Three and Four Year Old Universal Entitlement
All 3 and 4 year olds are entitled to free 570 hours early education a year over no fewer than 38 weeks of the year and up to 52 weeks of the year, from the term after their 3rd birthday (as set out in the table below) until the child reaches compulsory school age (the beginning of the term following their fifth birthday).
| A child born on or between: |
Will become eligible for a free place from: |
| 1 January - 31 March |
1 April following their 2nd birthday |
| 1 April - 31 August |
1 September following their 2nd birthday |
| 1 September - 31 December |
1 January following their 2nd birthday |
- The 570 hours per year equates to 15 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year. Children may stretch their entitlement by using fewer hours per week, over more than 38 weeks of the year up to 52 weeks. (This is subject to availability and is an agreement between the parent and provider).
- You do not need to apply for the universal hours, once you have selected a chosen childcare provider (Pre-school, nursery, childminder or school) they will claim the funding on your behalf.
- Children who are admitted to a primary school and are attending a maintained reception.
Working Parent Entitlements:
- Parents apply through the digital childcare service, or in some circumstances, by phone using the childcare service helpline. If their application is successful, they are given an 11-digit eligibility code (usually beginning ‘500’).
- Foster parents will apply directly to their responsible local authority
- Parents take their eligibility code to a provider for verification, together with their National Insurance number and child’s date of birth.
- The provider verifies the code through their local authority – through a provider portal linked to the local authority system. The local authority verifies the code through DfE’s Eligibility Checking System (ECS).
- Local authorities should audit the eligibility codes at six points in the year to identify children who have fallen out of eligibility.
Early years funding stops when your child starts in reception class (or reaches compulsory school age, if later)
The grace period only becomes active if the child has been with that provider the previous term for the extended hours.
Parents are only legally entitled to start claiming a 30 hours place for their three or four year old the term following the date they receive a decision from HMRC. Therefore, they should be encouraged to apply well before the deadlines. Providers will need to verify the code before a child take up their place.
| When your child turns 3 |
When they can get 30 hours from |
Recommended time to apply |
| 1 September to 31 December |
Term starting on or after 1 January |
15 October to 30 November |
| 1 January to 31 March |
Term starting on or after 1 April |
15 January to 28 February |
| 1 April to 31 August |
Term starting on or after 1 September |
15 June to 31 July |
You can apply outside of these recommended dates but you might not receive your code in time. You must have a valid code by the end of the month before a new term starts.
Check with your childcare provider to find out the exact date your 30 hours free childcare starts.
You have to reconfirm your eligibility every 3 months. If you apply more than 3 months before the term starts, you’ll have to reconfirm your eligibility in your account in order to keep your code valid.
Children may be entitled to a further 15 hours extended (Total 30 Hours) if eligible due to parents meeting the working parent’s criteria. The parent can apply via the HMRC website www.childcarechoices.gov.uk