Funding Information

You may also be able to get 30 hours of free childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year (during school term time). To receive this additional allowance, you will need to apply online for a childcare account to get a code for 30 hours to give to your provider.  The website to apply is: https://www.gov.uk/30-hours-free-childcare and we can discuss the availability of this with you but is currently determined by the Government as:-           

Eligibility

Your eligibility depends on:

• if you are working
• your income (and your partner’s income, if you have one)
• your child’s age and circumstances
• your immigration status

You can get 30 hours free childcare at the same time as claiming Universal Credit, tax credits, childcare vouchers or Tax-Free Childcare.

If you are working

You can usually get 30 hours free childcare if you (and your partner, if you have one) are:

• in work
• on sick leave or annual leave
• on shared parental, maternity, paternity or adoption leave

If you’re on adoption leave for a child aged 3 to 4 years old, you must return to work within 31 days of the date you first apply for 30 hours free childcare for that child.

If you are not currently working

You may still be eligible if your partner is working, and you get Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer’s Allowance or contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance.

You can apply if you’re starting or re-starting work within the next 31 days.

Your income

You’ll need to expect to earn a certain amount over the next 3 months. This is at least the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week on average.

For example, over the next 3 months you expect to earn at least £1,853.28 – the National Living Wage for people over 23.

If you have a partner, they’ll need to expect to earn at least this much too.

If you or your partner are temporarily earning less than this amount because of coronavirus, you may still be eligible. You must be furloughed through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme or claiming a Self-Employment Income Support Scheme grant to qualify.

If you’re self-employed and do not expect to make enough profit in the next 3 months, you can use an average of how much you expect to make over the current tax year.

This earnings limit does not apply if you’re self-employed and started your business less than 12 months ago.

If you or your partner have an expected ‘adjusted net income’ over £100,000 in the current tax year you will not be eligible. This includes any bonuses you expect to get.

Your adjusted net income is your total taxable income before any personal allowances and minus things like Gift Aid.

Your child

You will not be eligible if your child does not usually live with you.

If you foster your child, you cannot use the online application to get 30 hours free childcare. Speak to your social worker and your local authority if you want to apply.

Your immigration status

To be eligible for 30 hours free childcare, you (or your partner if you have one) must have a National Insurance number and at least one of the following:

• British or Irish citizenship
• settled or pre-settled status
• permission to access public funds – your UK residence card will tell you if you cannot do this

When to apply

You can apply from when your child is 2 years and 36 weeks old.

You can apply outside of these recommended dates but you might not receive your code in time. You must have a valid code by the end of the month before a new term starts.

Check with your childcare provider to find out the exact date your 30 hours free childcare starts.

You have to reconfirm your eligibility every 3 months. If you apply more than 3 months before the term starts, you’ll have to reconfirm your eligibility in your account in order to keep your code valid.

Apply

Apply online for 30 hours free childcare.

If you are applying for 30 hours and someone else already claims Tax-Free Childcare for that child, your application will be unsuccessful.

If you have a partner

You must include your partner in your application if you are:

• married or in a civil partnership and live together
• not married or in a civil partnership, but living together as though you are

Their employment and income will not affect your eligibility if they:

• are or will be absent from your household for more than 6 months
• are a prisoner

You and your partner cannot both have accounts for the same child.

If you are separated

You and your ex-partner need to decide who should apply if you are jointly responsible for your child.

If you cannot decide, both of you must apply separately and HMRC will decide who gets a childcare account.

After you’ve applied

Once your application has been approved, you’ll get a code for 30 hours free childcare to give to your childcare provider.