Check whether your child may qualify for 15 or 30 hours of funded childcare in England, then see the term-time and stretched weekly amounts.
Eligibility normally begins in the term after the relevant birthday or nine-month date.
Each parent normally earns the equivalent of at least 16 hours a week at minimum wage.
Used to calculate the earliest term start date. Make sure the age selected above matches.
This can include certain benefits or support, an EHCP, DLA, or looked-after status.
Likely working-parent entitlement. Final eligibility and start date depend on your exact circumstances and reconfirmation.
This is an estimate, not an eligibility decision. Your provider may offer fewer sessions or charge separately for meals, nappies, trips or extra hours.
Eligible working parents: up to 30 funded hours a week for 38 weeks a year, from the term after a child turns 9 months until they start school.
Every 3- and 4-year-old in England: 15 funded hours a week for 38 weeks, from the term after their third birthday. Eligible working families can receive 30 hours in total.
Some 2-year-olds receiving extra support: 15 hours a week for 38 weeks. If their parents also meet the working-parent rules, the total can be up to 30 hours.
The entitlement starts from the term after the child reaches the qualifying age, not on the birthday itself.
For the 30-hour working offer, each parent normally meets the minimum earnings test and stays within the £100,000 individual income cap.
The hours cover funded childcare. Providers can set session patterns and may charge for optional extras or additional hours.
The headline entitlement is usually expressed over 38 weeks. This equals 570 annual hours for the 15-hour offer or 1,140 annual hours for the 30-hour offer.
Whether you can stretch the hours, and the exact weekly pattern available, depends on your childcare provider.
The hours do not normally begin on the day your child turns 9 months, 2 or 3. They begin from the relevant term after the qualifying date.
| Qualifying date | Earliest term start |
|---|---|
| 1 January to 31 March | 1 April |
| 1 April to 31 August | 1 September |
| 1 September to 31 December | 1 January the following year |
For the working-parent offer, the qualifying date is when the child turns 9 months. For the universal 15 hours it is the third birthday; for support-based two-year-old hours it is the second birthday. Application and reconfirmation deadlines still apply.
Eligible working parents can receive up to 30 hours a week for 38 weeks a year from the term after their child turns 9 months until school age. Each parent normally needs to meet the minimum earnings test and have adjusted net income of no more than £100,000 a year. Use the official checker for exceptions involving leave, starting work, disability or caring responsibilities.
Yes. All 3 and 4 year olds in England can receive 15 hours a week for 38 weeks from the term after their third birthday, regardless of whether their parents work.
Your provider may let you spread the annual allowance over more than 38 weeks. For example, 1,140 annual hours divided across 52 weeks is about 21.9 hours per week. Availability and session patterns vary by provider.
Hours normally start at the beginning of the term after the child reaches the qualifying age: 1 April for qualifying dates from January to March, 1 September for April to August, or 1 January for September to December.
Yes. You can use funded hours and Tax-Free Childcare together if you qualify for both. Tax-Free Childcare can help with approved costs outside the funded hours and eligible extras.
No. Funded childcare schemes differ across the UK, so this calculator covers England only. Follow the relevant national government guidance if you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Calcora is independent and not affiliated with GOV.UK. This calculator simplifies the main rules and cannot account for every exception. Confirm your result with the GOV.UK working-parent checker. For the universal offer, see 15 hours for 3- to 4-year-olds. For support-based eligibility, see Early Learning for 2-year-olds.
Method: weekly entitlement × 38 weeks gives the annual total; annual total ÷ 52 gives the illustrative stretched weekly figure. The start-date estimate adds 9 months, 2 years or 3 years to the date of birth and applies the official term-start bands. Use the Childcare Cost Calculator to turn those hours into a nursery budget. Last reviewed 9 August 2026.