Menu
Save, make, understand money

Household Bills

Childcare scheme extended: Can you apply?

Childcare scheme extended: Can you apply?
Emma Lunn
Written By:
Posted:
13/05/2024
Updated:
13/05/2024

Childcare applications for working parents of nine-month-olds are now open, with the extra 15 hours per week of state-funded childcare kicking in from September 2024.

Working parents whose children will be aged between nine and 23 months old on 31 August 2024 can apply for their Government-funded childcare code via the childcare service, which they then take to their chosen childcare provider to validate.

Parents with a preferred provider are urged to speak to them directly about a place for September. Any who are struggling to find a place should contact their local authority, who will be able to help them find a provider in their area.

Parents on parental leave or starting a new job by the end of September 2024 can apply for their childcare code 16 weeks before returning to work, extended from the original period of 31 days.

These parents are urged to apply online via the childcare service and will receive a letter in the post within 1-2 weeks, enabling them to get their code well in advance of provider deadlines.

The application system requires parents to reconfirm their eligibility every three months, so parents new to the system who apply before 1 June will need to reconfirm their code prior to the offer starting in September.

Sponsored

How life insurance can benefit your health and wellbeing over the decades

Sponsored by Post Office

Parents can check their eligibility before applying at gov.uk or through the online eligibility checker tool at childcarechoices.gov.uk.

‘Over 210,000 families’ have been helped

This latest move is the second step in the Government’s long-term plan to expand free childcare provision. By September 2025, support will increase to 30 Government-funded hours per week, which the Government says will save families an average of £6,900 per year.

Gillian Keegan, education secretary, said: “Last month, we successfully delivered on our promise to expand free childcare to two-year-olds, with over 210,000 families now feeling the benefits.

“Last year, just two-thirds of local authorities felt confident they could deliver the roll-out for April, but with our support, 100% have done so.

“That was only the beginning, and we will continue to support the sector so that every eligible parent can access the high-quality childcare they deserve.”

Expansion of the free childcare scheme

In the March 2023 Budget, the Government announced the “largest-ever expansion of free childcare”, offering up to 30 hours per week of funded term-time care to all children in working families in England from the age of nine months by September 2025.

Currently, eligible working parents of three- and four-year-olds can access 30 hours of childcare support.

Since April, working parents have been able to get 15 hours’ free childcare per week for two-year-olds. Registrations for this part of the scheme began in January, but many parents reported problems with obtaining a code, while others claimed their early years setting wouldn’t accept them.

So far, it appears that these issues have now been ironed out, with registrations for the scheme for nine-month-olds working as planned.

The Government is continuing to work closely with local authorities to deliver the roll-out, including allocating £100m of capital investment and an additional £12m of delivery support.