15 hours childcare for all children aged 3 to 4 years
All children aged 3 to 4 years old can get 570 free hours per year, starting from the school term after your child’s 3rd birthday. It’s usually taken as 15 hours a week for 38 weeks of the year. You can choose to take fewer hours over more weeks, if your childcare provider offers this option.
An eligibility code is not required for this universal offer.
How to apply
To apply for funded hours for your child at a private, voluntary or independent provider please contact them direct.
To apply for a nursery attached to a school please download an application form
Further information
To find out how this offer works, visit Best Start in Life
If you have any queries, please contact your childcare provider or the Family Information Service.
Additional funding
Funding may be available to support individual children and raise the quality of childcare that a childcare provider can offer: