Nine months to four-year-olds | Shropshire Council

30 hours working family entitlement

Eligible working families in England can apply for 30 hours of childcare to use from the term after their child turns nine months old until they reach school age.

Families could get up to 1,140 hours per year of free childcare, which can be used as follows:

30 hours per week for 38 weeks per year (term time only) or,
‘Stretched’ funding by using fewer hours per week, but over more weeks of the year, ie to cover some or all of the school holiday periods. Not all childcare providers offer the stretched funding model, so please check this with your chosen childcare provider directly

How and when to apply

To apply for the working family entitlement funding, please visit the Best Start in Life Parent Hub.

You can apply as early as the term before your child turns nine months old, but the funding won't start until the term after your child has turned nine months old.

Please refer to the table below for the termly application deadlines, as late eligibility codes won't be accepted.

When your child turns nine months old: 1 January to 31 March
When they can access 30 hours from: Term starting on or after 1 April
Application deadline: 31 March

When your child turns nine months old: 1 April to 31 August
When they can access 30 hours from: Term starting on or after 1 September
Application deadline: 31 August

When your child turns nine months old: 1 September to 31 December
When they can access 30 hours from: Term starting on or after 1 January
Application deadline: 31 December

Once you've applied for the working family entitlement, if eligible, you'll receive an 11-digit eligibility code which you then need to pass on to your chosen childcare provider, to be able to access the funded hours.

You'll need to take the eligibility code to your chosen childcare provider, along with your national insurance number and your child’s date of birth. Your childcare provider will check the code and then allocate your child a place, if they have one available.

If you've applied and are waiting for a code, we still recommend that you speak to your chosen childcare provider to let them know you intend to take up a place.

Foster carers

Children in foster care who are aged nine months to four years old could also be eligible for the working family entitlement, provided that their foster carer is in paid work outside their fostering role and doesn't expect their adjusted net income to exceed £100,000.

There's no minimum income requirement for foster carers, but the local authority responsible for the child must confirm that it's satisfied that the foster carer’s paid work other than their fostering role is consistent with the child’s care plan.

Applications for the working family entitlement for foster children must be submitted to the local authority and not through the Best Start in Life Parent Hub. Please note that before submission the application must be countersigned by the child's social worker.

Foster carers' application form

The application form for foster carers to complete is available here. The completed countersigned form should be submitted to NEF@shropshire.gov.uk

Eligibility

You can usually get funded childcare for working parents if you (and your partner, if you have one) are:

In work or starting a new job
On sick leave or annual leave
On shared parental, maternity, paternity or adoption leave

The amount of funded childcare you can get depends on:

Your child’s age and circumstances
Your income (and your partner’s income, if you have one)
Your immigration status

You can get the working family entitlement at the same time as claiming universal credit, tax credits, childcare vouchers or tax-free childcare.

For more information on the eligibility criteria, please visit the Best Start in Life Parent Hub, or contact Childcare Services on 0300 1234097.

What if I’m not eligible for the working family entitlement?

Nine months to two-year-olds – families with children in this age group who aren't eligible for the working family entitlement will incur childcare costs for the hours their child attends at their chosen childcare provision. Parents can find out what support they may be eligible for via the Best Start in Life Parent Hub.

Two-year-olds – families of two-year-olds who are in receipt of some additional government support could still be eligible for 15 hours of funded childcare under a separate scheme, which we call 24U in Shropshire. For more information and details on how to apply for 24U, please visit our 24U funding webpage.

Three- and four-year-olds – families will still be able to receive 15 universal funded hours from the term after your child turns three until they start school, irrespective of your income level, benefit status, or family circumstances.

Please note: some families of two-year-olds may be eligible for both the 24U funding scheme and the working family entitlement. If this is the case, the first 15 funded hours will be allocated under 24U, and the additional 15 hours under the working family entitlement (a maximum of 30 hours in total).

What is the working family entitlement funding for, and how can it be used?

If eligible, the working family funded hours are to be used to pay for the hours that your child attends at your chosen childcare provider, for quality early education. The number of hours covered, will depend on your child’s funding entitlement. Any additional hours, over and above the child’s funding entitlement will be charged for by the childcare setting at their own hourly rates. It therefore does not cover:

Meals
Nappies
Additional hours over and above the funded entitlement
Additional activities, such as trips

Access to the above extras must not be mandatory, or a condition of accessing a funded place. Parents should speak to their chosen childcare provider about the extra services or alternative options.

To find out more about the working family entitlement and for further details on eligibility and how to apply, please visit the Best Start in Life Parent Hub (formerly known as Childcare Choices).