Urgent Notice: Parents Thousands in Number Urged to Retrieve Childcare Assistance Code Before Crucial Deadline Approaches in a Matter of Weeks
Working Parents in England Can Apply for Up to 30 Hours of Free Childcare
Working parents in England can apply for up to 30 hours of free childcare per week for their children aged nine months to four years. This scheme is available for families who meet the eligibility criteria.
Application Process
To apply for the free childcare, parents can visit the GOV.UK website or the Childcare Choices portal. New applicants must submit their details and receive the eligibility code before starting childcare.
For children aged 9 months to 2 years, the free childcare will be available from September 2025. If a child turns nine months old between April 1 and August 31, the parent must apply by August 31 to get free childcare starting in September.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the 30-hour scheme, both parents must earn at least £166 per week (equal to working 16 hours at minimum wage) and no more than £100,000 per year. If one parent in the household earns over £60,000 per year, a portion of the benefit must be repaid.
Renewal and Deadlines
Eligibility must be reconfirmed (renewed) every three months. HMRC sends an email reminder about four weeks before each deadline to log in and reconfirm eligibility. The deadline to apply or renew the childcare code is August 31.
Childcare Providers
Once approved, parents will receive an 11-digit code to give their childcare provider as proof of eligibility. Some childcare providers ask for codes before the August 31 deadline, so it's best to apply as soon as possible.
Additional Details
The free childcare stops when the child enters reception class or reaches compulsory school age, whichever is later. The government funding does not cover extras like meals, nappies, or additional hours, so providers may charge for these separately, but charges cannot be mandatory for accessing funded hours.
If circumstances change and the family no longer meets eligibility criteria, a grace period applies, usually until the end of the current term, allowing continued use of the 30 hours temporarily.
Child Benefit
In addition to the free childcare, parents in the UK can apply for child benefit to help with the costs of raising a child. Eligibility for child benefit is for parents responsible for a child under 16 or under 20 in approved education or training. To apply, parents must set up a childcare account online and apply via GOV.UK or the HMRC app.
Parents can still get 15 free hours per week for all 3 and 4-year-olds, starting from the term after their third birthday until they begin school. This does not affect the benefits.
[1] - Source: GOV.UK [3] - Source: Childcare Choices [5] - Source: MoneySavingExpert.com
- To make their personal-finance management more efficient, working parents in England might consider applying for the Child Benefit, in addition to their access to up to 30 hours of free childcare per week, as a method to help with the costs of raising a child.
- In order to continue receiving the government-funded 30 hours of free childcare, parents need to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria, including earning at least £166 per week, and reconfirm their eligibility every three months, a process that requires them to renew their eligibility code on the Childcare Choices portal or via the HMRC app.
