Free childcare is also known as the ‘free entitlement’, ‘free places’ or ‘free hours’. It refers to:
- government funded childcare and education for the most disadvantaged 2 year olds
- 15 hours free childcare for parents of 3 and 4 year olds (universal entitlement)
- 30 hours free childcare for working parents of 3 and 4 year olds (extended entitlement)
Free places for 2 year olds
Two year olds who live in households which meet eligibility criteria qualify for up to 15 hours of free childcare over a minimum of 38 weeks a year (up to 570 hours a year). This is from the term after their second birthday.
Find out more about free places for 2 year olds
15 hours universal entitlement for 3 and 4 year olds
All 3 and 4 year olds are eligible for up to 15 hours of free childcare over a minimum of 38 weeks a year (up to 570 hours a year). This is from the term after their third birthday.
Find out more about universal entitlement for 3 and 4 year olds
30 hours extended entitlement for 3 and 4 year olds
Working families of 3 and 4 year olds may be eligible for an extra 15 hours of free childcare. This makes a total of 30 hours of free childcare over a minimum of 38 weeks a year (up to 1,140 hours a year).
Find out more about extended entitlement for 3 and 4 years old