Parents of young children are being urged to act swiftly to secure their fair share of free childcare for 2025, with the potential to receive up to a whopping £2,000 worth of assistance from the government.
The new deadline is December 31, following rules introduced on September 1, 2024, which entitled working parents with children aged nine months and older to 15 hours of free childcare.
From September 2025, the Labour government will be implementing new childcare laws that will entitle eligible parents to 30 hours of free childcare a week.
To qualify, the child must be at least nine months old on or before December 31, 2024.
If their application is successful, parents will receive a voucher code to give to their childcare provider, which will need to be renewed every three months.
Parents are reminded to keep track of their childcare account logins to see when they can renew it, and if they miss these deadlines, they will need to reapply to the scheme as a whole.
While there is no limit on the number of voucher codes available, preferred childcare providers may have limited space.
To apply, you’ll need your National Insurance number, the date you started or are due to start work, details of other government support or benefits you receive, and your child’s UK birth certificate.
Applications could be assessed in minutes, but it may take up to a week. Eligible parents might also be able to access tax-free childcare through the same application, although there’s no deadline for this.
The Department for Education has a tool on its website that will display all of the child cost assistance you might be entitled to.
The amount of free childcare you can receive largely depends on your personal circumstances, such as your income and the benefits you receive.
To qualify for any free childcare, your child must meet the age requirements and usually live with you. It’s worth noting that Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have different schemes.
