Apply for 30 hours childcare for your 3 or 4-year old

The 30 hours scheme is usually taken as 30 hours of childcare or early education for 38 weeks of the year (1,140 hours in total). This lines up with school term times.

You don’t have to use all the 30 hours if you don’t need them.

Most people use the 30 hours of funded childcare per week during term times. This equates to the 38 weeks entitlement so it will not cover the school holidays.

If you need more hours, or need them to last more than 38 weeks of the year, you could:

1. Choose to take fewer hours per week but over more weeks of the year. This is called a ‘stretched’ offer and can be over 45, 47, or 51 weeks of the year. Check with your childcare provider to see if they offer this and when.
2. Pay for additional hours. Tax-Free Childcare can help you pay for these hours. For every £8 you pay in, the government will pay in £2.

If your child is starting in Reception in September, their funding will stop at the end of the Summer Term funding period. If you’re stretching your hours this will be in August and there will be a gap between your funding hours wending and your child starting school.

Please speak to your chosen early years provider for full details and dates.

If you need to pay for extra hours, Tax-Free Childcare can help you do this. For every £8 you pay in, the government will pay in £2.