Childcare

Available to eligible working parents of children from 9 months to 4 years. 

Apply on the Best Start in Life website.

Up to 30 hours of funded childcare support over 38 weeks of the year for children aged between 9 months and 4 years old 

Some providers will allow you to ‘stretch’ the hours over more weeks, using fewer hours per week

Can be used flexibly with one or more childcare providers. 

Children can take their entitlement from the funding period after they turn 9 months.   

• 1 April to 31 August - funded place in autumn term.
• 1 September to 31 December - funded place in spring term.
• 1 January to 31 March - funded place in summer term. 

Parents must register for the working families entitlement on the Best Start in Life website the funding period before they want to start taking their entitlement. The deadlines for applying are:

• Summer term - 31 March
• Autumn term - 31August
• Spring term - 31 December

Guidance for parents

• Please apply in advance as information may be requested to support you application.
• Eligible families will receive a code that they can take to their preferred childcare provider to arrange a funded place.      
• Parents must provide the code to their childcare provider for verification, before a child can take up their entitlement.
• Families must renew their codes to remain eligible for the funding and must have a valid code on 1 September 2025 to receive funding in autumn term 2025.
• Parents will need to reconfirm that their details are up to date through their childcare account (or through the Coucil for foster parents).
• Children must be attending their childcare place by 2 October 2025 to receive the funded place in autumn term.
• Eligible parents should continue to apply for, and reconfirm, their eligibility code even if they are not currently accessing their entitlement.  

Parents of 2 year olds who become ineligible for the Working Families childcare hours, may be eligible for the 15 hours for 2 year olds receiving additional support. Check if you are eligible using the Citizen Portal. 

Call the Childcare Service helpline on 0300 123 4097 if: 

• you disagree with the eligibility outcome as determined by HMRC and want to use the review and appeals process.
• you have experienced technical issues with your online account, which may have impacted your working parents childcare entitlement application.   

If you are not satisfied with the way your child has received their free place you can use our complaints procedure.

30 hours childcare for working families - Foster Carers

Foster carers may be eligible for the working families entitlements if 

• it is consistent with the child’s care plan;
• foster carers are in paid employment outside of the fostering role. 

Foster parents should apply directly to the Council and should start by discussing this with their social worker at the earliest opportunity.  

Applications must be made the term before you want to access the funded hours.  

For foster parents, who are unhappy about decisions made by the local authority, then the foster parents should seek resolution through their social worker or though the local authority complaints process.