Tag Archive for: free childcare hours

Free Childcare for Children Aged 9 Months+ (for Eligible Working Families Living in England)

Free Childcare for Children Aged 9 Months+ (for Eligible Working Families Living in England)

Since September 2024, eligible children as young as 9 months have been able to access free childcare in England.With September 2024 arriving, eligible children aged as young as 9 months can now access free childcare in England. The new childcare ‘hours’ are available where working families are eligible for the support and, in tandem, where local childcare providers are set up with appropriate staffing ratios and capacity. The good news, however, is that Little Acorn Nursery, in Clayton-le-Woods, supports the new scheme. It’s therefore with great pleasure that we’re now beginning to welcome children as young as just 9 months of age for free childcare hours at the Chorley setting.

In today’s guide, we’ll explain who is eligible and how much free childcare they can access right now — and in a year’s time when the scheme expands further.

When Does the New Childcare Support Start?

The new childcare support began at the start of September 2024, so it is already available for eligible children. It will expand yet further in September 2025 and we clarify what that means below.

What Free Childcare Can Babies (9m +) & Children of Eligible Working Families Access?

  • From September 2025, eligible children aged from 9 months to 4 years (incl.) will be able to take 1140 hours of free childcare per year.From September 2024 (so already active), eligible children aged from 9 months to 3 years of age can access 570 hours and eligible children aged 3 and 4 can access 1140 hours of free childcare support per year. The free hours are usually taken over the course of 38 weeks (equating to 15 and 30 hours per week respectively). However, some childcare providers may allow the hours to be spread over more weeks of the year by reducing the number of hours per week. Speak directly to your specific childcare provider about the availability of this more flexible option.
  • From September 2025, eligible children aged from 9 months to 3 years will also be able to take 1140 hours of free childcare per year, again usually taken as 30 hours per week. As before, it may be possible to spread the hours out over a greater number of weeks of the year by reducing the number of hours taken per week. Again, speak with your specific childcare provider to see if that option is available if it’s of interest.

Summary:

Available NowAvailable From Sept ’25
Eligible* children 9 months – 3 years570 hours (usually 15 per week)1140 hours (usually 30 per week)
All children 3-4 living in England (‘Universal Entitlement’)570 hours (usually 15 per week)570 hours (usually 15 per week)
Eligible* children 3 to 4 years1140 hours (usually 30 per week)1140 hours (usually 30 per week)

* Subject to eligibility criteria outlined below. Additional charges may apply (e.g. for food/nappies – ask your provider if these cost extra).

Note that some 2 and 3-year-olds are also eligible for 570 hours of childcare funding under a different scheme where they fall into certain ‘additional needs’ categories or their parents receive qualifying government benefits. Today’s guide, however, focuses primarily on the more widely available scheme for eligible working families.

*Eligibility Criteria for Working Families

The free childcare scheme for children aged from 9 months to 4 years (inclusive) applies to children of eligible working families. But what constitutes an eligible working family? The following rough guide explains:

As a rough guide, to be eligible, both you and your partner (if you have one):

  • Families need to meet certain criteria to be eligible for the free childcare hours.Must not have an adjusted net income above £100k in the current tax year;
  • Must each expect to earn at least the equivalent of the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 or more hours on average per week, over the next 3 months;
    – for those aged 21 or over, this currently equates to £183 per week and £2,380 over 3 months;
    – for those aged 18-20, it currently equates to £137 per week and £1,788 over 3 months;
    – for those either under 18 or in an apprenticeship, it currently equates to £102 per week and £1,331 over 3 months;
    Figures are before tax and are correct at the time of writing (September 2024)
  • Must have a National Insurance number;
  • Must be applying, of course, for a child of the appropriate age for the scheme.

There are additional rules around specific scenarios, for example, for foster carers, those starting a new job, those whose earnings do not form a regular pattern, the self-employed, and those receiving one or more government benefits. Immigration status is also a factor. Learn more about the eligibility rules here.

“Some children from working families can now receive free childcare from just 9 months old until they begin school.”

Get Started!

Learn more about when and how to apply and when you can start using the free childcare hours here. Staff at Little Acorns Nursery in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, are also happy to discuss the childcare needs of local parents, including the various funding options available to those who are eligible.

High-Quality Childcare Services in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, Central Lancashire

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, ChorleyAn outstanding childcare providerLittle Acorns is a wonderful childcare nursery in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, Lancashire. We provide a high-quality childcare and ‘early years’ education service for babies and children aged up to five, giving them the very best start in a home-from-home environment. As well as being perfectly located for local families in Clayton-le-Woods, we may also suit families living nearby in Clayton Brook, Clayton Green, Thorpe Green, Pippin Street, Buckshaw Village, Whittle-le-Woods, Farington, Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall, Euxton, Leyland and Penwortham.

Register your child for a nursery place today, arrange a guided tour, or ask us any questions — we’ll be happy to help:

Significant Childcare Funding Announced for Families

Significant New Childcare Funding Announced for Families.

A Guide to the Game-Changing Childcare Funding Initiatives Announced in the Chancellor’s Spring Budget 2023

Generous and far-reaching childcare funding reforms were announced in the Spring Budget 2023 last month. The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s new funding plans should give more parents, including those of even younger children, access to significant help with childcare costs going forwards. The new initiatives will:

  • allow Generous childcare funding was announced in the Spring Budget 2023, giving more parents, including those of even younger children, access to significant help with childcare costs.parents to return to the workplace sooner after the birth of their child if they so choose;
  • help fill vacant jobs in the workplace;
  • allow parents (particularly women) to progress their careers sooner after starting a family;
  • help to boost the UK economy, and;
  • perhaps most importantly give more children access to a good early years education, starting potentially at a younger age. Beginning no later than the age of 2 has been shown to better prepare children for the transition to school, boost children’s education overall, improve GCSE grades, improve career prospects and even increase earning potential once they reach adulthood. Learn more about the benefits of a good early years education here.

So, the new childcare funding should make a huge difference for those families that are eligible. Let’s take a look at the 3 key childcare funding initiatives announced…

Significant New Childcare Funding for Children Aged 9 to 36 Months

Many parents will already be aware of the existing, free, Government-funded childcare hours available to all 3 and 4-year-olds in England (plus some disadvantaged 2-year-olds). Well, in the biggest news from the Spring Budget, free childcare funding will soon extend to much younger children, aged from just 9 months of age if they suit eligibility requirements. Here’s how the free childcare will be rolled out:

  1. From April 2024,Significant new childcare funding has been announced for children aged from 9 to 36 months. children aged 2 from eligible working families will be able to claim 570 hours of free childcare each year. This is typically taken as 15 hours of free childcare each week over 38 weeks, although exactly how it’s taken may be agreed otherwise between the family and the childcare provider.
  2. From September 2024, just five months later, the same free childcare scheme will be extended to eligible children aged from just 9 months of age. This comes later so that childcare providers have time to adapt to the extra capacity.
  3. A year later, from September 2025, eligible children aged from 9 to 36 months will be able to claim double the amount of free childcare hours, taking their annual free childcare allowance up to 1140 hours. These will typically be taken as 30 free hours per week for 38 weeks of the year, but it may vary if childcare providers can offer flexibility.

In each case, eligibility for children aged from 9 to 36 months will use the same criteria as for those 3- and 4-year-olds receiving 30 hours of free childcare for 38 weeks of the year in the existing scheme. That scheme will continue to run too, meaning that children from 9 months to the age of four (inclusive) are all supported, right up until they start school. It should make a huge difference to working families and particularly benefit women, who have commonly found it difficult to return to careers following maternity leave.

Significant Improvements to Childcare Funded Through Universal Credit

Significant improvements have been unveiled for childcare funding through Universal Credit.Until now, 87% of those eligible to claim childcare support through Universal Credit were not doing so. One of the main reasons for this was that it’s geared towards low-income families yet required them to pay childcare fees in advance — and later claim them back. Paying in advance is not so easy when household income is low, as is typically the case for households that would otherwise be eligible. For this reason, another of the Chancellor’s initiatives announced in the Spring Budget 2023 is to roll out the following improvements:

  1. The Government will pay for childcare costs, subsidised through Universal Credit, in advance and;
  2. They will increase the amount eligible families can claim in childcare costs, through Universal Credit, by almost 50%. This will increase the amount of free childcare funding available through the scheme from £646 to £951 per month for a single child, and from £1,108 to £1,630 per month for two children. The increase will take effect from July 2023 and the rates paid may be linked to the Consumer Price Index until 2027/28.

The two measures combined should make a tangible difference to cash-strapped parents who would like to get back into the workplace, increase existing working hours, or boost household income. It will also mean, of course, that more children have access to an all-important early years education.

Significant Improvements to Funded Childcare Hours for Children at School

The Wraparound ‘Pathfinder’ Scheme

The Wraparound Pathfinder Scheme would fund childcare hours from 8 am until the start of the school and up to 6 pm after the school day ends.The final childcare-related initiative in the Chancellor’s Spring Budget aims to fix another key problem for parents: how to juggle their own longer working hours with their child’s shorter school hours. When a child attends school, they often finish their school day several hours before their parent is finished at work, for example. There is therefore a childcare requirement to bridge the gap and this may be required both at the start and end of the child’s school day. In view of this, the Chancellor announced the piloting of a new Wraparound Pathfinder Scheme, which would fund childcare hours from 8 am until the start of the school morning and, later in the day, fund childcare for the mismatched afternoon hours up to 6 pm. The pilot will test the scheme to see how well it works. If successful, the Chancellor aims to roll it out to the whole of the UK from September 2024.

A Good Early Years Education at Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

An outstanding childcare provider

Little Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

Little Acorns Nursery is an outstanding nursery and, with its incredible national award for childcare, offers babies and children possibly the best childcare provision available in Lancashire. So, if you are looking for the best nursery or preschool for your baby, toddler or child under five in Clayton, Chorley or Central Lancashire, please get in touch. We support all Government childcare funding and free childcare hours for eligible families and are a Forest School setting too. We’d love to show you and your little one around, register your child for a place or answer any questions that you may have. Please select an option below to take the next step and we’ll be happy to help.

Little Acorns Nursery is a high-quality nursery and preschool in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, near Clayton Brook, Clayton Green, Thorpe Green, Pippin Street, Buckshaw Village, Whittle-le-Woods, Farington, Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall, Euxton, Leyland and Penwortham.

A Quick Guide to Childcare Funding Options in England

A Quick Guide to Childcare Funding Options in England
We explain the various childcare funding schemes in England, including an at-a-glance overview of what's available, eligibility and how to apply.One of the first challenges when considering childcare for your little one is how to fund it. If you’re an affluent family, then great. However, if childcare costs will be a more significant hurdle to overcome, the good news is that there are lots of options available. Either way, it will help to be well-informed about the various childcare funding schemes on offer from the Government. There are quite a few of them and some are extremely generous and surprisingly easy to obtain. Today’s Quick Guide to Childcare Funding Options in England will give you an at-a-glance overview of what’s available, the key eligibility criteria and how to apply. Note, though, that they generally fund in-person childcare only from approved providers (like Little Acorns). Take a look at the many options …

Childcare Vouchers:

What are childcare 'vouchers' and how do you get them? We explain.You’ve no doubt heard of, or read about, childcare ‘vouchers’. They sound great, but what are they and how do you get them?

How To Get Childcare Vouchers

For those who are eligible, Childcare Vouchers are available through employers who participate in the ‘Employer-Supported Childcare’ scheme. In effect, it’s a salary sacrifice scheme, but with tax and National Insurance savings.

How Much Funding Can You Get?

Up to £55 of your earnings can be paid into the childcare scheme each week and the benefit is that the payments are free of income tax and National Insurance. If you’re eligible, your childcare costs you less, in effect.

Eligibility

Childcare Vouchers are not so widely available as they used to be because the scheme has closed to new applicants. However, they’re still available to those who enrolled before the 4th of October 2018. Your children must be no more than 15 (16 if disabled) and how much you are eligible for will depend on when you joined the scheme and how much you earn. They cannot be claimed if you are claiming Tax-Free Childcare (see below).

Find out more about Childcare Vouchers here.

Tax-Free Childcare:

Tax-Free Childcare is widely available to working families — even for those with relatively high earnings.Tax-Free Childcare is a great scheme which, in contrast to childcare vouchers, is widely available to working families — even for those with relatively high earnings.

How Much Funding Can You Get?

If eligible, you can get as much as £2,000 in free childcare funding for each child under 12, every year, or potentially twice that if they’re disabled and under 17.

How To Get Tax-Free Childcare

If eligible, you will need an online Childcare Account which you, or others on your behalf, deposit into. You’ll need to deposit 80% of the eligible childcare costs and the Government will top up the remaining 20%. The funds can then be drawn down by your childcare provider.

Eligibility Essentials

So long as working parents are earning at least £152 per week (lower if under 23), they can be earning up to £100,000 and still remain eligible for Tax-Free Childcare, even if their partner also earns up to that amount. You must not already be claiming certain benefits, a childcare bursary, nor Childcare Vouchers. Other caveats also apply.

More Information about Tax-Free Childcare is available here.

Free Childcare Hours for 2-Year-Olds:

Eligible 2-year-olds can get 15 hours of free childcare per week (570 per year).Certain 2-year-olds are eligible for 15 hours of free childcare each week, through another Government scheme. This one is to help primarily those families on benefits.

How Much Funding Can You Get?

Eligible 2-year-olds can get 570 free childcare ‘hours’ per year. This is usually taken as 15 hours per week spread over 38 weeks of the year. However, some childcare settings allow a more flexible pattern. For example, they could be taken as less hours per week for more weeks of the year, or the reverse of that.

Eligibility Essentials

Rules around eligibility are strict and essentially require you (the parent/guardian) to be in receipt of certain Government benefits or the child to fall into an ‘additional needs’ category. Children can still be eligible, for example, if they are being cared for by the local authority, are subject to an Education, Health and Care (ECH) Plan, have left care under some types of order or are not citizens of the UK but fall into a certain category.

How To Get Free Childcare for 2-Year-Olds

Free childcare hours for 2-year-olds can be accessed via your local council or through your childcare provider. Let us know if that’s us and we’ll be happy to help you access the free childcare funding.

More Information is available here.
[UPDATE MARCH 2023: See our post about funding planned for children from the age of just 9 months following the Spring Budget 2023 here].

Free Childcare Hours for 3 & 4-Year-Olds:

Children aged between 3 and 4 who live in England can get 15 hours of free childcare each week, possibly up to 30 hours in some circumstances.3 and 4-year-olds in England are very well catered for when it comes to free childcare funding. This is aimed to help them receive that all-important early years education and to help those parents wishing to return to the workplace.

How Much Funding Can You Get?

All children aged between 3 and 4 who live in England can get at least 15 hours of free childcare each week, possibly up to 30 hours in some circumstances. It’s a very generous Government scheme resulting in between 570 and 1140 free childcare hours, per child, per year. It’s usually taken over 38 weeks of the year but some childcare settings allow a more flexible spread.

Eligibility Essentials

All 3 and 4-year-olds living in England are eligible for the 15 hours scheme and it’s not means tested.

For the top-up to 30 hours per week, however, eligibility is affected by household income. You and your partner, if you have one, must earn at least £152 per week (lower if under 23) but less than £100,000 per annum. If eligible, though, you are usually also eligible for Tax-Free Childcare (or Childcare Vouchers) or childcare funding through Universal Credit. Other caveats also apply, but these are the main ones.

How To Get Free Childcare for 3 & 4-Year-Olds

The ‘15 hours’ scheme for 3 & 4-year-olds can be accessed via your local council or through your childcare provider. (Let us know if that’s us and we’ll be happy to help with your application). For the ‘30 hours’ scheme, apply here.

More Information about both schemes is available here.
[UPDATE MARCH 2023: See our post about funding planned for children from the age of just 9 months following the Spring Budget 2023 here].

Tax Credits for Childcare:

Eligibility Essentials

Tax Credits for childcare are only available to existing claimants. New applications should instead be through Universal Credit.Tax Credits specifically for childcare are only available to existing claimants under the scheme, through ‘Working Tax Credits’. New claimants should instead refer to the ‘Childcare Funding through Universal Credit’ section below.

How Much Funding Can You Get?

If you’re eligible, you can reclaim as much as 70% of eligible childcare costs — up to £122.50 per week if you have one child, or it’s £210 if you have more than one.

How To Get Tax Credits for Childcare

Existing claimants in receipt of Working Tax Credits for childcare receive the funding direct to their bank/building society account. This is effectively a repayment of the eligible childcare costs already incurred.

More Information is available here

Childcare Funding through Universal Credit:

How Much Funding Can You Get?

Childcare funding through Universal Credit is quite a generous scheme that allows eligible families to reclaim up to 85% of their childcare costs.For those who are eligible, this is quite a generous scheme that allows them to reclaim* as much as 85% of their childcare costs. The maximum available, however, is £646.35* each month for one child, or it’s £1108.04* for more than one.
* [UPDATE MARCH 2023: See our post about the increases and improvements to this scheme following the Spring Budget 2023 here].

Eligibility Essentials

You/your partner (if applicable) need to be working, claiming Universal Credit and claiming for a child under 17. Other caveats apply. Note that you cannot claim this funding if you’re already claiming for childcare funding through Tax Credits nor through the Tax-Free Childcare scheme. Your earnings and the amount of any savings and/or investments may also affect your claim.

How To Get Childcare Funding via Universal Credit

This scheme allows you to reclaim eligible childcare costs going back up to 3 months at any given point. So, you need to pay first and then claim eligible costs back within that time frame – otherwise you could miss out.

More Information is available here [and see our post about improvements to this scheme, including increased funding, following the Spring Budget 2023].

Childcare Funding Options for Students

Students are quite well supported in terms of childcare, with 3 key funding schemes that may help them with childcare costs.

The Student Childcare Grant:

The Student Childcare Grant does not need to be repaid and is in addition to any undergraduate Student Finance.This is a grant that does not need to be repaid and is in addition to any undergraduate Student Finance.

How Much Funding Can You Get?

The Student Childcare Grant can cover up to 85% of childcare costs. The maximum covered is £183.75 per week for 1 child, or that’s £315.03 for more than one (academic year 22/23).

Eligibility Essentials

As well as having a dependent child under 15 (17 if they have special needs), students must live permanently in England and be studying full-time in higher education. They must be eligible for undergraduate student finance based upon their income, but not have a postgraduate loan. Other caveats also apply including that it’s not available if the student is already claiming other specific funding for their childcare.

How To Get a Student Childcare Grant

The Student Childcare Grant can be applied for in tandem with the Student Finance application and is accessed, if successful, through a Student Finance Account.

More Information is available here

The ‘Learner Support’ Scheme:

Learner Support, designed for students who are suffering financial hardship, can be used to fund childcare.Learner Support is a type of financial support designed for students who are suffering financial hardship. It can be used to fund childcare for eligible students who are also parents.

How Much Funding Can You Get?

How much financial assistance you receive for childcare under the Learner Support Scheme will depend very much upon your particular circumstances.

Eligibility Essentials

To be eligible for the childcare element of Learner Support, you must be a parent over 20 (otherwise it’s 19). You must be facing financial hardship while studying on a further education course (Level 3 or over).

How To Get ‘Learner Support’ for Childcare

Learner Support applications must be made through the education setting that’s running the course. The financial assistance you receive, if eligible, can take the form of a repayable loan, a free grant or, in the case of childcare, payment direct to an Ofsted-registered childcare provider.

More Information is available here

The ‘Care to Learn’ Scheme:

Care to Learn may suit if you are a parent who is not yet 20 and are studying on a publicly-funded course.Care to Learn may suit if you are a parent who is not yet 20 and are studying on a publicly-funded course, although see caveats below.

How Much Funding Can You Get?

If eligible, you could get £160 for childcare, per week, for each child. That figure increases to £175 if you’re living in London. It can cover registration and deposit fees for your child’s childcare and to retain your child’s place over summer holidays. The scheme can also be used to fund childcare taster days (up to 5) at the childcare provider setting, and cover associated travel to/from the setting.

Eligibility Essentials

You must live in England and be the main carer for the child you are claiming for. You should be under 20 when the course starts and it must be a publicly-funded one at certain types of education setting. A few examples include schools, some colleges and sixth form schools/colleges plus others. It must not be a higher education course at a university. Other caveats also apply.

How To Get ‘Care to Learn’ Childcare Funding

Apply for Care to Learn funding here.

More Information is available here

Outstanding Childcare in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley

An outstanding childcare providerLittle Acorns Nursery, Clayton-le-Woods, ChorleyLittle Acorns Nursery supports all the Government childcare funding options for eligible families. Please do ask us if you need any help clarifying your childcare funding options or with your application — we’ll be happy to help. Little Acorns Nursery and pre-school provides an outstanding, award-winning childcare service in Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, Central Lancashire (PR6). We’re also conveniently close for those in Clayton Brook, Clayton Green, Thorpe Green, Pippin Street, Buckshaw Village and Whittle-le-Woods. Farington, Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall, Euxton, Leyland and Penwortham are also nearby.

To make an enquiry about a possible place for your child at Little Acorns Nursery, please get in touch: