Free Childcare Funding
At Handprints, we warmly welcome and accept all forms of childcare funding. Listed below are the funding options available.
Funded hours can be used over 38 weeks of the year (during school term time) or up to 52 weeks if you use fewer than your total hours per week. Funding does not cover the cost for food or sundries such as nappies, wipes or other resources.
0-2 Years Old
Starting September 2024, all children from nine months old will benefit from 15 hours of free childcare. We are excited to be part of this transformative initiative, providing exceptional care and education at this crucial stage of development.
2 Years Old | 15 Hours
✅ We offer this funding
Your 2-year-old can get free childcare if you live in England and get one of the following benefits:
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Income Support
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income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
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income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
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Universal Credit, and your household income is £15,400 a year or less after tax, not including benefit payments
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tax credits, and your household income is £16,190 a year or less before tax
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the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
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the Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
If your child is eligible, you can start claiming the term after they turn 2. The date you can claim will depend on when your little one's birthday is. If your child's birthday is between, you can claim from:
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1 January and 31 March – From the 1 April onwards
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1 April and 31 August – From the 1 September onwards
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1 September and 31 December – From the 1 January onwards
3-4 Years Old | 15-30 Hours
✅ We offer this funding
The 15 funded hours are universal for all 3 and 4 year olds, so there is no application process involved. Working parents who meet the criteria can get 30 hours per week (for up to 38 weeks per year, a total of 1140 hours) of funded childcare.
If your child is eligible, you can start claiming the term after they turn 3. The date you can claim will depend on when your little one's birthday is. If your child's birthday is between, you can claim from:
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1 April – 31 August – From 1 September onwards
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1 September – 31 December – From 1 January onwards
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1 January – 31 March – From the 1 April onwards
Tax Free Childcare
✅ We accept Tax Free Childcare
If you're a working parent with children under 12 (or under 17 for disabled children), you can open an online account to pay for registered childcare. The government will top-up the money you pay into the account. For every £8 you pay in, the government will add an extra £2. You can receive up to £2,000 per child.
New Government Funding
The Government in 2023 listed out additional childcare funding that will be available to families in the UK. Here is what will be available:
Age 9-23 Months:
Sept 2024: Working parents will be able to access 15 hours of free childcare if eligible
Sept 2025: Working parents will be able to access 30 hours of free childcare if eligible
Age 2:
April 2024: Working parents will be able to access 15 hours of free childcare if eligible
Sept 2025: Working parents will be able to access 30 hours of free childcare if eligible
Age 3-4:
Sept 2025: Working parents will be entitled to 30 hours free childcare per week