How to Apply for Nursery Funded Hours in England

Parents of young children in England may be entitled to free early education and childcare through the government-funded hours scheme. The number of free hours you receive depends on your child’s age and your personal circumstances.

This guide explains who is eligible, how to apply, and includes local authority links for parents across England.

Who Is Eligible for Free Childcare in England?

All 3 and 4-Year-Olds

All families in England are entitled to 15 hours a week of free early education for 38 weeks per year (570 hours total) from the term after their child turns 3 until they start school.

Working Families – 30 Hours Funding

Working parents of 3 and 4-year-olds may be eligible for an additional 15 hours (30 in total) if:

• You earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours per week at the National Minimum or Living Wage

• You (and your partner, if applicable) earn less than £100,000 per year

• You live and work in England

Apply via your Childcare Choices account.

Some 2-Year-Olds

You may qualify for 15 hours of free childcare for your 2-year-old if you:

• Receive certain income-based benefits (e.g. Universal Credit, Income Support)

• Have a household income below £16,190 and receive Working Tax Credit

• Have a child with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan or receive Disability Living Allowance

• Are a care leaver or your child is adopted, looked after or under a special guardianship order

Use the Childcare Choices eligibility checker to confirm.

New Funded Hours for Babies from September 2025

From September 2025, the government is expanding funded childcare hours to cover younger children:

• From 9 months old: Working families will be entitled to 15 hours of funded childcare, starting the term after their baby turns 9 months old.

• By September 2025: Eligible working families will be able to access 30 hours of funded childcare per week from 9 months old until starting school.

The rollout is phased, and parents must meet similar working and income eligibility criteria as the current 30-hour offer.

Learn more at Childcare Choices.

How to Apply for Nursery Funded Hours in Your Council Area

Step-by-Step Application Guide

1. Check Your Eligibility
   Use Childcare Choices to check what you’re entitled to and apply for a 30-hour eligibility code if required.

2. Find a Registered Childcare Provider
   Use Nuuri to search for high-quality nurseries in your area. Only Ofsted-registered providers approved by your local council can offer funded hours.

3. Contact Your Provider or Local Authority
   Each council may have slightly different application processes. Most require you to provide proof of your eligibility code and child’s information.

4. Submit Your Code and Documents
   You’ll typically need:

   • Your 30-hour code (if applicable)

   • Your child’s date of birth and address

   • National Insurance number and parental ID

5. Renew Every 3 Months
   If you're receiving 30 hours, you must reconfirm eligibility through your Childcare Choices account every three months.

Flexible Hours & Additional Costs

• You can stretch your hours across the full year (e.g., 22 hours/week for 51 weeks)

• Extra charges may apply for meals, nappies, or additional activities

• Some providers offer wraparound care at a fee

Important Notes for Parents

• Apply Early: Applications for the next term close well in advance (usually the end of the previous term)

• Don’t Miss Renewals: You could lose your 30 hours if you don’t reconfirm in time

How to Apply for Nursery Funded Hours in Your Council Area

We’ve listed links to each council website below so you can find specific application guidance:

Barking and Dagenham | Barnet | Barnsley | Bath and North East Somerset | Bedford | Bexley | Birmingham | Blackburn with Darwen | Blackpool | Bolton | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council | Bracknell Forest Council | Bradford Council | Brent Council | Brighton & Hove City Council | Bristol City Council | Buckinghamshire Council | Calderdale Council | Cambridgeshire County Council | Camden Council | Central Bedfordshire Council | Cheshire East Council | Cheshire West and Chester Council | Cornwall Council | County Durham Council | Coventry City Council | Croydon Council | Cumberland Council | Darlington Borough Council | Derby City Council | Derbyshire County Council | Devon County Council | Doncaster Council | Dorset Council | Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council | East Riding of Yorkshire Council | East Sussex County Council | Essex County Council | Gateshead Council | Gloucestershire County Council | Hackney Council | Halton Borough Council | Hammersmith and Fulham Council | Hampshire County Council | Haringey Council | Harrow Council | Hartlepool Borough Council | Havering | Herefordshire | Hillingdon | Hounslow | Isle of Wight | Islington | Kensington and Chelsea | Kent | Kingston upon Thames | Kirklees | Knowsley | Lambeth | Lancashire | Leeds | Leicester | Leicestershire | Lewisham | Lincolnshire | Liverpool | London Borough of Bromley | London Borough of Enfield | Luton | Manchester | Medway | Merton | Middlesbrough | Milton Keynes | Newcastle upon Tyne | Newham | Norfolk | North East Lincolnshire | North Lincolnshire | North Northamptonshire | North Somerset | North Tyneside | North Yorkshire | Northumberland | Nottingham | Nottinghamshire | Oldham | Oxfordshire | Peterborough | Plymouth | Portsmouth | Reading | Redbridge | Redcar and Cleveland | Richmond upon Thames | Rochdale | Rotherham | Royal Borough of Greenwich | Rutland | Salford | Sandwell | Sefton | Sheffield | Shropshire | Slough | Solihull | Somerset | South Gloucestershire | South Tyneside | Southampton | Southend-on-Sea | Southwark | St Helens | Staffordshire | Stockport | Stockton-on-Tees | Stoke-on-Trent | Suffolk | Sunderland | Surrey | Sutton | Swindon | Tameside | Telford and Wrekin | Thurrock | Torbay | Tower Hamlets | Trafford | Wakefield | Walsall | Waltham Forest | Wandsworth | Warrington | Warwickshire | West Berkshire | West Northamptonshire | West Sussex | Westminster | Wigan | Wiltshire | Windsor and Maidenhead | Wirral | Wokingham | Wolverhampton | Worcestershire | York

For all your need-to-know nursery advice, visit our Nuuri Advice Hub.

Start your nursery search today with Nuuri: www.nuuri.co.uk