Get free childcare if you're working

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Overview

You may be able to get free childcare if your child is aged 9 months to 4 years old and you live in England.

There are:

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

You can get up to 30 hours of free childcare a week.

The childcare must be provided by a registered provider, such as a registered nursery, playscheme or school. This is known as ‘approved childcare’.

Who can get free childcare

To be eligible for free childcare, you (and your partner, if you have one) need to be in work or about to start a new job and earn over a certain amount.

You’ll need a National Insurance number to apply. 

You can use a calculator to check how much help you could get with childcare costs.

When to apply

You can apply for 30 hours of free childcare from when your child is 23 weeks old.

Check the deadlines for applying.

How to apply 

To apply you’ll need to set up a childcare account. 

If your application is approved, you’ll get an 11-digit code that proves you’re eligible to get free childcare. You’ll need to give this code to your childcare provider.

If you’re already getting 15 hours of free childcare

You’ll automatically get 30 hours of free childcare from September, as long as you’re still eligible. You’ll need to confirm your details are up to date in the usual way and give the code to your childcare provider.

Confirm your details are correct

To keep getting free childcare, you must confirm your details are up to date by signing in to your childcare account every 3 months.

Other help you may be able to get

As well as getting free childcare if you’re working, you may be able to get either:

HMRC will check if you’re eligible for Tax-Free Childcare when you apply for free childcare if you’re working.

You cannot get both Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit childcare at the same time. 

View a printable version of the whole guide

Part of Get childcare: step by step

  1. Step 1 Find out if you can get help with childcare costs

    1. Check what help you could get with childcare costs

    You can only get help with 'approved childcare'.

    1. Find out what 'approved childcare' is

  2. and Find where you can get childcare

    1. Find a nursery school place
    2. Find a registered childminder
    3. Search for free early education and childcare

  3. Step 2 Get help paying for childcare

    You can get help with childcare costs for children under 18. You might be able to apply for:

    You could also get free childcare when your child is aged 9 months to 4 years. You might be able to apply for:

    You can only get childcare vouchers if you have already joined a scheme.

    1. Check the rules for childcare vouchers

  4. Step 3 Check what to do if your circumstances change

    Tell government straight away if your circumstances change and you're getting:

    If you're getting free childcare if you're working or Tax-Free Childcare you have to confirm if your details are up to date every 3 months.

    1. Sign into your childcare account to find out when you next have to check your details

    Your eligibility for support with childcare costs might also change.

    1. Check if your eligibility for help with childcare costs has changed

  5. Step 4 Check what to do when your child reaches school age

    1. Apply for a primary school place
    2. Find before and after school and holiday clubs

    You might be able to use help like tax credits or Tax-Free Childcare to pay for childcare like wraparound care, after school clubs or other activities.