The free childcare applications that are opening today are for nursery and childcare spaces that are opening up in September, for eligible working parents of children aged nine months to 23 months old
Thousands more parents in England will be able to apply for 15 hours free childcare from today.
This applies to eligible working parents of children aged nine months to 23 months old, ahead of the expansion of the free childcare scheme from this September. The applications that are opening today are for nursery and childcare spaces that are opening up in September.
Parents must earn a minimum of the equivalent of 16 hours a week at minimum wage, but less than £100,000 a year, to apply for the latest expansion of the free childcare scheme. If you’re in a couple, this applies to both parents. This latest rollout of the free childcare scheme comes after eligible working parents of two-year-olds were able to start claiming 15 hours a week from April 2024.
Currently in England, all parents of three and four-year-olds in England are entitled to 15 hours a week free childcare through universal funding, while some eligible families with children of these ages are entitled to an extra 15 hours on top of this – boosting it to 30 hours a week. Parents of children aged nine months and older will be able to access the full 30 hours a week from September 2025, providing they are eligible.
Free childcare hours are usually taken over 38 weeks (to cover term time) but you can normally spread it out to cover more weeks by using fewer hours a week. The free hours must be used with a registered childcare minder, such as some private nurseries or state-run pre-schools. There are separate free childcare systems in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Will you benefit from the new childcare rules? Or are you struggling to get a nursery place? Let us know: [email protected]
What other childcare help is available?
Parents can get up to £500 every three months – or £2,000 a year – for each of your children through the tax-free childcare scheme. For disabled children, the maximum amount you could get rises to £4,000.
The tax-free childcare scheme allows parents to pay into an online account, and the Government will then add a certain amount on top. For every £8 you pay into your online account, you’ll get a free £2 added on by the government, up to the limits we mentioned above.
This money must then be spent on a registered childcare provider. You need to be earning at least the minimum wage, for the equivalent of 16 hours a week – the same goes for your partner if you have one. Self-employed workers are also eligible if they earn this amount too.
