How it works

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Choosing a provider

You can choose your own preferred childcare provider and should contact them as early as possible to secure your place. There is help to find childcare providers in your area on GOV.UK.

You may have to pay for extra costs such as:

  • meals
  • nappies
  • additional hours
  • additional activities, such as trips

Ask your provider what extra costs you will have to pay for.

You are not able to use the entitlements for a nanny, home carer, or for childcare provided by a relative, such as a grandparent.

If your child is 2 years old and receiving some additional forms of support, they may be entitled to 15 hours early learning under a separate scheme. If you meet both sets of eligibility criteria, you must apply through the 15 hours early learning scheme. To apply for this scheme, you will need to contact your childcare provider or your local council.

When you can access the working parent offer

The table below shows when you can access this funded support:

If my child turns 9 months old between… I can access the working parent entitlement from the…
1 January to 31 March Term starting on or after 1 April
1 April to 31 August  Term starting on or after 1 September
1 September to 31 DecemberTerm starting on or after 1 January

If you wish to use your entitlements later than the term after your child turns the relevant age, you can apply closer to the time you wish to start. Provided you still meet the eligibility criteria for that entitlement at that time, you will not lose your ability to apply.

In September 2025, 15 hours for working families with children under 3 will expand to 30 hours, meaning eligible working families will be able to claim 30 hours of childcare from the term after their child turns 9 months until they reach school age.

How it works with maternity, paternity, shared parental or adoption leave

If you are on some form of parental leave and applying for an older child, who is not the subject of the parental leave, you can apply online at GOV.UK.

If you are applying for the child that is the subject of the parental leave, the date that you return to work from parental leave will affect when you can take up the childcare. The below dates apply: 

Date of returning to work When you can apply fromWhen you can access your entitlements from
1 October to 31 January1 September to 31 December1 January
1 February to 30 April1 January to 31 March1 April
1 May to 30 September1 April to 31 August1 September

Parents in this situation will need to apply online. Your application may show as ‘pending’ but you will then receive a letter in the post within 1 to 2 weeks, enabling you to access your entitlement. 

If one parent is starting or returning to work within one month of the start of term (that is, 30 September, 31 January or 30 April), while the other parent remains on parental leave until a later date, then you would be eligible to apply.

If you are on paid annual leave and receiving your salary as normal, this counts as having returned to work for the purposes of eligibility for the working parent entitlement.

Starting a new job

Parents who are planning to start new work can apply. The following dates apply: 

Date of starting workWhen you can apply from  When you can access your entitlements from
1 October to 31 January 1 September to 31 December1 January
1 February to 30 April 1 January to 31 March1 April
1 May to 30 September1 April to 31 August1 September

To apply, you will need to start your application on GOV.UK as normal. If it is more than 31 days before the date on which you are starting work, you will then need to call HMRC’s childcare service helpline to be guided through the rest of the process to receive your code. 

If you are starting work more than one month after the start of term, you will be able to apply to start using the entitlements from the start of the following term.