Have you got your 30 hour free childcare?
Parents of three and four year olds living and working in England may be entitled to 30 hours of free childcare – or 1,140 hours a year.
This scheme has been available since September 2017, and must be with an approved childcare provider.
To qualify, parents must be working (employed or self employed) and each earning at least £120 a week, and not more than £100,000 each a year.
For couples, both partners must be working, otherwise neither partner will qualify. However, there are exceptions for those on parental, maternity, paternity, adoption or sick leave.
To apply, you need your national Insurance number and a Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) if you’re self-employed.
It only takes 20 minutes to apply. You may find out if you’re eligible straight away, but it can take up to seven days.
You can apply by visiting the Childcare website or calling 0300 123 4097.
If you are successful, you’ll get a childcare account which you can use to get your code for 30 hours free childcare.
You must apply by 31 December to get a code to use for the term starting in January.
Existing parents need to reconfirm their eligibility every three months.