With September now in full swing, it’s a great time to check in on your funded childcare entitlement. At The Willows, we support funded places for children aged 9 months to 3 years – making our nature-connected, child-led preschool experience more accessible than ever. We’re here to help you understand what you’re eligible for and how to make the most of it.
The New Term Has Begun – Is Your Funding in Place?
September marks the beginning of a new nursery term – and a big milestone for many families accessing funded childcare hours. Whether you’re new to nursery or already enrolled, it’s important to make sure your child’s funded hours are in place and applied correctly for the autumn term.
What Funded Hours Can I Access?
From September 2025, most families will be able to claim the following:
For children aged 9 months to 2 years
- 30 hours of funded childcare per week (for eligible working families)
- Taken over 38 weeks of the year (term-time), or stretched across the year
For children aged 2 to 3 years
- Some eligible families can access 15 or 30 hours per week
- Criteria apply, such as Universal Credit, DLA, EHCP or care leaver status
For children aged 3 to 4 years
- All working families meeting income criteria can access 30 hours per week
- All families (regardless of income) receive 15 universal hours
Key Dates to Remember
If your child turned 9 months old before 31 August, you should have applied by 31 August to start funded hours this term. Funding starts the term after your child becomes eligible, so:
- September term covers children with birthdays between 1 April and 31 August
- Applications for January start must be made by 31 December
We work with families to help them understand eligibility, support the application process, and stretch funding across the year if preferred. We never charge registration or top-up fees for funded hours – and we make the process as smooth as possible.📞 Have questions? Contact your nursery manager, or visit:
🔗 childcarechoices.gov.ukmilies accessing funded childcare hours. Whether you’re new to nursery or already enrolled, it’s important to make sure your child’s funded hours are in place and applied correctly for the autumn term.
What Funded Hours Can I Access?
From September 2025, most families will be able to claim the following:
For children aged 9 months to 2 years
- 30 hours of funded childcare per week (for eligible working families)
- Taken over 38 weeks of the year (term-time), or stretched across the year
For children aged 2 to 3 years
- Some eligible families can access 15 or 30 hours per week
- Criteria apply, such as Universal Credit, DLA, EHCP or care leaver status
For children aged 3 to 4 years
- All working families meeting income criteria can access 30 hours per week
- All families (regardless of income) receive 15 universal hours
Key Dates to Remember
If your child turned 9 months old before 31 August, you should have applied by 31 August to start funded hours this term. Funding starts the term after your child becomes eligible, so:
- September term covers children with birthdays between 1 April and 31 August
- Applications for January start must be made by 31 December
We work with families to help them understand eligibility, support the application process, and stretch funding across the year if preferred. We never charge registration or top-up fees for funded hours – and we make the process as smooth as possible.
📞 Have questions? Contact your nursery manager, or visit:
🔗 childcarechoices.gov.uk
