Checking Working Parent Entitlement Codes and Eligibility for Spring Term 2026

If you receive a working parent entitlement code from a parent/carer you must check the code in the Portal to ensure that it is a valid code for the Spring Term.

For a code to be valid for the Spring Term, it must have a start date of 31^st December 2025 or earlier. If the start date is 1^st January or later, then it’s not valid for Spring Term.

You must also check the validity end date of the code. If the validity end date is before 1st January, then the parent/carer must reconfirm the code before the validity end date, in order for it to remain valid for the Spring term, even if it is valid when you check.

For example - a code with a start date of 31^st December and end date of 28^th February is fine for the Spring term. If the code has a start date of 1^st January and end date 28^th January, it wouldn’t be valid for Spring term. Or if the code had a start date of 29^th November and an end date of 28^th December, it wouldn’t be valid for Spring term unless the parent reconfirmed before the deadline.

Both the start date and end date need to meet the requirements for the code to be valid.

For example:

Code start date:  20^th December 2025

Code end date:  3^rd March 2026

VALID CODE FOR SPRING TERM 2026

  Start date on or before 31^st Dec 2025

 End date on or after 1^st Jan 2026

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Code start date:  5^th January 2026

Code end date:  4^th April 2026

CODE NOT VALID FOR SPRING TERM 2026

Start date NOT on or before 31^st Dec 2025

End date on or after 1^st Jan 2026

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Code start date:  14^th October 2025

Code end date:  29^th December 2025

CODE NOT VALID FOR SPRING TERM 2026 – PARENT MUST RECONFIRM CODE BY 29^th DECEMBER

Start date on or before 31^st Dec 2025

End date NOT on or after 1^st Jan 2026

Checking Lewisham 2s 15-hour funding for Spring Term

The Lewisham 2s funding (formerly known as Disadvantaged Two-Year-Old Funding) is 15-hours funding that children can claim from the term after they turn two if the family is in receipt of certain benefits or government support.  For children to be eligible for this funding, they must have a Letter of Eligibility issued by Lewisham Council only.  They don’t need a code from HMRC for this funding - they should apply via Lewisham Council  - Free early education for two-year-olds, you can access this by clicking here. 

Parents/carers don’t need to reconfirm eligibility for Lewisham 2s funding - once they have a letter of eligibility, they remain eligible for the funding up until they are able to claim the three-year old funding. 

Checking Universal 15-hour funding for Spring Term

The Universal 15 hours for 3- and 4-year-olds (from the term after a child turns three) is 15 hours per week for all children.  Some children may be eligible for an additional 15 hours per week (the ’30 hours’ extended entitlement – please follow the process for working parent codes). Parents don’t need to apply for the Universal 15 hours and no code or letter is necessary. 

Funding for Under Twos and Two-Year Olds is NOT universal

The only funding available for these ages is either the Working Parent Entitlement (from the term after a child turns 9 months) or Lewisham 2s funding (from the term after a child turns 2) and parents/carers must prove their eligibility for these entitlements.  The only funding that all children are entitled to is the 15 hours for 3- and 4-year-olds from the term after they turn 3. 

• This is the funding that parents/carers apply for via HMRC Get free childcare if you're working: Check if you're eligible - GOV.UK
• If they are eligible, they receive an 11-digit code
• Parents/carers must reconfirm their codes every 3 months (or by the date set by HMRC) for the code to remain valid
• If parents/carers forget to reconfirm their codes, then they will no longer be eligible
• HMRC send email reminders to parents/carers about renewing their code
• You must also check that the child meets the age criteria for the funding
• Working Parent Entitlement Grace Periods:  There is usually a grace period to allow parents/carers to retain funding for a short period if they become ineligible for the entitlement.  If a child is in their grace period, then they can still claim funding with you as long as they were already claiming funding with you last term.  The funding will stop once the grace period ends, so parents must reconfirm before the end of the grace period.  A child can’t start a new setting in a grace period, so if you are taking on a new child and they are in their grace period, they won’t be able to claim funding. 
• Remember – parents / carers MUST reconfirm their code by the deadline set for them by HMRC.  If you have a new parent and they already have a code, then you must check the start date and end date of the code, as they may need to reconfirm the code again before the new term starts.  

Please refer to Best Start in Life for more information about funding (this is the new name for Childcare Choices).

www.beststartinlife.gov.uk 

There is a useful Frequently Asked Questions section which can be shared with parents / carers: 

15 and 30 hours - frequently asked questions | Best Start in Life

Here’s a ready-to-use reminder message that you can send to parents ahead of the 31 December 2025 deadline for Spring Term (and then adapt for other terms)

📣 Important Reminder for Parents and Carers

 To continue receiving funded childcare from January 2026, please reconfirm your eligibility code by 31^st December 2025

 ✅ Reconfirmation is quick and easy — just log into your Childcare Account on GOV.UK

⏳ If you don’t reconfirm by the deadline, your code will become invalid and you may lose access to funded hours

📅 This applies to all working parents using up to 30 hours of funded childcare, including children aged 9 months to 4 years

Let’s make sure your child’s place is secure for the Spring Term!

Here are the deadlines for each term so that you can adapt this reminder with the correct dates for each term:

We hope you find this information useful and if you have any questions then please email the Early Entitlements team:  early.entitlements@lewisham.gov.uk

Thank you - The Early Entitlement Team