New childcare funding available to support working parents
Thousands of Wirral families could be eligible for new working family childcare funding.
If you’re a working parent of a pre-school age child or children, here are some key dates you should be aware of:
- From April 2024, eligible working parents in England with children aged 2 will have access to 15 hours childcare.
- From September 2024, the 15 hours childcare offer will be expanded to eligible working parents in England with children between 9 and 23 months old.
- From September 2025, eligible working parents in England with children between 9 months up to school age will have access to 30 hours childcare.
If you’re eligible, funding will be available to you the term after your child has turned the relevant age.
Councillor Sue Powell-Wilde, Chair of Children, Young People and Education Committee, said:
These changes mean that many more Wirral families will be eligible for funded childcare places. I welcome this expansion and encourage all eligible working parents who are thinking about taking up this offer to do so.
Some families might be eligible to use more than one childcare funding scheme together. This could be through tax-free childcare, 30 hours childcare, or Universal Credit childcare. Don’t miss out on getting the support you are entitled to – find out more through the council’s website and apply today.
To be awarded funding, all parents in the household must work and earn a minimum of £167.00 per week each but less than £100,000 per year each and the child must fall into the right age group.
Funded spaces can be accessed at any early years provider that offers them, this could be a childminder, day nursery, pre-school or school.
The funding covers up to 10 hours a day at two sites between 6am and 8pm.
How to apply
Families can apply via the Childcare Choices website. Here you can find information on all the existing childcare offers in one place, so parents can get the help that fits their family.
Visit: www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Foster carers can also apply for their foster children, by requesting an application form from fis@wirral.gov.uk. Foster parents must be working as well as being a foster carer and the child’s social worker must approve that it’s in line with the child’s plan to attend an early years provider.
Full details on eligibility, how to apply for funding and how to find a childcare provider are available on the Wirral Council website
