Help with childcare costs
Childcare can be costly and eat into your family budget. From September 2025, all eligible working parents of children aged from nine months up to school age in England are able to access 30 hours free childcare for 38 weeks a term (term-time) when using an approved childcare provider registered with Ofsted.
Check if you're eligible
The amount of free childcare you can get through Free Childcare for Working Parents depends on:
- your child’s age and circumstances
- whether you’re working (employed, self-employed, or a director)
- your income (and your partner’s income, if you have one)
- your immigration status
You will not be eligible if either:
- your child does not usually live with you
- you or your partner have an expected adjusted net income of over £100,000 in the current tax year
Applying for 30 hours childcare
