Help with childcare costs

If you are eligible for 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.  Codes need to be renewed every 3 months, so if you applied for a code before 1 June 2024 for a place in September 2024, you need to renew this through HMRC before your child starts their funded place.

If you have a 9 to 23 month old child, you may be eligible to receive up to 15 hours of childcare a week from September 2024. This is available for working parents and will extend to 30 hours from September 2025. Applications are now open.

How childcare funding can help you and your child

Funded childcare enables children to develop their early learning and childhood experiences and prepare them for school. It also enables their parents or caregivers to get back into work, education, or training.

When your child can start 

Your child can start the term after they turn the relevant age. So, if they turn 9 months between 1 April and 31 August, they can start their funded place from September. See table below for further clarification. 

The funding hours explained

Parents eligible for 15 hours a week can get this over 38 weeks in the year, up to a maximum of 570 hours a year. It is common for a place to be delivered over 3 days a week where each session lasts for 5 hours. Alternatively, over 5 days a week where each session lasts for 3 hours.

The funding is flexible, and some providers may offer the ‘stretched entitlement’. This means your 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, also known as a ‘Parental Declaration Form’ 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

This depends on whether you are a Hammersmith and Fulham 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

This entitlement is for working parents where you and any partner

• 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

The application process

You will need to apply through HMRC to obtain an eligibility code which you must then give to the registered Hammersmith & Fulham 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 receiving your code to check if they have a place.

Make an application 

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're 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 and placement deadlines

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.

Furthermore, each term Hammersmith & Fulham set a ‘headcount date’ and your child will need to be registered and attending by that date, otherwise they may have to wait until the following term to start their place. The childcare provider can advise you of the headcount date for the current or upcoming term.

Additional schemes for working parents

In addition to the 15 hours, you may be able to access the following schemes to help pay for additional hours or services from your childcare provider.

See:

• 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.

See 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.

Contact details

If you have a question about applying for 15 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 officers email felista.aloo@lbhf.gov.uk and danila.pykhanov@lbhf.gov.uk