Apply for 30 hours childcare for your 3 or 4-year old
When to take up 30 hours childcare
If you’ve applied for 30 hours and been accepted you’ll get a code. Take your sign up code to your chosen childcare provider as soon as possible so they can verify it and confirm your childcare place.
| You’ll need to verify your code before | To take up 30 hours from |
|---|---|
31 March |
April (the Summer term) |
31 August |
September (the Autumn term) |
31 December |
January (the Spring term) |
Tip: make sure you sign up and verify your code in good time and before the deadlines if you can.
The scheme can only be used at ‘approved childcare’ providers participating in the scheme.
These could be:
- registered childminder, playscheme, nursery or club
- childminder registered with a childminder agency
- maintained school or academy
Once your child is attending a reception class within a maintained school or academy this is your total free entitlement and you must not make a claim from another provider.
You may want to add a few providers to a shortlist to help you decide which is best for your child and which have spaces. You are not guaranteed a place at any one provider.