Midwives, maternity care professionals and health visitors have regular contact with parents or expecting parents. It can be helpful for them to be aware of what government childcare support is available, so that this information can be passed on. In this article, the Department for Education’s Childcare Choices campaign team share information about the childcare support expansion in England and important deadlines at the end of August.
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Final weeks to apply for 15 or 30 hours childcare to start a place from September– what do parents need to know?
From September, even more working parents in England will have access to childcare support for their children as the government childcare offer continues to expand. As a midwife or maternity professional, you can signpost parents to check their eligibility for when they return to work following maternity, paternity, shared parental or adoption leave, on the Childcare Choices website and apply for a childcare code on gov.uk ahead of the deadline on the 31 August.
What’s the offer?
Since April 2024, eligible working parents of 2-year-olds have been able to access 15 hours childcare as part of the expansion of childcare in England. From this September, 15 hours childcare will also be available to eligible working parents with a child who turns 9-months-old on or before 31 August.
This comes on top of the pre-existing offer for eligible working parents of 3- and 4-year-olds, who can access 30 hours childcare by combining the universal 15 hours, which is available to all families, with a further 15-hour entitlement for working parents. Other government support offers to help working parents with the cost of childcare include Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit Childcare.
Who’s eligible?
Parents can visit the Childcare Choices website to check what support they might be eligible for here: Homepage | Childcare Choices
If they are an eligible working parent in England, they can apply for:
- 15 hours childcare for their child aged 9 months old until they turn 3 years old
- 30 hours childcare for their 3 or 4 year old
Parents will need to apply by 31 August to use their hours from 1 September. However, parents are encouraged to apply as early as possible.
If parents plan to return to work from maternity, paternity, shared parental, or adoption leave, or start a new job by the end of September, they can also apply for a childcare code before 31 August, just like everyone else. For more details about when best to apply, visit Check you’re eligible for free childcare if you’re working – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
To do so, parents should visit gov.uk/apply-free-childcare-if-youre-working to get their code for a place in September and then share it with their childcare provider. To continue receiving the government support, they will need to reconfirm their details every 3 months on their gov.uk childcare account. Parents can claim their hours the term after their child reaches the relevant age. The terms begin on 1 January, 1 April and 1 September.
How do parents apply for their code?
Here’s a step-by-step guide you can share with parents on how to check their eligibility and apply for their code. You can also signpost them to this explainer video from the Department for Education: How to get help with the cost of childcare: government-funded support in England (youtube.com)
- Check your eligibility online on the Childcare Choices website.
- Speak to your provider, such as your nursery or childminder. Check what their arrangements are and that they can offer your child a place.
- Create a childcare account on gov.uk/apply-free-childcare-if-youre-working if you don’t already have one, where you can apply for your code.
You’ll need:
- your National Insurance Number (or unique taxpayer reference if you are self-employed)
- the date you started or are due to start work
- details of any government support or benefits you receive
- the UK birth certificate reference number (if you have one) for your child
- Once you have received your code, you should then give it to your provider.
- Reconfirm your details on your gov.uk childcare account every 3 months.
Other helpful advice to share with parents:
- If you have already applied for your code to start in September and received it before 1 June, you may need to reconfirm your details before you take up a place in September. Log in to your childcare account on gov.uk to check when you need to do so.
- If you already use the working parent entitlement for 15 hours for your 2 year old and they turn 3, you can reconfirm as normal on your childcare account on gov.uk, and the code will be valid for the 30 hours offer the term after their 3rd birthday.
By sharing this important information with your patients and families you can help working parents access the government childcare support they’re eligible for.
About Childcare Choices
Childcare Choices is a cross-government campaign that aims to make more parents aware of the financial support on offer to help them with the costs of childcare and to understand the offers in more detail
Department of Education
August 2024