# UK Childcare Funding Tools — 15/30 Hours & Tax-Free | Clever Mum > UK childcare funding toolkit: 30 hours for working parents, universal 15 hours, Tax-Free Childcare, and which GOV.UK calculators to run first. * [ Home ](/) * › [ Family ](/family/) * › UK Childcare Funding Tools: 15/30 Hours, Tax-Free & Calculators Family # UK Childcare Funding Tools: 15/30 Hours, Tax-Free & Calculators [ CD ](/authors/claire-dunn/) By [ Claire Dunn ](/authors/claire-dunn/) · Money & Deals Editor Published 11 August 2026 Quick answer — Do eligible working parents really get 30 hours from 9 months? In England, eligible working parents can get 30 funded hours a week for children aged 9 months to 4 (38 weeks a year). All 3–4s still get 15 universal hours. Tax-Free Childcare adds £2 per £8 paid in (up to £2,000 per child a year). Start with the GOV.UK childcare calculator, then apply via your childcare account — and reconfirm every 3 months or the code stops. Who should skip this Skip this if you need wraparound or HAF holiday clubs — use that page. This is the GOV.UK tools hub for funded hours and Tax-Free Childcare. Links marked * are partner links. If you click one and buy, we may receive commission at no extra cost to you. Commission never affects which products we feature or how we rank them. [How we make money](/how-we-make-money/) Childcare funding is not one scheme — it is a stack of schemes with different age rules, earnings tests and admin traps. This hub is the toolkit: which lever applies, which official calculator to run, and what to do before you sign a nursery contract. **England-focused first** (the 9-months-to-school working-parent offer). Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run different systems — use the nation-specific links at the end rather than forcing English codes onto a Scottish nursery. ## Which childcare funding tools should you use first? **Run the official tools before you trust a nursery “rough estimate”.** ToolUse it forLink**Childcare calculator**Compare funded hours, Tax-Free Childcare and other help for your household[gov.uk/childcare-calculator](https://www.gov.uk/childcare-calculator)**Childcare account / Childcare Choices**Apply for codes, Tax-Free Childcare, reconfirm every 3 months[Sign in to your childcare account](https://www.gov.uk/sign-in-to-your-childcare-account)**Free Childcare for Working Parents eligibility**Confirm 30-hours rules and earnings floors[gov.uk/free-childcare-if-working](https://www.gov.uk/free-childcare-if-working)**Tax-Free Childcare guide**Top-up maths and what you can pay for[gov.uk/tax-free-childcare](https://www.gov.uk/tax-free-childcare)**Local Family Information Service**Provider lists + council schemes for 2-year-olds on extra supportYour local council website Clever Mum’s own [baby cost calculator](/tools/baby-cost-calculator/) and [maternity pay calculator](/tools/maternity-pay-calculator/) sit alongside these for the wider return-to-work budget — they do not replace the GOV.UK eligibility engines. ## What funded hours can you get in England? SchemeWhoWhat you get**Free Childcare for Working Parents**Eligible working parents; child **9 months to 4 years****30 hours/week** for **38 weeks**/year (can sometimes stretch over more weeks at fewer hours/week)**Universal 15 hours**All **3–4 year olds** in England**15 hours/week** for 38 weeks — work status does not matter**2-year-olds (extra support)**Families/children meeting council “extra support” criteriaUsually **15 hours**; can stack with working-parent hours up to 30 total in some cases**Tax-Free Childcare**Working parents (UK-wide rules); child 11 or under (16 if disabled)Government adds **£2 per £8** you pay in — up to **£500 / 3 months** (**£2,000/year**), or **£1,000 / 3 months** (**£4,000/year**) if disabled “Free” hours still allow providers to charge for **meals, nappies, trips and extra hours** — but they should offer an alternative if you will not pay those extras. If a setting says funded hours are only available with a paid package, speak to your local council. ## Who is eligible for 30 hours — and what are the earnings numbers? **For Free Childcare for Working Parents you generally need each parent (or the sole parent) to be working / starting work / on qualifying leave, under the £100,000 adjusted net income cap, and above a minimum earnings floor.** Minimum expected earnings over the **3 months after you apply** (before tax, GOV.UK figures): Your ageMinimum over 3 monthsWeekly equivalent21+**£2,643.68****£203.36**18–20**£2,256.80****£173.60**Under 18 or apprentice**£1,664****£128** That floor is National Minimum / Living Wage for about **16 hours a week**. Either partner over **£100,000** adjusted net income for the tax year usually knocks the household out. Dividends, interest, property income and pension payments do not count toward the minimum earnings test. Apply once your child is **23 weeks old**; funding typically starts from the beginning of the term **after** they turn nine months — miss the code deadline and you wait until the next term. ## How does Tax-Free Childcare work with funded hours? **They can stack.** Funded hours reduce the bill; Tax-Free Childcare tops up money you still pay to an approved provider. Example from GOV.UK: bill **£250** → you pay **£200** into the account → government adds **£50** → provider is paid **£250**. You **cannot** use Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as: * Universal Credit’s childcare costs element * Employer childcare vouchers (closed to new joiners) If you claim Universal Credit, compare both routes — UC can reimburse up to **85%** of eligible costs (paid in arrears), which often beats Tax-Free Childcare’s effective **20%** top-up. See our Mum Answer on [Universal Credit childcare costs](/answers/universal-credit-childcare-costs). ## What admin mistakes lose your funding? **The scheme fails on paperwork more often than on eligibility.** * **Late codes** — apply the term before you need the place; nurseries need a valid 11-digit code. * **Missed 3-monthly reconfirmation** — Free Childcare for Working Parents and Tax-Free Childcare both stop if you do not reconfirm in your childcare account. Use our [3-month reconfirm checklist](/answers/childcare-reconfirm-checklist-uk). * **Assuming “30 hours” means a free full-time place** — it is 30 hours × 38 weeks unless stretched; year-round care still has a parental fee gap. * **Picking Tax-Free Childcare while on UC** without comparing the UC childcare element. * **Ignoring nation differences** — an English working-parent code does not automatically apply in Scotland/Wales/NI. For choosing the setting itself, see [nursery vs childminder vs nanny](/baby/choosing-childcare-nursery-childminder-nanny). For school-age gaps, see [wraparound and holiday childcare](/family/wraparound-and-holiday-childcare-uk). ## What do UK parents actually say about this? **Parent consensus on UK forums is consistent: the calculator takes ten minutes; fighting a missed reconfirmation takes weeks.** Families who diary the 3-month reconfirm date in shared calendars report far fewer surprise bills. The other repeated lesson: get the **itemised extras policy** in writing before accepting a place — funded hours plus mandatory “consumables fees” is how “free” childcare becomes not free. ## Who should skip which scheme? **Skip / do not default to:** * **Tax-Free Childcare** if you are on Universal Credit until you have compared the UC childcare element (often worth more) * **Assuming you get 30 hours** if either parent’s adjusted net income is over £100,000, or someone is not working and not on a qualifying exemption * **Stretching hours** without checking whether your provider actually offers stretching * **English rules** if you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland — use the local scheme pages instead * **Signing a contract** before your eligibility code is live for the term you need **What we’d change about common advice online:** stop quoting outdated “15 hours for 2-year-olds / 30 only at 3” timelines. Working-parent funded hours from **9 months** are the current England baseline for eligible families — always re-check GOV.UK because thresholds move with the minimum wage. ## What about Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland? **Different offers, different portals.** Do not force the English Childcare Choices journey onto another nation: * **Scotland** — funded early learning and childcare via mygov.scot / your local authority * **Wales** — Childcare Offer for Wales and Flying Start (local) * **Northern Ireland** — Pre-School Education Programme and related support via nidirect If you move between nations, re-apply under the new system; codes do not travel cleanly. ## Which childcare funding tool should you use? Your situationStart hereNot sure what you qualify for[Childcare calculator](https://www.gov.uk/childcare-calculator)Working parent, child 9 months–4, EnglandFree Childcare for Working Parents → childcare accountChild 3–4, not eligible for working-parent 30 hoursUniversal 15 hours via local council / providerPaying extras / holiday clubs / wraparoundTax-Free Childcare (if not on UC childcare element)On Universal CreditCompare UC childcare element vs Tax-Free ChildcareSchool-age mornings/afternoons/holidays[Wraparound & holiday childcare guide](/family/wraparound-and-holiday-childcare-uk)Nursery says extras are compulsory[Funded hours extras fees guide](/family/nursery-funded-hours-extras-fees-uk) If you opt out of nursery nappies and supply your own, supermarket baby events are usually cheapest; for delivery top-ups see [nappies on Amazon](https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=pampers+baby-dry+nappies&tag=clevermum0c-21). ## What questions come up most? Do eligible working parents really get 30 hours from 9 months? In England, yes — Free Childcare for Working Parents offers up to 30 hours a week for 38 weeks a year for eligible children from 9 months to 4 years. Funding usually starts the term after they turn nine months, and you need a valid code from your childcare account. Can I use Tax-Free Childcare and funded hours together? Yes. Funded hours reduce how much childcare you need to pay for; Tax-Free Childcare can top up money you still pay to an approved provider. You cannot combine Tax-Free Childcare with Universal Credit’s childcare element or employer childcare vouchers. What happens if I miss the 3-month reconfirmation? Your Free Childcare for Working Parents code and/or Tax-Free Childcare can stop. Sign in to your childcare account before the deadline — set a recurring calendar reminder the day you first apply. Are the 30 hours completely free? They cover the funded childcare hours, but providers may charge for meals, nappies, trips and extra hours. They should offer an alternative if you do not want to pay those extras; contact your local council if a setting refuses. Which calculator should I trust? The GOV.UK childcare calculator is the one that matters for eligibility comparisons. Nursery marketing maths and viral Instagram tables go stale; re-run the official calculator whenever your hours, partner status or income changes. Do Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland get the same 30 hours? No. The 9-months-to-4 working-parent offer described here is England-focused. Use mygov.scot, GOV.WALES / local authority pages, or nidirect for the scheme that applies where you live. ## Sources & further reading * [ Free Childcare for Working Parents — what you will get ](https://www.gov.uk/free-childcare-if-working/what-youll-get) — GOV.UK * [ Free Childcare for Working Parents — check eligibility ](https://www.gov.uk/free-childcare-if-working/check-youre-eligible) — GOV.UK * [ Tax-Free Childcare ](https://www.gov.uk/tax-free-childcare) — GOV.UK * [ Childcare calculator ](https://www.gov.uk/childcare-calculator) — GOV.UK * [ Help with childcare costs (2 to 4 year olds) ](https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-and-education-for-2-to-4-year-olds) — GOV.UK ## On this page * [ 1 Which childcare funding tools should you use first? ](#which-childcare-funding-tools-should-you-use-first) * [ 2 What funded hours can you get in England? ](#what-funded-hours-can-you-get-in-england) * [ 3 Who is eligible for 30 hours — and what are the earnings numbers? ](#who-is-eligible-for-30-hours-and-what-are-the-earnings-numbers) * [ 4 How does Tax-Free Childcare work with funded hours? ](#how-does-tax-free-childcare-work-with-funded-hours) * [ 5 What admin mistakes lose your funding? ](#what-admin-mistakes-lose-your-funding) * [ 6 What do UK parents actually say about this? ](#what-do-uk-parents-actually-say-about-this) * [ 7 Who should skip which scheme? ](#who-should-skip-which-scheme) * [ 8 What about Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland? ](#what-about-scotland-wales-and-northern-ireland) * [ 9 Which childcare funding tool should you use? ](#which-childcare-funding-tool-should-you-use) ## At a glance Working-parent hours (England) 30 hrs/week, 9 months–4 years Term-time basis 38 weeks/year (can stretch) Universal 3–4s 15 hrs/week Tax-Free Childcare £2 per £8, up to £2,000/year Min earnings (21+) £2,643.68 / 3 months Income cap Under £100,000 adjusted net (each) Reconfirm Every 3 months Our promise Health-adjacent points cite NHS or equivalent guidance. This article is general information, not medical advice — see our [editorial policy](/editorial-policy/). ## Keep reading [ Family ### Nursery Extras on Funded Hours: What UK Providers Can Charge What English nurseries can legally charge on top of 15/30 funded hours — meals, nappies, trips — and when mandatory extras mean contact your council. ](/family/nursery-funded-hours-extras-fees-uk/)[ Baby ### Choosing Childcare: Nursery vs Childminder vs Nanny A practical guide to UK childcare — the real differences between nursery, childminder and nanny, what to check on a visit, and red flags to walk away from. ](/baby/choosing-childcare-nursery-childminder-nanny/)[ Family ### Wraparound & Holiday Childcare in the UK: What's Available and What It Costs A practical guide to UK before/after-school and holiday childcare — Tax-Free Childcare, wraparound childcare, and the Holiday Activities and Food scheme. ](/family/wraparound-and-holiday-childcare-uk/)[ Baby ### How Much Does a Baby Really Cost in the UK? A realistic first-year baby budget for UK parents — the big-ticket items, the recurring costs, what’s genuinely optional and the smartest places to save. ](/baby/how-much-does-a-baby-cost-uk/)