Free Early Education & Childcare Hours

Great news — funded childcare hours may be available for your child! Here's everything you need to know, depending on your child's age.

Working Families: Children Aged 9 Months to 3 Years

If you're working and have a child between 9 months and 3 years old, you could get 15 free hours of early education and childcare per week — that's 570 hours a year across 38 weeks!

Once your child turns 3, this rises to 30 free hours until they start school.

To check if you qualify, visit the GOV.UK Childcare eligibility checker.
To apply, complete the application form on GOV.UK — you'll receive an 11-digit eligibility code.

 

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

  • Make sure your code is valid before the end of the month prior to the new term starting, so your childcare provider has time to claim the funding from Bradford Council.
  • Your eligibility code needs to be renewed every 3 months via HMRC — they'll send you a reminder.

When to Apply

Child's Birthday Hours Available From Apply Between
1 Dec – 31 Mar 1 January (after child turns 9 months) 15 Oct – 30 Nov
1 Apr – 30 Jun 1 April (after child turns 9 months) 15 Jan – 28 Feb
1 Jul – 30 Nov 1 September (after child turns 9 months) 15 Jun – 31 Jul

Terrific Twos: Children Aged 2

Have a two-year-old? You may be entitled to 15 free hours per week — 570 hours a year across 38 weeks!

You may qualify if you or your partner receive any of the following:

  • Universal Credit (household income £15,400/year or less after tax, not including benefits)
  • Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • The Guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
  • Child Tax Credit and/or Working Tax Credit (household income £16,190/year or less before tax)
  • Working Tax Credit 4-week run-on

Your child may also qualify if they:

  • Have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan
  • Receive Disability Living Allowance
  • Are looked after by the local authority
  • Have left care through adoption, a special guardianship order, or a child arrangement order

Or if your family has No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) and:

  • Yearly household income is no more than £26,500 (one child) or £30,600 (two or more children)
  • Both parents have NRPF and have no more than £16,000 in savings or investments

Check your eligibility now — not sure how to use the checker? Click here for help.

When to Apply

Child's Birthday Hours Available From Apply Between
1 Sep – 31 Dec 1 January 15 Oct – 30 Nov
1 Jan – 31 Mar 1 April 15 Jan – 28 Feb
1 Apr – 31 Aug 1 September 15 Jun – 31 Jul

Three & Four Year Olds — All Families Welcome

Every child aged 3–4 is entitled to 15 free hours of early education and childcare per week — 570 hours a year across 38 weeks. It doesn't matter how much you earn or how many hours you work — this is available to all families.

Your child can start their funded place from the beginning of the term after their 3rd birthday.

How to Get Started

There's no formal application needed for the funding itself — simply come in and fill out a waiting list form and we'll get everything sorted for you. We look forward to welcoming your little one!

If you have any questions about eligibility or how to apply, please don't hesitate to get in touch — we're here to help.