Pre school
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https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ will provide you tailored info depending on your circumstances. But this is the jist... From 9 months currently it's 15 hours (or really 12 if your child will go to nursery all year round and not just term time), in Sept it'll up to 30 term time/24 full time. To qualify you have to be earning £183+ pre tax a week. If you don't already have a place at a nursery it's best to get looking ASAP. It varies around the country but I signed my LO up when I was 12 weeks pregnant as it's so hard to get a place at my local nursery.
Also FYI even if you get free hours there are likely to be fees still. For my nursery we have to pay a daily fee for activities and consumables of about £25 plus food which we can bring ourselves if we want.
As above. The hours are funded, not free. Therefore if a nursery charges £9 per hour but the government only funds £6 ph, you will need to still pay a £3 ph top up. Additionally many nursery’s charge for meals and activities etc.
You’ll get 30 hours from September. If you need to send them before that, you’ll have to pay