The government provides early years funding to support parents with the cost of early years education and childcare.
This funding is divided into 3 separate entitlements and is subject to eligibility criteria.
Types of entitlement
Universal entitlement
Universal entitlement is for families with children aged 3 to 4 years.
You can get 15 hours of early education over 38 weeks (up to 570 hours per year). You can use this flexibly with one or more provider.
Some providers will allow you to stretch the hours over more than 38 weeks (up to 52 weeks), using fewer hours per week.
Learn more on our universal entitlement page.
Working parents entitlement
Working parents entitlement is for families with children aged 3 to 4 years. From April 2024 this will be extended to 2 year olds. From September 2024, this will be extended further to children aged 9 months to 2 years.
You can get up to 30 hours of early education over 38 weeks (up to 1,140 hours per year). You can use this flexibly with one or more provider.
Some providers will allow you to stretch the hours over more than 38 weeks (up to 52 weeks), using fewer hours per week.
Learn more on our working parents entitlement page.
Targeted 2 year old education and childcare funding
Targeted 2 year old education and childcare funding is for families with children aged 2 years who receive some forms of additional government support.
This funding offers 15 hours of early education over 38 weeks (up to 570 hours per year). You can use this flexibly with one or more provider.
Some providers will allow you to stretch the hours over more than 38 weeks (up to 52 weeks), using fewer hours per week.
Learn more on our targeted 2 year old education and childcare funding page.
Entitlement hours
Childcare providers can offer hours flexibly. This must be used within the following limits:
- a maximum of 15 hours in a week
- no session can be longer than 10 hours
- not before 6am or after 8pm
- a maximum of 2 sites in a day
- over a minimum of 38 weeks
Entitlement hours can be used:
- during school holidays
- on weekends
Entitlement hours can be stretched over more than 38 weeks of the year (to a maximum of 52 weeks).
If you stretch your entitlement across more than 38 weeks, your weekly hours will be reduced. This is to make sure that you do not exceed the entitlement limit.
The table below shows the reduction in hours per week.
| Number of weeks entitlement stretched | Weekly entitlement |
|---|---|
| 38 weeks | 15 hours |
| 45 weeks | 12 hours 40 minutes |
| 50 weeks | 11 hours 24 minutes |
If your child goes to more than one childcare provider, they can have stretched hours with one provider and standard hours with another. The total hours can't be more than the limits for the week or year.