Working families across Derbyshire can receive up to 30 hours of funded childcare per week for their children aged from 9 months up to school age, starting the term after their child turns 9 months.
This childcare is available for 38 weeks a year (during school term time). You may be able to stretch the hours over more weeks, depending on your childcare provider.
Eligibility
Who can get 30 hours of funded childcare.
To be eligible, you must:
- be working and expect to earn the equivalent of at least 16 hours at National Minimum or Living Wage
- each parent earns less than £100,000 per year
- have a child aged from 9 months to the term before they start school
If you're not currently working you may still be eligible if your partner is working and you're on carer's leave, or if you receive any of the following:
- Incapacity Benefit
- Severe Disablement Allowance
- Carer's Allowance
- Limited Capability for Work Benefit
- contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance
You can apply for 30 hours funded childcare if you're starting or restarting work within the next 31 days.
When to apply
You can apply from when your child is 23 weeks old. When you can start your hours will depend on the date your child turns 9 months old.
You must apply for your code in the term before you want to start using your funded hours.
Recommended time to apply for 30 hours of funded childcare
| When your child turns 9 months old | When you can start using the funding | Deadline |
|---|
| 1 January to 31 March |
From April (summer term) |
31 March |
| 1 April to 31 August |
From September (autumn term) |
31 August |
| 1 September to 31 December |
From January (spring term) |
31 December |
How to apply
Eligibility for the 30 hours of funded childcare is determined by HMRC.
Check your eligibility and apply for 30 hours funding
If you need help to apply, or have problems with the online application, you can contact the Childcare Service helpline at HMRC, telephone: 0300 123 4097. The phone line is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm.
To complete the application, you provide your name, address, and National Insurance number, as well as whether you expect to meet the income requirements over the next 3 months and whether you are in receipt of any benefits.
If you live with a partner, you'll need to provide the same information for them as well. This will enable HMRC to decide whether your child is eligible for the 30 hours.
Reconfirming your code
You'll need to reconfirm your details approximately every 3 months to prove you still meet the eligibility criteria.
Reconfirmation periods may fall in line with older siblings which may make the validity period of your code initially shorter than the approximate 3 months. Therefore, it's important that you check the end date in your childcare account.
To renew your code, you will need to log into your childcare account.
When you're in the account go to 'secure messages'. You can access this section at any time. Check the 'reconfirmation' section to find your reconfirmation date.
You can reconfirm your eligibility up to 4 weeks before your reconfirmation date. HMRC should also send you reminders when your reconfirmation date is due.
Please remember to check your junk email folder for reminders from HMRC, as these can sometimes be mistaken by your email provider as junk.
If you have applied more than 3 months before the term starts, you'll have to reconfirm your eligibility in your account to keep your code valid even if you haven't started using the funding yet.
How to find a childcare place
There is a choice of early education providers such as a school nursery class, preschool playgroup, private day nursery or childminder. You can search approved providers on the childcare directory to find a place.
You can take your 30 hours with more than one provider. There is no limit on the number of providers you can use, however, you'll be limited to no more than 2 sites in a single day.
Search for childcare near you
If you need any support finding a place to meet your needs contact the Families Information Service, email info.fis@derbyshire.gov.uk or telephone: 01629 535793.
Paying for your child's early education place
Government funding does not cover:
- meals
- nappies
- additional hours
- additional activities, such as trips
So, you might be asked to pay for these things. However, these charges must not be mandatory, or a condition of accessing a funded place, and you can speak to your provider about what alternative options they may have.
If you choose to take up additional hours beyond your child's funded entitlement, this will be a private arrangement between you and the provider.
Schools and childcare providers must be open and transparent about any charges before your child takes up a place, so you can make an informed choice.
Foster carers - 30 hours extended entitlement funding
Foster carers who are engaged in paid work outside of their role as foster carer may be entitled to up to 30 hours of childcare for 38 weeks of the year, or fewer hours over more weeks.
Foster carers do not apply to HMRC. An application needs to be submitted to the local authority that has parental responsibility for the child in care.
To find out more information, eligibility criteria and how to apply for 30 hours funded childcare for foster carers, email info.fis@derbyshire.gov.uk.
Contact
If you have any questions about the 20 hours funded childcare for working parents, please contact the Families Information Service: