How to Apply for 30 Hours Free Childcare in the UK

How to Apply for 30 Hours Free Childcare in the UK

Childcare can often be a challenging puzzle for many families, with pieces involving time, budget, and availability often not fitting together seamlessly. Fortunately for parents in the UK, the government offers a scheme that might just help put these pieces together. The 30 Hours Free Childcare initiative is designed to ease the financial burden of childcare and give parents more flexibility in balancing work and family life. This step-by-step guide will walk you through the process of how to apply for 30 hours free childcare, ensuring you understand the eligibility requirements and application process to make it as smooth as possible.

Understanding the 30 Hours Free Childcare Scheme

Before diving into the application process, let's pause to understand what this scheme entails. The 30 Hours Free Childcare offer is an extension of the universal 15 hours free childcare available to all 3 and 4-year-olds in England. This program is specifically for working parents, offering an additional 15 hours, totalling 30 hours of funded childcare per week during term time (38 weeks a year). Alternatively, parents can stretch these hours across the year, covering up to 1,140 hours.

This initiative aims to support working families, helping parents stay in their jobs or pursue new ones by reducing childcare costs. It's important to note that eligibility criteria and the application process might differ in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Eligibility Requirements

The first essential step in how to apply for 30 hours free childcare is understanding whether you meet the eligibility requirements. Here's a breakdown:

1. Child's Age: Your child must be aged 3 or 4. The additional hours start the term after your child turns 3, similar to the universal 15 hours.
2. Parental Employment: Both parents, or the sole parent in a single-parent family, must be working. Each parent must earn a minimum equivalent to 16 hours at the National Minimum or Living Wage per week, but less than £100,000 per year.
3. Inclusion of Certain Benefits: If you are on maternity, paternity, or adoption leave, or if you're unable to work due to a disability or caring responsibilities, you might still qualify under specified adults childcare credits.
4. Residence: You and your child must be residents of England to benefit from this scheme.

Step-by-Step Application Process

Once you've determined your eligibility, the next step is to apply for 30 free hours childcare. Here's a detailed guide to help you navigate through the application process:

Step 1: Prepare Your Information

Before you start your application, gather the necessary information, which includes:

• National Insurance number
• If you’re a couple, you’ll need your partner’s National Insurance number
• Details of your income, including any benefits you receive

Step 2: Create or Sign in to Your Government Gateway Account

To apply for 30 hours free childcare, you'll need a Government Gateway account. If you don’t have one, you can create an account on the HMRC website. This account will not only help you apply for childcare but also manage other government services.

Step 3: Complete the Application

Visit the Childcare Service and start your application. This process involves filling out an online form where you’ll input personal information, income details, and employment status. The system will automatically check your eligibility based on the information you provide.

Step 4: Receive Your Eligibility Code

If your application is approved, you’ll receive a unique 11-digit eligibility code, sometimes referred to as a '30 hours code.' This code is crucial as it’s what you’ll present to your childcare provider to access the free hours. Keep in mind that this code is only valid for 3 months, so timely renewal is essential.

Step 5: Arrange Childcare with Hatching Dragons

Once you have your eligibility code, contact your preferred childcare provider. Not all providers offer the 30 hours childcare, so it’s important to confirm their participation - but you can be rest assured that we do at all of our schools. When you come in to join us, you can fill out your Early Years Funding Registration form , supply us with your code, along with your National Insurance number and your child’s birth certificate or passport and we'll do the rest

Why not book in a visit at one of our schools to discover how we can help you?

Step 6: Renew Your Code Regularly

To continue receiving the 30 hours free childcare, you must reconfirm your eligibility every three months. HMRC will prompt you to do this via email or text. Failing to renew on time may result in a temporary loss of the additional hours until reapplication and approval. 

What Hatching Dragons does to help our Families Reduce Costs

And don't forget you can also bundle your early years funding with one of our many discount and subsidy programmes here at Hatching Dragons Nurseries to really maximise your savings: 

1. Workplace Nursery Scheme - an employee benefit in which your employer pays for childcare from your pre-tax income, reducing your PAYE and their employers NICs. We've saved some families over £10k on this measure alone. See further details on Enjoy Benefits, Yellownest, Kinsail and Mintago. Whatever is not covered by funding can be covered via your salary sacrifice scheme.
2. Tax Free Childcare - And if you don't have an employer who can support you with the WPN, you can always opt for tax free childcare where HMRC will top up any contributions made by qualifying families to their childcare tax account online with a 20% payment, up to an annual contribution of £2000 a year. For more information, click here
3. Public Sector Discounts - of up to 50% for those working in charities, the civil or public sector or government
4. Referral Discounts - 5% off for 6 months for every family you recommend, uncapped by the number you do.
5. Sibling Discounts - 5% off for any sibling that enrols
6. Advanced Payment - up to 10% off for families who pay down in advance

And we allow many of these discounts and subsidies to be bundled together to maximise your savings with us

Additional Considerations and Tips

• Term Time vs. All Year: Decide whether you want to utilise the 30 hours per week during term time or spread it across the entire year. Discuss these options with one of our wonderful nursery managers to see what works best for your family.
• Specified Adults Childcare Credits: If you're caring for your grandchild or another relative's child, you might want to explore specified adults childcare credits. While not directly related to the 30 hours scheme, it offers National Insurance credits to grandparents or family members aged over 16 who care for a child under 12, helping to improve their state pension entitlement.
• Communicate with Your Provider: Open communication with your childcare provider is key. They can clarify any fees associated with additional hours or services and help you plan around the funded hours.
• Flexible Work Options: Utilise your newfound childcare flexibility to explore work options. Whether it’s extending your working hours, taking up a new job, or pursuing further education, these hours can significantly impact your work-life balance.

Conclusion

Navigating the world of childcare can be daunting, but the 30 hours free childcare scheme is a valuable resource for working parents in the UK. By understanding the eligibility criteria and following the steps to apply for 30 free hours childcare, you can alleviate some of the pressures of balancing work and family life.

While the process may seem intricate at first, breaking it down into manageable steps can make it much more approachable. Remember to keep track of your eligibility code and renew it on time to enjoy uninterrupted support. With a little preparation and organisation, you can successfully access this scheme and make the most of the opportunities it provides for you and your family.

Whether you're a new parent or just discovering this scheme, applying for 30 hours free childcare could be a game-changer. It's not only about saving money; it’s about giving you the freedom to explore new possibilities, knowing that your child is receiving quality care. So take a deep breath, gather your information, and start your application today.