How many free childcare hours can parents get in England?

In England, eligible working parents can get 30 hours of free childcare a week for 38 weeks of the year for children aged 9 months to 4 years, under Free Childcare for Working Parents. Each parent must expect to earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the minimum wage, and neither can have adjusted net income over £100,000.

All 3 and 4-year-olds get 15 hours a week regardless of income, and some 2-year-olds get 15 hours if the family receives certain support. The hours can be spread over more weeks if the provider agrees.

The schemes differ elsewhere. In Scotland, 3 and 4-year-olds and some 2-year-olds can get up to 1,140 hours a year, around 30 hours a week in term time. Wales and Northern Ireland run their own schemes. Free hours do not usually cover meals or extras.

Official sources: GOV.UK: Free Childcare for Working Parents · GOV.UK: help paying for childcare · mygov.scot: funded early learning and childcare

When is the next figure out?

DHSC provider statistics come out quarterly at 9:30am on a Thursday, with the next date in each release. DfE publishes childcare take-up in July, the provider survey in December, children in need in autumn and children looked after in November, at 9:30am. Skills for Care publishes its workforce estimates each June and its state of the sector report each autumn.

Every official release due in the next two weeks is on the release calendar.

Where the figures come from

• Social care, childcare and children's social care statistics (DHSC, NHS England, Skills for Care, DfE, ONS and devolved bodies)
  Where to find official figures on care homes, social care staff, delayed discharge, unpaid carers, free childcare, childcare costs and children in care.

Related questions

• How many children take up free childcare hours in England?
• How much does childcare cost in England?
• Who pays for care home fees, and what is the savings threshold?

This answer says where the official figures are published and how they are defined. It gives no verdict on any claim. To report an error, send a correction request. More questions about social care and childcare: all Social care and childcare questions.