9 months to 4 year olds - Funded Working Parent Entitlement

For children aged 9 months to *4 years. Eligible working parents could receive for 30 hours of early education funding from when their child turns 9 months old.

Families could get up to 1140 hours per year, normally taken as:

• 30 hours of early education for 38 weeks,
• 'Stretch’ funding by taking fewer hours per week but over more weeks of the year. Not all childcare providers can supply this offer, so check with your provider.

*Some children will access 15 hours of their entitlement through the universal 15 hours that all 3 and 4 year olds receive.

Eligibility

A working parent (and partner if there is one) could be eligible if:

• they are in work or starting a new job and over the next 3 months earn at least the equivalent to the National Minimum or Living Wage for 16 hours per week on average:
  
  • Aged 21 or over - £2,539 before tax  (equivalent to £195 per week)
  • Aged 18 to 20 - £2,080 before tax (equivalent to £160 per week)
  • Aged under 18 or an apprentice - £1,570 before tax (equivalent to £120 per week).

• If you, or your partner, are on shared parental, maternity, paternity or adoption leave.
  
  
• where one parent (in a couple household) is in receipt or could be entitled to be in receipt of specific benefits, as follows:
  • Incapacity Benefit
  • Severe Disablement Allowance
  • Carer’s Allowance
  • Limited Capability for Work Benefit
  • contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance

• a parent is in a ‘start-up period’ (such as being newly self-employed), they do not need to demonstrate that they meet the income criteria for 12 months in order to qualify for the working parent entitlement.

You will not be eligible if:  

• you or your partner have an expected adjusted net income over £100,000 in the current tax year.   

When could my child be eligible from?

From the term after turning 9 months old and a parent has successfully applied and received a code, whichever is later. Funding can start:

• From 1 April - for applications made between 1 January - 31 March 
• From 1 September - for applications made between 1 April - 31 August
• From 1 January - for applications made between 1 September - 31 December

How to apply and claim a funded place?

Parents can apply via the government website Best Start in Life who will check and confirm eligibility. Foster carers should see how to apply below.

Successful applicants will be given a code which parents must present to their childcare provider.

Funded hours can be accessed at most childcare providers, such as:

• childminders,
• pre-schools,
• nurseries - both private and school run.
• some out of school clubs

Look for childcare options in your area.

Additional Support and Combining Schemes

Early Years Pupil Premium - families could receive some additional funding to support the education of their child.

Disability Access Fund - settings who have children who receive Disability Living Allowance could be eligible for some funding to make reasonable adjustments to the provision and improve access.

 Extra help with childcare costs - as well as funded hours parents could get help with additional childcare costs. This could be through Tax Free Childcare or Universal Credit.

Fosters Carers

An eligible child in foster care could be entitled to the funding based on the following criteria:

• The local authority is satisfied that a foster parent engaging in paid work (other than fostering) is consistent with the child’s care plan, placing the child at the centre of the process and decision making, and
• That in two foster parent families, both partners hold additional paid employment outside of their role as a foster carer.
• A lone (foster) parent must have additional paid employment is also outside their role as a foster carer.

Foster carers must make their application with the aid of the social worker to the Early Education and Childcare Team, do not apply to Best Start for Life.

Foster carers will be prompted every 3 months by the local authority to reconfirm their eligibility.

What happens if parents do not meet the above criteria or fall out of eligibility when accessing the working parent entitlement? 

Under 2s - who fall out of eligibility will lose their 15 hours (30 hours from Sept 2025) and will incur childcare costs. Parents can review what support they could be eligible for via Best Start for Life.
2-year-olds - could still be eligible for 15 hours of funded childcare if the family receives additional government support. See if you could be eligible on our other 2 year funding page.  This is known as Think2.
3 and 4 year olds - will still be in receipt of the universal 15 hours.

What is funding for and how can families use it?

• Frequently asked questions about how families can use and access their funded hours.

• Funded hours are to pay for a number of hours a child attends a provider for quality early education. It therefore does not cover:

  • meals
  • nappies
  • additional hours over and above the funded entitlement
  • additional activities, such as trips.

However, access to these extras must not be mandatory or a condition of accessing a funded place. Parents should speak to their childcare provider about extra services or alternative options.