--- title: "15 Hours Funded Childcare: Full Eligibility Guide (2026) | Nursery Advice" description: "15 hours of funded childcare in England — the universal entitlement for all 3- and 4-year-olds and the disadvantaged 2-year-old route. Eligibility & how to claim." lang: en-GB json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "name": "Nursery Advice", "url": "https://www.nurseryadvice.co.uk", "description": "Search and compare UK nurseries. Ofsted ratings, fees, opening hours, parent reviews and inspection history — all in one place.", "inLanguage": "en-GB", "potentialAction": { "@type": "SearchAction", "target": { "@type": "EntryPoint", "urlTemplate": "https://www.nurseryadvice.co.uk/search?q={search_term_string}" }, "query-input": "required name=search_term_string" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "name": "Nursery Advice", "url": "https://www.nurseryadvice.co.uk", "description": "Search and compare UK nurseries. 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Eligibility & how to claim.", "datePublished": "2026-07-02", "dateModified": "2026-07-02", "inLanguage": "en-GB", "author": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Nursery Advice editorial team", "url": "/parent-hub/editorial-standards" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Nursery Advice" }, "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "/parent-hub/15-hours-funded-childcare" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Parent Hub", "item": "/parent-hub" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "15 hours of funded childcare — who gets it and how to claim", "item": "/parent-hub/15-hours-funded-childcare" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I need to apply for the universal 15 hours?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No — just tell your nursery when your child becomes eligible. The setting handles the paperwork with your local council." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "My child turns 3 in October. When do the hours start?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The term after — in this case, the spring term beginning January. Apply in October so the nursery has the paperwork in time." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can my child have both the 2-year-old disadvantaged route and the working-parents route?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes — if you qualify for both, you can use whichever gives you the most hours. From age 3, they’re combined into the 30 hours." } } ] } ] --- [![Nursery Advice](/__l5e/assets-v1/1c5557d3-f3fd-42f8-935a-3f2d2c3ac7e7/nursery-advice.webp "Nursery Advice")](/ "Nursery Advice") [Find Nurseries](/search)[Parent Hub](/parent-hub)[Compare](/compare)[About Us](/about-us)[For Nurseries](/for-nurseries) [Claim Your Nursery](/claim) In this article 1. 1. [The three routes to 15 funded hours](#three-routes) 2. 2. [How to claim](#how-to-claim) 3. 3. [Stretching the hours](#how-to-spend) 4. 4. [Estimate your nursery bill](#cost-calculator) [Home](/)[Parent Hub](/parent-hub)Funding & money Funding & money # 15 hours of funded childcare — who gets it and how to claim The universal 15 funded hours for all 3- and 4-year-olds, plus the disadvantaged 2-year-old entitlement — explained with eligibility checklists and term dates. Reviewed by the Nursery Advice editorial team Last updated 2 July 2026 Next review 30 November 2026 [Editorial standards](/parent-hub/editorial-standards) There are **three different 15-hour entitlements** in England, and they often get confused. The 15 hours funded childcare offer covers eligible **2-year-olds** and the universal **3–4** entitlement, plus a working-parents route from 9 months. This guide explains which one you qualify for, when it starts, and how to claim it[1](#source-1). Once you’ve confirmed eligibility, [search Nursery Advice](/) to find settings taking new funded starters near you. ## The three routes to 15 funded hours ### 1\. Universal 15 hours for all 3- and 4-year-olds Every child in England is entitled to 15 hours of funded early education a week (570 hours/year, usually 38 weeks term-time) from the term after their third birthday until they start reception. No income test, no work test — it’s universal. ### 2\. 15 hours for disadvantaged 2-year-olds A 2-year-old qualifies if their family receives certain benefits (Universal Credit with household income under £15,400 after tax, Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Pension Credit, etc.) or if the child has additional needs (an EHC plan, DLA, looked-after status). Apply through your local council. ### 3\. 15 hours via the working-parents route (9 months to 3 years) If you qualify for [working-parents funded childcare](/parent-hub/30-hours-free-childcare), you get **15 hours from 9 months to age 3, and 30 hours from 3 until school**. Same code, same application. ## How to claim 1. For the **universal 15**: speak to your nursery from the term before your child turns 3 — they handle the paperwork with the council. No code required. 2. For the **2-year-old disadvantaged route**: check eligibility on your local council’s website (they all have a "free childcare for 2-year-olds" page) and apply there. 3. For the **working-parents 15**: apply at gov.uk/apply-30-hours-free-childcare and give your code to the nursery before the term deadline. ## Stretching the hours - Most settings let you "stretch" 15 hours/week (38 weeks) to ~11 hours/week (52 weeks) so you can use the funding year-round. - You can split across two providers (e.g. nursery and pre-school) but not more than two in a single day — [see nurseries in your area](/nurseries) to plan a two-setting split. - Hours must be used during the setting’s funded sessions — you can’t bank them across terms. ## Estimate your nursery bill ### Childcare cost calculator [Open full tool](/parent-hub/childcare-cost-calculator) England (outside London) Estimated net cost £3,163/ year £264 / month · £61 / week - Net to you £3,163 - Funded hours £7,980 - Tax-Free Childcare £332 Show the workings Child's age <9m 9m–2y 2y 3y 4y 2 years Days per week 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 Hours per day 4h 6h 8h 9h 10h Include hidden charges (£12/day) Most nurseries charge a daily supplement for food, nappies, sun cream and trips on top of fees and funded hours. The England (outside London) average is around £12 per day your child attends. Toggle off if your nursery doesn't. Term-time only (38 weeks) Otherwise we use 51 weeks of nursery a year. Both parents working Each earning at least minimum wage and under £100k. Unlocks working-parent funded hours & Tax-Free Childcare. Receiving Universal Credit Unlocks the 85% UC childcare element instead of Tax-Free Childcare. ## Frequently asked questions Do I need to apply for the universal 15 hours? No — just tell your nursery when your child becomes eligible. The setting handles the paperwork with your local council. My child turns 3 in October. When do the hours start? The term after — in this case, the spring term beginning January. Apply in October so the nursery has the paperwork in time. Can my child have both the 2-year-old disadvantaged route and the working-parents route? Yes — if you qualify for both, you can use whichever gives you the most hours. From age 3, they’re combined into the 30 hours. ## Ready to find a brilliant nursery? Search every Ofsted-registered setting in the UK — by postcode, age group, funded hours and more. [Find a nursery near you →](/search) ## About this guide & sources Every numerical claim in this guide is sourced from UK government, NHS or recognised charity publications. We re-check each source on the article’s review date. 1. Best Start in Life / DfE — [15 and 30 hours funded childcare — working parents](https://beststartinlife.gov.uk/childcare-early-years-education/15-and-30-hours-support/) (retrieved 2026-05-19) 2. GOV.UK — [Help paying for childcare](https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs) (retrieved 2026-05-19) ## Keep reading [ Funding & money ### 30 hours of funded childcare — the 2026 working parents’ guide From September 2025, working parents in England can access up to 30 hours of government-funded childcare a week from when their child is nine months old. Here’s exactly who qualifies, what counts, and how to apply. Read guide ](/parent-hub/30-hours-free-childcare)[ Funding & money ### Tax-Free Childcare vs childcare vouchers — which saves more? Childcare vouchers closed to new applicants in 2018 but thousands of parents still hold accounts. Should you switch to Tax-Free Childcare? Here’s the maths. Read guide ](/parent-hub/tax-free-childcare-vs-vouchers)[ Choosing childcare ### Choosing a nursery: a parent’s 10-point checklist Visit days are short and emotional. Walk in with this 10-point checklist and you’ll come out with a clear answer — not just a vibe. Built from our review of 28,000+ Ofsted reports. Read guide ](/parent-hub/choosing-a-nursery-checklist) [![Nursery Advice](/__l5e/assets-v1/1c5557d3-f3fd-42f8-935a-3f2d2c3ac7e7/nursery-advice.webp "Nursery Advice")](/) The independent UK nursery directory. Built with Ofsted data, kept current weekly. 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