Help with childcare costs

If you are eligible for the additional 15 hours for working parents and receive a code from HMRC, please get this code checked with a childcare provider as soon as possible. This is to ensure your code is valid and you can take up your funded place. You will also need to renew your code every 3 months through HMRC.

If you have a 3 or 4 year old child you will be entitled to receive up to 15 hours of childcare a week, regardless of your financial circumstances and immigration status.

If you and any partner you live with are working, you may be entitled to receive an additional 15 hours, totalling up to 30 hours.

How childcare funding can help you and your child

Funded childcare will enable your child to develop their early learning and childhood experiences and prepare them for school.

It also enables you to get back into work, education, or training or focus on other priorities.

When your child can start

Your child can start their funded place from the term after their third birthday. See table below for further clarification.

The funding for 15 hours will continue until your child reaches school age. You will continue to receive the additional 15 hours if you remain eligible for it.

The funding hours explained

Parents who claim up to 15 hours a week can get this over 38 weeks in the year, up to a maximum of 570 hours a year or for 30 hours it is a maximum of 1,140 hours a year.

The funding is flexible, and some providers may offer the 'stretched entitlement'. This means a child can attend for less hours a week but across more weeks during the year, including some holidays.

The childcare provider you register your child with will discuss with you how you can access your funded hours.

What is not covered

Meals, consumables (such as nappies and cream), activities, trips, additional hours are not covered under the scheme, and your provider may charge for these.

Before your child starts their funded place, you will need to sign a contract with your childcare provider. Here any charges should be made clear and agreed upon before you take up your funded place.

Where you can access a place for your child

This depends on whether you are a Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F) resident or not, and whether you are trying to access a place within or outside the borough.

H&F residents

If you are a H&F resident, you can access a place with an Ofsted registered nursery, preschool or childminder in the borough who has signed up with us to be part of the scheme.

However, if you would like to access a place in another borough, you will need to speak with them to see if this is possible and if so, the process you will need to follow. Some council's and providers may prioritise places for families living in their own boroughs.

Non-H&F residents

If you are not a H&F resident but would like to access a place in our borough, first speak with the childcare provider you are interested in to see if this is possible.

We will need to check your eligibility even if this has already been checked and confirmed by your own council. This is because H&F will pay for the place and so we need to carry out our own checks.

Eligibility criteria

Eligibility criteria applies to working parents only who wish to claim 30 hours, as all parents can receive 15 hours for 3 and 4 year olds.

To be eligible for 30 hours for working parents, you and any partner you live with:

• must each expect to work at least 16 hours a week at the National Minimum Wage
• cannot earn more than £100,000 each a year.

If you, or any partner, are on maternity, paternity or adoption leave, or you're unable to work because you are disabled or have caring responsibilities, you could still be eligible.

See Check you're eligible for free childcare if you're working on GOV.UK

Make an application for 3 and 4 year old funding: 15 hours only

You can apply through the childcare provider of your choice by getting in contact with them directly.

Your child will need to register with them, and you will need to show them a copy of your child's birth certificate. The provider will also ask you to sign a Parental Declaration Form. The provider will then apply to us on your behalf for the funding.

Make an application for 3 and 4 year old funding: 30 hours

You will need to apply through HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to obtain an eligibility code which you must then give to the registered H&F childcare provider you would like to use. Please ask your childcare provider to check the code is valid when they receive it. They should not wait to check it when your child starts as you may lose your place.

If you have a preferred provider, reach out to them ahead of applying for your code to check if they have a place.

To apply you will 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 and the UK birth certificate reference number (if you have one) for your child.

Apply for free childcare if you are working on GOV.UK

Please note if you are:

• a foster carer, there is a separate application process to obtain a code. Speak to your social worker to find out more
• applying for a place for September 2024 and will be starting a new job before the end of September call HMRC on 0300 123 4097 to receive a code.

Application deadlines for 30 hours

HMRC set application deadlines for each term. It is advised you apply no later than 6 weeks before the start of a new term, to allow for any issues with codes coming through.

Before your child starts their funded place

Ensure your code is valid

Before your child starts their funded place you will need to ensure your childcare provider has checked that your code is valid so you can access the funded place.

You will also need to ensure you renew your code every 3 months on GOV.UK.

Sign the Parental Declaration Form

You will need to sign a Parental Declaration Form with your childcare provider. This is so your childcare provider can access the funding from the council.
You will also need to agree to conditions of the place.

This includes that the information you have given is correct and you understand that:

• the place is based on regular attendance
• you will inform your childcare provider of any planned holidays and absences.

Your childcare provider will share this information with the council, and the council will also check whether your childcare provider can get an Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) payment to support your child. This is based on your personal circumstances.

See Get extra funding for your early years provider on GOV.UK

The amount of EYPP is £378 for the financial year 2024/25.

Check your child's start date and whether your child can access the funded place for the whole term

Each term the council sets a 'headcount date' and your child will need to be registered and attending by that date to access funding for the whole term. Your childcare provider can advise you of the headcount date for the current or upcoming term.

If your child starts after the headcount date you may still be able to access your funded place, but it may only be for part of the term.

Additional schemes for working parents

In addition to claiming 15 or 30 hours funding, you may be able to access further schemes, to help pay for additional hours or services from your childcare provider.

• Tax-Free Childcare on GOV.UK
• Universal Credit childcare costs on GOV.UK (if you claim Universal Credit)

Students

If you are a student, you may be able to receive support with your childcare costs from, the government, your school, your sixth form, your college, your university or your training provider.

Go to help with childcare costs while you study.

Help identifying what you can get and when

To find out what childcare schemes you can access now, and in the future, you can use the eligibility checker on the Childcare Choices website.

You will also be able sign up to receive updates on how and when to apply for support with your childcare costs.

Your childcare options

To find childcare that meets your needs, including information on childcare and funding for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) see our guide to Childcare options for under 5's.

Contact details

If you have a question about applying for 30 hours if you are working, or to discuss a problem you may have with your eligibility code given by HMRC contact the Childcare service helpline on GOV.UK.

To contact our early years funding officer email renee.daley@lbhf.gov.uk or our early years team email eyfservice@lbhf.gov.uk