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Choosing childcare

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Funded hours checker

Funded hours do not start on your child’s birthday — they start on one of three fixed dates, with an application deadline before it. Put in a date of birth and we’ll do that arithmetic for you.

Nothing is sent anywhere. This runs entirely in your browser.

01

A few questions

The only thing that decides when your funding starts.
Are you working? If you have a partner, both of you normally need to be working — unless one of you gets Carer’s Allowance or the limited capability for work element of Universal Credit.
What counts as earning enough?

Each parent must expect to earn at least this over the next 3 months — roughly 16 hours a week at minimum wage:

  • Aged 21 or over — £2,643.68
  • Aged 18 to 20 — £2,256.80
  • Under 18 or an apprentice — £1,664
Does either parent earn over £100,000? Adjusted net income, which is not the same as salary — pension contributions and Gift Aid reduce it.
Do you receive any of these? Universal Credit with household income £15,400 a year or less after tax, Income Support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, or the guaranteed element of Pension Credit.
Does your child have an EHC plan, receive DLA, or are they looked after? Any of these qualifies a 2-year-old regardless of your income. Includes children who left care under an adoption, special guardianship or child arrangements order.
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What you get

A guide, not a decision.

This applies to England and uses thresholds checked in August 2026. They are usually revised each April. Only the official service can confirm your eligibility — apply and check at beststartinlife.gov.uk. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run different schemes.

The full funded hours guide All three schemes, the reconfirmation trap, and top-up fees Questions to ask a provider Printable — including what to ask about fees Choosing childcare Everything on picking a setting
Funding alerts

The figures change every April

Earnings thresholds, the income cap and the funded hours rules are usually revised each April, and the official site quietly moved address this year. Leave your email and we’ll tell you when anything on this page stops being true.

Only when the rules actually change. Stop any time.