Free childcare for under fives
Could you be entitled to help with childcare costs? Get the help that fits with your family.
The government has expanded the funding for Early Years to help with childcare costs.
What is available
- some families of two-year-olds are eligible for 15 hours per week free childcare
- since April 2024, eligible working parents with children aged two will have access to 15 hours free childcare
- since September 2024, the 15 hours childcare offer has been expanded to eligible working parents for children between 9 and 23 months old
- all three-and-four-year-olds are eligible for the universal 15 hours childcare per week.
- some three-and-four-year-olds of working parents are entitled to an additional 15 hours free childcare each week.
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Other help with costs - tax free childcare, universal credit for childcare, support while you study, help for households.
All hours are for 38 weeks of the year (term time). Some providers will stretch funding over more weeks which means less hours per week. Speak to your childcare provider.
- Download our free early years childcare brochure 2024
- Or go to online copy, which can be translated into different languages or read out loud. Use the 'Listen and Translate' function at the top right hand corner of the page: Free and funded childcare brochure
For all free and funded places, your child becomes eligible the term after they reach the relevant age!
What is new in 2025:
September 2025, eligible working parents with children between 9 months up to school age will have access to 30 hours childcare.
Who is eligible for the working parent entitlements?
Working parents - where both parents or a sole parent in one parent family are working and earn between the equivalent of 16 hours at the national minimum wage and less than £100,000 per year. You can read more about national minimum wage and national living wage on GOV.UK.
You may still be eligible if you are a family where one parent is working, and the second parent is not working:
- but receiving an eligible carer benefit,
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or is unable to work and receiving an eligible disability benefit.
How to get help or apply
To see if you are eligible or to apply visit Childcare Choices or apply for free childcare if you're working or phone Childcare Choices on 0300 123 4097.
Remember, for all free and funded places, your child becomes eligible the term after they turn the relevant age. The deadlines to apply are:
| When you would like to use your entitlements from | The deadline to apply for a code |
| 1 January | 31 December |
| 1 April | 31 March |
| 1 September | 31 August |
If you already have a Tax-Free childcare account, please apply no sooner than 4 weeks before your reconfirmation date.
If you are on maternity, paternity or parental leave or starting a new job, application deadlines are as follows:
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When you start / return to work
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When you can apply from
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When your free hours can start
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1 Oct 2024 to 31 Jan 2025
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1 Sept to 31 Dec 2024
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1 Jan 2025
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1 Feb to 30 April 2025
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1 Jan to 31 March 2025
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1 April 2025
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1 May to 30 Sept 2025
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1 April to 31 Aug 2025
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1 Sept 2025 |
Sign up to get local information about the new entitlements.
Speak to your local childcare provider and sign up now (as some places get booked up early). Use our childcare directory to find childcare near you.
Get in touch with the Early Years Sector Support team at Newcastle City Council - email EarlyYears@newcastle.gov.uk or phone 0191 277 4674
Funding rates that Newcastle City Council will pay to providers for the financial year 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026
| Child age cohort funding stream | Hourly rate April 2025 | Annual | Deprivation allocation | Explanation |
| Three-and-four-year-olds | £5.26 | £805,950 |
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| Two-year-olds | £7.46 | £294,050 |
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| Under-twos | £10.38 |
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| EYPP (Early Years Pupil Premium) | £1.00 | (£570) |
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| DAF (Disability Access Fund) | £938 |
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How much individual children can get as an hourly rate funding for their free hours can vary, as some children also receive EYPP and some receive a deprivation payment. So we have shown the minimum hourly rate and the maximum hourly rate below.
| Child age cohort funding stream | Hourly rate April 2025 | EYPP hourly rate | Deprivation estimated payment | Minimum and maximum hourly rate for child | Explanation |
| Three-and-four-year-olds | £5.26 | £1.00 | £660.07 (divided by 570 is £1.16 per hour) |
Min: £5.26 Max £7.16 |
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| Two-year-olds | £7.46 | £1.00 | £466.75 (or £0.82 per hour) |
Min: £7.46 Max: £9.28 |
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| Under-twos | £10.38 | £1.00 | £0.00 |
Min: £10.38 Max: £11.38 |
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