Free childcare hours checker
England free childcare hours depend on your child's age and whether you work. All 3 and 4 year olds get 15 universal hours regardless of income, eligible working parents get up to 30 hours from the term after the child turns 9 months until school age, and disadvantaged 2 year olds on certain benefits get 15 hours. Funded hours run over 38 term-time weeks and can be stretched over more weeks at fewer hours, and the working-parent entitlement has an income test (each parent earning at least about £195 a week up to £100,000). BabyData checks your likely band from the age and working status you enter. It is a guide to England funding only, so confirm and reconfirm your entitlement each term on gov.uk Childcare Choices.
Check your free hours
Your likely England funded-hours band from your child's age and your working status.
How this is worked out
England free childcare hours depend on the child's age and whether the parents work. The bands are:
All 3 and 4 year olds: 15 universal hours regardless of income
Working parents, 9 months to school age: 30 hours
Disadvantaged 2 year olds: 15 hours regardless of work
Funded hours are normally 38 weeks a year (term time), and can be stretched over more weeks at fewer hours per week. The working-parent entitlement has an income test: each parent must earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Minimum Wage (about £195 a week), and neither can have an adjusted net income over £100,000. Eligibility and the live thresholds are set on gov.uk.
A guide to England funding only. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run separate schemes. Always confirm your entitlement and reconfirm it each term on gov.uk Childcare Choices.
Names and Family Data Desk, BabyData
BabyData's editorial desk builds and documents the tools, citing the underlying rule and the official UK dataset behind every number. Pregnancy-related tools are editorially reviewed against NHS and gov.uk guidance before publication.
Last reviewed: 12 June 2026