Can I get 30 hours free childcare?

For working parents in England with a child aged 9 months up to school age.

Applies to: England Last checked against official sources: 6 October 2026

You may get 30 hours free childcare a week through Free Childcare for Working Parents if your child is 9 months to 4 years old and you live in England.

You (and your partner) must be working, or about to start a job, and earn over a set amount.
You can apply from when your child is 23 weeks old.
You'll get an 11-digit code to give your provider.
Confirm your details every 3 months to keep it.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different schemes.

Different in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Rules may be different in:

Scotland: Check mygov.scot for Scotland
Wales: Check gov.wales for Wales
Northern Ireland: Check nidirect for Northern Ireland

Key facts

Children 9 months to 4 years
England only
Reconfirm every 3 months

What you get

Free Childcare for Working Parents gives eligible families in England up to 30 hours of free childcare a week, for 38 weeks of the year. That is 1,140 hours a year. It covers children aged 9 months up to school age.

Pattern	Hours a week	Weeks a year	Total
Term time	30	38	1,140 hours
Stretched (if your provider offers it)	about 22.8	50	1,140 hours

It must be with an approved childcare provider, such as a nursery, childminder, playscheme or school.

Who can get 30 hours free childcare

You (and your partner, if you have one) must each be working, or about to start work, and expect to earn at least a minimum amount over the next 3 months.

Your age	Minimum over 3 months (2026/27)	Weekly equivalent
21 or over	£2,643.68	£203.36
18 to 20	£2,256.80	£173.60
Under 18 or an apprentice	£1,664	£128

You will not qualify if:

you or your partner expect adjusted net income over £100,000 this tax year
your child does not usually live with you

You (and your partner, if you have one) also need a National Insurance number. The person who applies must be British or Irish, have settled or pre-settled status (or be waiting for a decision on an application for it), or have permission to use public funds.

Special cases:

You still count as working if you are on sick leave, annual leave or parental leave.
If you are self-employed and started less than 12 months ago, you can earn less and still qualify.
If only one of you works, you may still qualify if the other gets certain carer or disability benefits, such as Carer's Allowance.

When to apply

You can apply once your child is 23 weeks old. Apply by the deadline for the term you want to start.

Child turns 9 months between	Can start from	Apply by
1 September and 31 December	1 January	31 December
1 January and 31 March	1 April	31 March
1 April and 31 August	1 September	31 August

How to apply

Apply online through a childcare account on GOV.UK.
If you are eligible, you get an 11-digit code.
Give the code to your childcare provider.
Sign in to your childcare account every 3 months to confirm you are still eligible.

Extra charges

Providers may charge for meals, nappies, extra hours and trips. If you do not want to pay for extras, your provider should agree another arrangement. You still keep your free hours.

Other help

You may also be able to get Tax-Free Childcare or help with childcare costs through Universal Credit. You can use either of these alongside the free hours, but you cannot get Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit childcare at the same time.

If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

This scheme is for England only. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different schemes. In Scotland, funded early learning and childcare is available for 3 to 5 year olds and some 2 year olds.

Related guides

Where this comes from

Get it done

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

Apply for free childcare

Common questions

Can I get Tax-Free Childcare too?

Possibly. HMRC checks when you apply. You can't get both Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit childcare.

Do I need a National Insurance number?

Yes, you need one to apply.

Source: Free Childcare for Working Parents

Checked against GOV.UK on 6 October 2026

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