30 hours free childcare

From September 2017 your 3 or 4-year-old child may be eligible for up to 30 funded hours of early years childcare per week (for 38 weeks), or 1140 hours per year.

Check your eligibility and apply

Eligibility for 30 hours of free childcare will be checked by the government. You can find out more about eligibility criteria here and you can apply for 30 hours of free childcare through their Childcare Service website.

Apply now >

If you disagree with your eligibility results or have any queries about the process please call the Childcare Service helpline on 0300 1234097.

Please note: if you become eligible after the start of a funding period, you must wait until the following period to access your extended entitlement place.

The top things parents need to know about this new offer can be found in the Childcare Choices factsheet.

Speak to your provider

You should talk to your childcare provider about your childcare needs, find out if they are offering 30 hours (not all providers are able to offer 30 hours and some childminders don’t accept any funding) and check what times the funding is available. You can share your funded childcare between more than one provider, as long as you do not exceed 30 hours per week or 1140 hours per year.

Ask if the funding can be used during term-time only or stretched all year round. If you choose to stretch your funding this will give you fewer hours over more weeks of the year.

Some providers may charge for additional services or activities not covered by the 30 hours funding. These may include food and drinks or activities such as yoga and music. Ask your provider for a price list for any additional charges.

Pinpoint Devon has a list of providers who have confirmed they are offering the 30 hours.

Confirm your place

If you are eligible, you will receive an 11 digit code to take directly to your participating childcare provider. Your childcare provider will check the code and confirm your eligibility.

You should receive a contract or registration form to confirm your funded hours, chargeable hours and any optional services.

Finding your 11 digit code

Once you have received your 11 digit code you can find it again in your Childcare service account using the green ‘Apply or sign into your account’ button and answer questions about your youngest child’s age and then sign in using your Government Gateway ID, which you received when you applied.

You will also need to sign into your account to re-confirm your eligibility every three months.