Don’t miss out on free childcare in September as deadline approaches

If you and your partner, if you have one, earn between £183 per week and up to £100,000 per year each, you can get up to 570 hours of funded childcare per year.

Parents of children who will be nine-months-old by August 31 can apply to access 15 hours of funded childcare a week up to the age of three, which is already benefitting hundreds of thousands of families across the country.

The Department for Education (DfE) says working parents, whose children will be aged between 9 and 23-months-old on 31 August 2024, can apply for a government-funded childcare code by visiting www.gov.uk which they then take to their chosen childcare provider to validate. 

For parents with children aged three or four years, there are 30 hours of funded childcare available. If you already use 15 hours for your 2-year-old and they then turn 3 and become eligible for 30 hours free childcare, the code you use to access 15 hours will also be valid for the 30 hours.

To continue receiving government support, parents must reconfirm their details every three months on their gov.uk childcare account. 

Parents can check their eligibility on the Childcare Choices website or visit Childcare Choices | 30 Hours Childcare, Tax-Free Childcare and More | Help with Costs | GOV.UK to find out what extra support you may eligible for.

Cllr Margaret Cracknell, NELC Portfolio Holder for Children and Education, urged working parents not to miss out on the opportunity for free childcare.

“Covering the cost of childcare is one of the biggest challenges for working parents and I am sure many have already applied for their funding. However, for those who are unaware of what is available then please visit the government website above and register immediately as this support is invaluable to many families.”

Parents can also access  a range of advice on funding and childcare providers on the NELC  website visit https://www.nelincs.gov.uk/children-families-and-schools/childcare-and-funding/

The Families Information Service will also be at all of the Family Hub Fun Days this month if anyone wants advice about help paying for childcare of accessing a place. They begin this week. See all dates below:

Family Hub launch dates:

• Tuesday, August 6, 10am to 2pm - Nunsthorpe, Sutcliffe Ave, Grimsby DN33 1AN
• Thursday, August 8, 10am to 2pm - East Marsh, 203 Victor St, Grimsby DN32 7QB
• Tuesday, August 13, 10am to 2pm - Queensway,62 Binbrook Way, Grimsby DN37 9AS
• Thursday, August 15, 10am to 2pm - Reynolds, Reynolds St, Cleethorpes DN35 7TU
• Tuesday, August 20, 10am to 2pm - West Marsh, Macaulay Street, Grimsby DN31 2DS
• Thursday, August 22, 10am to 2pm - Central, Edward Street, Grimsby, DN32 9HL

Launch events are free to attend.  For more information on Family Hubs in your area, visit https://www.nelincs.gov.uk/children-families-and-schools/family-hubs/