Who gets 15 hours of free childcare and when do I apply?

The deadline is approaching for working parents in England to apply for 15 hours of free childcare a week for their two year olds. The government hopes that extending free childcare to this age group from April - and to all under fives in 2025 - will get more parents back to work. The deadline to get free hours for two-year-olds in the spring term is 31 March. To qualify for the new hours, the majority of parents must earn more than £8,670 per year.

Some free hours are already available. The help you can get depends on the age of your child. Free childcare hours are designed to be used over 38 weeks of the year. Some providers will stretch them over 52 weeks if you use fewer hours per week.

The government is increasing the hourly rate it pays childcare providers offering free hours. But in many cases, this rate does not cover the full cost of the childcare. The Department for Education says all additional costs are voluntary. Parents should be told they can supply their own food and supplies.

By the time the expanded scheme is fully rolled-out in September 2025, demand for childcare places is likely to have risen 15%. That’s equivalent to more than 100,000 additional children requiring full-time care. All three and four-year-olds are entitled to some free childcare across the UK. Different schemes operate in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

For every £8 you pay into an online childcare account, the government will pay in £2 (up to £2,000 per child per year) The average cost of full-time nursery for a child under two is nearly £15,000 a year. That’s the equivalent of 44% of average pay for full time workers. In inner London, the benefit of higher wages is cancelled by increased nursery fees. You can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.

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