OUR GUIDE TO FUNDED CHILDCARE
We know that paying for childcare isn’t always easy, but did you know that government funding has increased for working families and you could get support?
We offer the 15 and 30 hours funded childcare places to eligible families. The number of funded hours you get depends on the age of your child, the sessions your child attends, and your family circumstances.
By helping with childcare costs, funded childcare enables your child to:
- Experience daily routines and develop good habits that help them to feel secure and safe.
- Develop social skills, which enable them to form healthy relationships with other people.
- Learn how to share and take turns.
- Listen and communicate their ideas and become independent.
- Build on important skills for social, emotional and academic success.
- Get ‘school ready’.
WORKING PARENT FUNDING
If you are a working family in England and you or your partner are earning at least £183/week (which is the equivalent of 16 hours at National Minimum, or Living Wage), then you can apply for the following help:
• Up to 30 hours funded childcare for children aged 9 months to 4 years.
If you or your partner are on maternity, paternity or adoption leave, or you’re unable to work because you are either disabled or have caring responsibility, then you could still be eligible. You won’t be able to get funded childcare if you, or your partner, each individually expect to earn £100,000 net income, or more.
How to apply
To set up a childcare account, follow the steps below. If you pay for childcare and want help with costs through Tax-Free Childcare, you can apply using the same service.*
- Step 1 Go to www.childcarechoices.gov.uk to check your options.
- Step 2 Go to www.gov.uk/sign-in-childcare-account and set up a Gateway Account. You will need to provide your supporting documents (like your passport, you and your partners National Insurance numbers or Unique Taxpayer Reference).
- Step 3 Once you have your Gateway Account you will be able to apply for your Childcare Code.
- Step 4 When successful take your code to your nursery manager. You must confirm your details are up to date every 3 months or your code will expire.
When to apply
- Apply for 30 hours funded childcare when your child is 23 weeks old.
- Continue to apply every three months.
UNIVERSAL FUNDING
15 hours of funded childcare is available to families in England with eligible children aged 3 – 4 years. Funded hours are term time (38 weeks) to a total of 570 hours per year that you can use flexibly across one or more childcare providers.
Eligibility
- Children born between 1 January and 31 March are eligible from the start of the term beginning or following 1 April.
- Children born between 1 April and 31 August are eligible from the start of the term beginning or following 1 September.
- Children born between 1 September and 31 December are eligible from the start of the term beginning or following 1 January.
As this is available to everyone, there is no need to apply and funded hours will be automatically applied to your bill based on your booking pattern and completion of your parent agreement (see funding loop section). If you wish to use your funded hours with no additional charges, please give us plenty of notice as there is huge demand and a waiting list.
FAMILIES IN RECEIPT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
If you live in England, parents in receipt of additional government support can apply for the following help:
- Up to 15 hours funded term time childcare for children aged 2 years.* Government support includes things like Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit; but you can also get help with childcare if a child is looked after by local authority or get Disability Living Allowance.
Visit www.childcarechoices.gov.uk for information on eligibility and how to apply *Term time is 38 weeks of the year. 15×38 = 570 Hours max per year.
TAX FREE CHILDCARE
A scheme introduced by the UK government to help working parents with the cost of childcare.
For every £8 you pay into an online account, the government will add an extra £2, up to £2,000 per child per school year. This could result in a 20% reduction in your childcare expenses and can be used in conjunction with funded childcare hours.
You may be eligible if you or your partner are:
- In work and each earning at least the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week.
- Earning under £100,000 each a year.
Check if you’re eligible for a Tax-Free Childcare account by visiting the government’s Childcare Choices website at www.childcarechoices.gov.uk. We accept payments for your invoice directly from this account. Please give your child’s reference code to us so we can allocate the payment.