Thousands of working parents of younger children will be able to access more free hours of childcare from this September as a major scheme expands again. Under current rules, parents of nine-month-olds and two-year-olds can now access 15 hours of free childcare a week if they meet certain criteria.
This will rise to 30 hours of free childcare from September 2025. For parents with children in these age ranges, you must be in work and earning the equivalent of the national minimum wage or for 16 hours a week, on average, but less than £100,000 a year, to qualify for free childcare. This applies to both parents if you’re in a couple.
All parents of three and four-year-olds are entitled to 15 hours free childcare a week as standard, regardless of whether they are in work. Working parents with children of these ages can claim the full 30 hours if they meet the earnings criteria.
Free childcare hours are usually taken over 38 weeks to cover term time, but you can normally spread it out to cover more weeks by using fewer hours a week. The free hours must be used with a registered childcare minder, such as some private nurseries or state-run pre-schools.
The rules above apply to England. There are separate free childcare systems in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. You have to register for free childcare through GOV.UK with your National Insurance number or if you’re self-employed, your Unique Taxpayer Reference.
You will also need the UK birth certificate reference number of any children you’re applying for and the date you started, or are due to start, work. If you are married or in a civil partnership, or living together as though you are, then you must include your partner in your application.
Once your application is approved, you will receive a code to give to your childcare provider. HMRC will check you are eligible for free childcare by using your PAYE records.
Anita Naik, Savings Expert at VoucherCodes.co.uk, said: “Lots of parents don’t realise they’re missing out on helpful government support. If your child is over nine months old, you may be entitled to claim 15 hours a week of funded childcare. And from September 2025, eligible working parents in England will be able to access 30 hours of funded childcare a week.“
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Parents can get up to £500 every three months – or £2,000 a year – for each of your children through the tax-free childcare scheme. For disabled children, the maximum amount you could get is £4,000 a year.
The tax-free childcare scheme allows parents to pay into an online account, and the Government will then add a certain amount on top. For every £8 you pay into your online account, you’ll get a free £2 added on by the government, up to the limits we mentioned above.
This money must then be spent on a registered childcare provider. You need to be earning at least the minimum wage, for the equivalent of 16 hours a week – the same goes for your partner if you have one. Self-employed workers are also eligible if they earn this amount too.
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