In September 2025, the UK government will fully expand its childcare support, offering eligible working parents 30 hours additional support per week for children under 5.

This extension of the current offer aims to make childcare more accessible and affordable for working families, helping them balance professional and family life.

What’s Changing?

The existing universal 15-hour support for 3-4-year-olds will remain.

2-year-old disadvantage funding will also remain.

But with the new policy, parents of children 9 month to 5 years old could be eligible for 30 hours additional support by September 2025 helping to provide increased flexibility.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for this entitlement, both parents (or sole parent in a single parent household) in the household must work at least 16 hours per week at the National Minimum or Living Wage, though exceptions may apply for families on maternity or paternity leave. There are also upper income limits; for detailed eligibility information, visit the Childcare Choices website e.g. Families with a combined income of more than £100,000 annually will not be eligible for this additional support.

How to Apply

To access these hours, parents must meet certain criteria, including work hours and income limits. For more details, visit the government’s Childcare Choices website to confirm eligibility and explore the registration process.

Parents must re-confirm their eligibility code on the government website every 3 months to keep their funding entitlement.

Once Parents and Carers are given a code, this must be shared with the preschool along with Parents National Insurance and Date of Birth. We can then apply for the funding and your child can start their extra hours the term after (September, January or April).

Additional Support.

• Tax-Free Childcare: For every £8 you pay into your childcare account, the government adds £2, up to £2,000 per child per year.
• Universal Credit Childcare Costs: Eligible families can claim back up to 85% of childcare costs, up to a certain limit.

For information on all available childcare support and to stay updated on the latest changes, visit the Childcare Choices website.

Remember

Full implementation, where parents of all children under 5 can claim 30 hours, will take place in September 2025. These expansions are aimed to make childcare more accessible and help ease the financial burden of childcare cost making it more affordable, supporting parents in balancing work and family commitments.

Do not forget to re-apply for your additional support every 3 months.