Help with Childcare Costs - Free Early Education and Childcare

There are different early education schemes for each country of the UK. Click on the links below to find information related to the area of the country you live in.

• England
• Scotland
• Wales
• Northern Ireland

England

15 hours free childcare for 3 and 4 year olds

All 3 and 4 year olds in England are entitled to 570 hours per year of free childcare. Most childcare providers ask families to take this as 15 hours per week over 38 weeks per year but you might be able to change how you take it.

You can start using your free hours in the term after your child turns three and it ends when your child starts school or becomes compulsory school age.

You have to use an approved childcare provider.

You will need to apply for a code by the end of the month before a new term starts to give your childcare provider you would like to use. For example, if the term starts on 1 September you must apply by 31 August. Providers may ask for a code before this deadline. 

30 hours free childcare for 3 and 4 year olds

Some families can get up to 1,140 hours per year free childcare for their 3 and 4 year olds. This is usually taken as 30 hours per week. To be eligible for this, you need to meet the earnings criteria.

If you’re single:

• If you're 21 or over, you have to be earning more than £183 per week  
• If you're 18-20, you have to be earning more than £137 per week 
• If you're under 18 or an apprentice, you have to be earning more than £102 per week 
• There is no minimum earnings if you're self employed and started your business less than a year ago.
• You can still get free hours while you're on maternity leave.
• You need to be earning less than £100,000 per year.

If you live with a partner:

• Both of you need to be working and earning the amount listed above (unless you or your partner are self employed and started your business less than a year ago), or
• One of you needs to be working and earning more than the amounts listed above, and the other needs to be claiming Carer’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance or the Carers Element of Universal Credit, or have Limited Capability for Work or Limited Capability for Work Related Activity on Universal Credit.
• If either of you has an income of more than £100,000 per year you won’t be able to use the scheme.

You will need to apply for a code by the end of the month before a new term starts to give your childcare provider you would like to use. For example, if the term starts on 1 September you must apply by 31 August. Providers may ask for a code before this deadline. 

Foster carers can get 30 hours free childcare for the child they are caring for. However, they can’t apply online and will have to get help from social services to apply. Speak to your social worker and local council.

15 hours free childcare for 9 months to 2 year olds

Some families can get free childcare for children aged from 9 months to 2 for 15 hours per week over 38 weeks per year. 

To qualify for free childcare for your 9 months to 2 year old, you have to be in work, getting certain benefits, or your child needs to fall into one of the special categories. 

You might be eligible for 15 hours per week of free childcare if you are in work and the following apply:

• Your child is 9 months to 2 year old
• You earn at least £9,520 (16 hours x national minimum wage for 21 or over) and less than £100,000 before tax per year

If you're a couple, you'll both need to earn the above amounts. 

You might be eligible for 15 hours per week of free childcare for your 9 months to 2 year old if you are getting:

• Universal Credit and your household income is less than £15,400 per year after tax
• Guarantee Pension Credit
• Income Support
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
• Tax credits and your household earns less than £16,190 per year before tax
• The Working Tax Credit four-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)

You might also be able to get 15 hours free childcare for a child aged 9 months to 2 if you have no recourse to public funds, and, you have earnings below: 

• £26,500 for families outside of London with one child
• £34,500 for families within London with one child
• £30,600 for families outside of London with two or more children
• £38,600 for families within London with two or more child

You might also be able to get 15 hours per week free childcare for your 9 months to 2 year old if:

• The child gets Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
• The child has a statement of special educational needs or an education health and care plan.
• The child is in local authority care. 
• The child left local authority care under a special guardianship order, a child arrangements order, or an adoption order.  

You cannot have more than £16,000 in savings or investments. 

You will need to apply for a code by the end of the month before a new term starts to give your childcare provider you would like to use. For example, if the term starts on 1 September you must apply by 31 August. Providers may ask for a code before this deadline. 

Scotland

3 and 4 year olds

All 3 and 4 year olds living in Scotland are entitled up to 1,140 hours per year of free childcare. This is usually taken as 30 hours per week over 38 weeks. You can only use these hours for registered childcare. 

Contact your local council to apply and find out how many hours you can claim.

2 year olds

Some households living in Scotland can claim free childcare for 2 year olds. You may get at least 1140 hours per year of free childcare, or possibly more. This is usually taken as 30 hours per week over 38 weeks.

To be eligible, you have to be claiming certain benefits or your child has to fall into certain categories.

You might be able to claim free childcare for your 2 year old if you are receiving:

• Income Support
• income related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• income based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
• Guarantee Pension Credit
• Support as an Asylum Seeker
• Child Tax Credit, with no award of Working Tax Credit, and your household income is £17,005 a year or less 
• Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit and your household income is £7,920 a year or less
• Universal Credit and your pay after tax is £660 per month or less.

You might also be able to claim free childcare for your 2 year old if the child:

• Is in local authority care.
• Is living with you under a guardianship order.
• Is living with you under a kinship care order.

To apply for free childcare for your 2 year old, you will need to contact your local council.

Once you start getting free childcare for your 2 year old, you can keep getting it, even if you get a job which takes you over the earnings limits.

Wales

3 and 4 year olds

All 3 and 4 year olds are entitled to free early education of 10 hours per week during school terms. This is included in the Childcare Offer for Wales and is intended to help children get ready for school. 

Some 3 and 4 year olds are entitled to 30 hours per week of free early education and childcare over 48 weeks per year under the Childcare Offer for Wales. The 10 hours of early education will be a part of these 30 hours, so someone who qualifies for this scheme will get an extra 20 hours per week of free childcare, and extra childcare during school holidays when the early education hours aren't provided.

To qualify for this, the household has to meet certain earnings criteria.

If you’re single:

• You need to be earning more than 16 x national minimum wage per week (This doesn’t apply if you’re self employed and started your business less than a year ago. It also doesn’t apply if you’re off work and getting Statutory Sick Pay, or if you’re off work on adoption or maternity/paternity leave)
• You need to be earning less than £100,000 per year.

If you live with a partner:

• You both need to be earning more than 16 x national minimum wage per week (if one of you is self-employed and started your business less than a year ago this won’t apply to them), or
• One of you needs to be working and earning more than 16 x national minimum wage and the other needs to be claiming Carer’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), or
• One or both of you is temporarily off work on maternity/paternity or adoption leave or Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), and when you’re working you would satisfy the earnings requirements
• If either of you has an income of more than £100,000 per year, you won’t be able to use the scheme.

2 year olds

In some areas of Wales, 2 years olds are entitled to 12.5 hours per week of free childcare. This is based on your postcode area. It is provided through the Flying Start scheme.

For more information about the free childcare schemes available to you, contact the Family Information Service at your local council.

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, children aged 2, 3 and 4 may be able to access the Pre-School Education Programme. 

This is usually given as 2.5 hours per day on 5 days per week during school terms. Some children may be able to get more hours than this. 

Different providers have different eligibility rules. 

For more information about the scheme, contact the Education Authority Admissions Helpdesk

The Sure Start programme 

The Sure Start programme supports parents and help children under the age of 4 to get ready for pre-school.

This programme has health, family support and early education services to support children’s learning skills, health and well-being, and social and emotional development.

See Sure Start partnerships to find out what services are available in your area.