Early Years Childcare funding – your questions answered!

Families can access various funding options for early years childcare, including 15 and 30 hours of free childcare, to help manage costs and support children's development.

Many families in Wirral have already taken advantage of the early years funded childcare scheme. Almost 3000 local children have benefitted from the expansion to childcare so far.

Wirral parents and carers have asked our teams many questions about Early Years Childcare Funding, so we’re answering them all in one place.

How many funded hours can I access?

There are different funding options for different families, based on their working and financial situation.

From September, parents earning the equivalent of 16 hours national minimum wage a week may be eligible for 30 hours of funded childcare, for their children aged at least nine months on or before 31 August. Places are funded from the term after your child turns nine months old until they start reception. All parents/carers in the household must be earning a minimum £167.00 per week but less than £100,000 per year.

If you are not eligible for 30 hours of funded childcare, your child may be eligible for 15 hours instead. All parents of children aged three to four in England can access a universal offer of 15 hours of government funded early education from the term after their child turns three. It doesn't matter how much you earn or how many hours you work.  

Parents of two-year-olds can also access 15 hours a week of funded early education and childcare if they receive additional forms of support. This includes support like being on Universal Credit and earning less than £15,400 a year, or if your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan, or has been looked after by a local authority. Places are funded from the term after a child turns two.

When can I start using a funded place?

Funding starts the term after your child turns the relevant age, meaning:

• If your child becomes of age between 1st January to 31st March, funding is available from 1st April onwards.
• If your child becomes of age between 1st April to 31st August, funding is available from 1st September onwards.
• If your child becomes of age between 1st September to 31st December, funding is available from 1st January onwards.

Where can I access a funded place for my child?

• Any early years provision that provides funded places, this could be a childminder, day nursery, pre-school or school.
• No more than 10 hours a day at two sites between 6am and 8pm.
• Parents can’t use more than 30 hours per week.
• Parents can use the hours all year round, in agreement with their provider.
• Parents can only change providers mid-term in exceptional circumstances.

Can I pay for more hours if 30 hours is not enough? 

Yes. Parents can buy additional hours from their early years provider. Depending on availability.

What do I need to do if I’m already claiming 15 hours of funded childcare as a working parent?  

If you’re already claiming 15 hours and you work at least 16 hours a week, you can keep reconfirming as normal and if you’re still eligible, it will automatically be updated to 30 hours.  

 Can foster carers apply? 

• Yes, for their own children they follow the process above, for fostered children they request an application form from fis@wirral.gov.uk.
• They 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. 

How do I apply for the funded hours?

You can check your eligibility and apply via the Childcare Choices website here: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

If eligible, once accepted, you will receive a code that will need rechecking every three months. Failure to reconfirm the code may mean funding pauses until the code is renewed. Codes that have expired due to not reconfirming must be renewed before the start of following term in order to be valid.

Any other questions?

If you have any other questions, please contact fis@wirral.gov.uk or call 0151 666 3980.