Free Child Care Hours

They need to be 9 months before the term to get the funding. My girl is 6 days out and we have to wait until September for the funding 🙃😩

It’s not free, it’s funded. So there will be a cost still. It’s also the term after they’re 9 months (think of it as school terms)

@Emily hi, what do you mean the term after they turn 9 Months? x

@Chloe you can get funding starting jan, apr or sept, so for example if they turned 9 months after 1st jan, you wouldn’t be able to start receiving the funding til april, you don’t automatically get the 15 hours as soon as they turn 9 months x

If baby turns 9 months before 1st April, you will get the 15 hours from the start. If it’s after 1st April, you will have to wait until September for the hours but it is increasing to 30 hours at that point. My son turned 9 months in January but he’s not entitled to the 15 hours until April as that is the start of the Summer term.

In order to get the funded hours from 1st April, your little one would have needed to have turned 9months by 31st March. If they turn 9 months in April you won’t be able to claim until September when the next term starts. My LB turns 9 months on 3rd April so we miss out by 3 days 😭

It also depends on when you're returning to work too. Returning... May - September then eligible from September October - January then eligible from January February - April then eligible from April. It'll be whichever is latest, so if baby turns 9mo in March but you don't return to work until May then baby won't be eligible until September.

Can you use this funding only for nursery? Or can it be used towards nanny’s as well?

Looking at your profile you aren’t due until June so I’m assuming you are thinking of 2026. A June baby would be 9 months before 31st March so would qualify for the April term. This is all current rules and the hours should be increasing soon but could change again by the time your baby would need it

@Thamina they have to be ofsted registered to qualify for the funding I believe