold;
- You cannot have a postgraduate loan nor be claiming other specific types of childcare funding, including childcare help from the NHS;
- Your child must be financially dependent on you;
- Your child should be under 15 (17 if they have special educational needs).
- Other caveats apply.
More information is available here.
How to Apply
You can apply for the Student Childcare Grant at the same time as applying for your main student finance.
Childcare Funding via the Care to Learn Scheme
Up to £175 per child per week may be available.
Up to £160 per child is available each week for those living outside London.- For those inside London, that increases to a maximum of £175 per child each week.
- The payment can be used to fund childcare, childcare deposit and registration fees, childcare taster days or sessions and even travel to/from the provider.
Eligibility
You will need to be under 20 when you begin your course, be your child’s main carer, live in England and be a British citizen (or legally be allowed to live/study in England). Your properly-registered childcare provider and the course you are studying on will need to qualify for the scheme. Courses will need to be publicly-funded ones, provided in specific types of setting including sixth form schools/colleges, schools, colleges and other types of provider. However, they cannot be higher education courses at universities. Attendance of both the course by the student and of childcare sessions by the child will need to be good in order to continue to qualify.
More information is available here.
How to Apply
Apply for the Care to Learn scheme here.
Childcare Funding via the Learner Support Scheme
Suitable for Over-20s Studying in Further Education
While it’s not designed to fund childcare, it can be used to do so in some circumstances.- Your specific circumstances will govern exactly what help and how much funding is available to you.
Eligibility
If used to fund childcare, the Learner Support Scheme is suitable for students studying in further education to Level 3 inclusive. They must be parents and also be facing financial hardship in order to qualify. The childcare provider must be registered with Ofsted.
More information is available here.
How to Apply
Student parents should apply through their learning provider, e.g through the college they are studying at.
It’s worth noting that some of the schemes above can be used in tandem with one another, while others strictly cannot. Check the links for more information about each for more details.
Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham
High Quality Childcare Provision for Babies, Toddlers & Preschoolers in Streatham
Little Cedars is officially a good nursery/pre-school and offers high quality childcare in Streatham, London SW16. Subject to eligibility and availability, we support Government childcare funding schemes for babies, toddlers, preschoolers and children under five at the setting.
If you haven’t yet visited, why not bring your little one for a guided tour and you’ll soon see how well they fit in. We’re happy to answer any questions and would welcome your application for a childcare place. Please get started with your application or contact us using an option below and we’ll be delighted to help:
We are located in Streatham, close to Streatham Hill, Streatham Common, Streatham Park, Furzedown, Tooting, Balham, Norbury, Colliers Wood, West Norwood, Wandsworth, Clapham and Brixton.
Korea.net / Korean Culture and Information Service (Photographer name), CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons 
