Who can get funded childcare

What you can get

You may be able to get 15 or 30 hours of funded early education and childcare per week for up to 38 weeks a year.

What you get depends on your child’s age and your family’s situation.

If you need more hours, you might be able to get support.

See Need more than the funded hours? for options like Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit.

Not sure where to start?
Try the government's to explore your options.
Just enter details like your child's age and it'll show you what support you might get.

Funding for all 3 and 4 year olds

All 3 and 4 year olds get 15 hours of funded early education and childcare a week for up to 38 weeks a year.

Some providers offer a stretched option (fewer hours per week over more weeks).

It starts on the first funded period after your child's third birthday. These start on 1 January, 1 April or 1 September.

How to get the funding

You don’t need to apply – just:

use our to find a local provider with places
speak to the provider to check if they can offer a place – they'll claim the funding
show your child’s ID (birth certificate or passport)
complete a declaration form each funded period – your provider will give this to you. If they don't, ask them.

Claiming funding does not affect your benefits.

3 and 4 year olds who move to England can get the funding. They do not need British citizenship and qualify even with no recourse to public funds.

If you're a working family and you qualify, you can get an extra 15 hours on top of the 15 hours for all 3 and 4 year olds. See the section '9 months on - working families' below to find out how to apply.

Funding for some families

If you’re working, you may get funded hours for up to 38 weeks a year.

9 months to 2 years - 15 hours a week (rising to 30 hours in September)
3 and 4 year olds - 30 hours a week (an extra 15 hours on top of the 15 hours for all 3 and 4 year olds).

Find out about childcare for working families

Some 2 year olds can get 15 hours of funded early education and childcare a week, for up to 38 weeks a year.

In ��, this is called funded early education for two year olds – or FEET.

You may qualify if:

you get certain benefits or government help
your child gets Disability Living Allowance or has an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan
you’ve moved to the UK and can’t claim benefits
your child is looked after by �� or has left care

About FEET funding and how to apply

It’s normal to have questions or worries - our Early education: what parents ask page can help.

All 3 and 4 year olds get 15 hours funding automatically.

You can also apply for 15 hours of FEET funding for 2 year olds. (see above)

You may qualify for funded hours for working families if both:

It supports the child’s care plan
You have paid work outside of fostering

Foster carers use a different process to apply for funded hours for working families.

How to apply

Talk to your foster child’s social worker before you apply.

If the funding helps with the child’s care plan, the social worker will let you know.

Then email the early years commissioning team to find out what to do next.

Email: eycommissioningteam@surreycc.gov.uk

If you're studying, you might be able to get help with childcare costs.

You could get:

– for students in further education
– for students in further education
– for students training to be health professionals
– for students in higher education
– for students in higher education
– for help with costs while studying

These schemes can help pay for childcare while you study. What you get depends on your course, your age and your situation.

You might get help with your National Insurance record if you care for a child while their parent works.

This is called Specified Adult Childcare Credits. It helps you get credits towards your State Pension.

You must be:

a family member (like a grandparent, aunt or uncle)
caring for a child under 12
not already getting National Insurance credits for something else

The child’s parent must be working and getting Child Benefit.

Find out

Need more than the funded hours?

If you need more than the funded hours, there's help to buy extra hours. You can combine funded hours with:

Universal Credit childcare

For families claiming Universal Credit with children 0 to 16.
Claim back up to 85% of eligible childcare costs.

Tax-Free Childcare

For working families, including self-employed.
Get up to £2,000 per child aged 0 to 11 (or 16 if disabled) per year.

Childcare vouchers and Tax-Free Childcare

You can’t apply for childcare vouchers anymore. The government has replaced the scheme with Tax-Free Childcare.

If you already get childcare vouchers, you can keep using them. You don’t have to switch to Tax-Free Childcare.

Would I be better off using Tax-Free Childcare?

It depends on things like how much you earn, how much you pay for childcare and how old your children are.

You can use the to compare the schemes. It gives you an estimate to help you decide what’s best for you.

If you get Tax-Free Childcare, you must tell your employer within 90 days. They’ll stop giving you new vouchers.

Introduction

Using your funded childcare hours

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