All three and four year old children are currently entitled to up to 15 hours of funded childcare (570 hours per year), but in instances where both parents are working (or the parent in a single-parent family is working) some will be eligible for up to 30 hours of funded childcare (1,140 hours per year) if they meet certain criteria.
Eligibility criteria
Your child will be entitled to 30 hours childcare from the funding term after both of the following conditions are satisfied:
• Your child has reached the age of three
• You have a current confirmation of eligibility from HMRC
The eligibility criteria can be viewed on the government's childcare service website.
Applying for 30 hours childcare
Parents can apply using the online Childcare Service
If you are eligible, you will be given an 11 digit code by HMRC via the Childcare Service.
You should apply for 30 hours childcare and get your code the term before you wish to claim your child’s place. This code must be given to your childcare provider.
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When your child turns 3
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When they can get 30 hours from |
Recommended time to apply |
| 1 September to 31 December |
Term starting on or after 1 January |
15 October to 30 November |
| 1 January to 31 March |
Term starting on or after 1 April |
15 January to 28 February |
| 1 April to 31 August |
Term starting on or after 1 September |
15 June to 31 July |
You can apply outside of these recommended dates but you might not receive your code in time. If you apply more than three months before the term starts, you’ll have to reconfirm your eligibility in your account in order to keep your code valid.
If you become eligible for 30 hours part-way through the term, you can start claiming the additional hours, the funding term after you got your code.
HMRC are responsible for checking whether a parent is eligible and issuing the 11 digit code. This is not done via childcare providers or BCP Council, nor do BCP Council use any discretion to overrule entitlement decisions made via the HMRC Childcare Service (eg late applications).
Reconfirming your eligibility
You have to reconfirm your eligibility every three months. Please check your reconfirmation dates in your account.
Contact the HMRC Childcare Service helpline
Contact the HMRC Childcare Service helpline if you need help with:
- applying for 30 hours funded childcare
- using your childcare account
- applying for Tax-Free Childcare
Telephone: 0300 123 4097
Textphone: 0300 123 9232
The phone line opening hours are:
Monday to Friday: 8am to 6pm. Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.
If you've been unable to apply for or reconfirm your entitlement to 30 hours childcare or Tax-Free Childcare within the deadlines set by HMRC due to technical issues, you may be able to claim compensation.
When will my child be eligible?
As with the existing 15 hours entitlement for 3 and 4 year olds, children become eligible for the extended entitlement from the dates shown in the table below providing they have a valid eligibility code.
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Child's birthday
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When funding can start
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1 January – 31 March
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Summer term (1 April)
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1 April - 31 August
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Autumn term (1 September)
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1 September – 31 December
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Spring term (1 January)
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How can the funded hours be used?
If eligible for the 30 hours childcare, also known as the ‘extended entitlement', the 1140 hours of funded childcare can be taken across the year of entitlement, either in term times only or ‘stretched' across the year for example.
- up to 30 hours per week across 38 weeks per year (term time offer)
- up to 22 hours per week across 51 weeks of the year (‘stretched offer').
You will need to discuss the hours funded daily with your chosen provider to jointly agree the most appropriate length of time in consideration of your child's well-being. The government’s set maximum session length of 10 hours is unchanged.
Do I have to use the funded hours at the same provider?
You can split the entitlement between multiple providers, though no more than two sites in one day. You may find that your provider is going to be working in partnership with another to enable you to use the full 30 hours.
Maternity leave & statutory sick leave
Families with a working parent who is on temporary leave from work, such as maternity leave or statutory sick pay, are still considered to be in work and will be eligible for the 30 hours childcare if they meet all the criteria.
What happens if I stop working?
If either or both of the child's parents stop work at any point, after a short ‘grace period’ to support you to find a new job, the child will stop being eligible for the additional 15 hours funded childcare. This also applies to other changes to circumstances which affect eligibility. See table below:
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If parents’ eligibility status changes in the period;
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The child will continue to be funded until;
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First half of Autumn Term
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End of the Autumn Term
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Second half of the Autumn Term
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End of first half of Spring Term
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First half of the Spring Term
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End of the Spring Term
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Second half of Spring Term
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End of first half of Summer Term
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First half of Summer Term
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End of the Summer Term
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Second half of Summer Term
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Start of the Autumn Term
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Can I access the 30 Hours funded childcare for a child I foster?
Foster carers may be eligible for the extended entitlement for their own children and also claim the 30 hours childcare for children who they foster, where the foster parent(s) are engaged in paid work outside of their fostering responsibilities. Foster parents should contact their social worker to enquire about this.
Application process for prospective adoptive parents
When a previously looked-after child has been placed with the prospective adoptive parent(s) but the formal adoption order has not yet been granted by the courts, the parent(s) are no longer considered to be the child’s foster parents.
The adoption agency (i.e. the relevant local authority) must notify the prospective adopter(s) in writing of the date on which the child is placed for adoption with them (this is the adoption placement order).
If they wish to apply for the working parent entitlement, these prospective adopter(s) must then apply through the online Childcare Service rather than via the local authority as they can no longer apply via the foster parent route. If they do not hold the child’s birth certificate, they can provide HMRC with the adoption placement order from the adoption agency during the application process.
As with other parents, they must meet the eligibility criteria for the working parent entitlement, including the minimum income requirement and the requirement to reconfirm via the Childcare Service every 3 months. This remains the same when the adoption order is granted by the court.
Special Education Needs or Disability (SEND)
Each provider, under the SEND Code of Practice must provide information about how they support children with SEND.
Information can be found on each providers individual service details under the `SEND Local Offer' tab.
Find childcare and get further help
Use the Family Information Directory to search for local early years and childcare providers.
If you need help finding childcare or accessing childcare funding, contact the Family Information Service on 01202 093131 or email familyinformation@bcpcouncil.gov.uk and we'll be happy to help.