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How to use your 30 hours of free childcare entitlement

The entitlement has no monetary value. However, you are entitled to up to 570 hours free childcare per year. The year starts when your child first becomes eligible for funding. They must also be in the correct date of birth range.

You can:

  • use your 30 hours between 6am and 8pm for a maximum of 10 hours a day
  • split your 30 hours between providers, for example a nursery and a childminder, but at no more than 2 sites each day.

Not all providers can be flexible in how they offer the free hours. So, check with your chosen provider to make sure their offer fits your needs.

Stretch your funding

Some providers may offer a stretched pattern of hours. This means, you get fewer hours each week, but for more weeks of the year. You will need to discuss this with your chosen provider.

If a provider is not open for the full 38 weeks per year, you cannot claim more than 15 (universal) or 30 (extended) hours each week over fewer weeks of the year. If you choose a provider that is open for fewer than 38 weeks of the year you will not be able to receive your full entitlement.

The 38 weeks or more of free hours can be used in line with the following academic periods. Your childcare provider will tell you how many weeks you can use during each period.

  • Autumn: 1 September to 31 December
  • Spring: 1 January to last day of the spring holiday
  • Summer: First day of the summer term to 31 August.

Headcount week

Your child must attend the Kent headcount week to claim both the universal and extended element of the entitlement for the term.

Your child's attendance during headcount week determines the funded hours. You cannot increase the hours until the next term. To find out when the headcount week is, talk to your childcare provider.

Your child cannot start a new childcare place at a provider during a grace period. This includes when a parent:

  • has fallen into their grace period before your child has started their childcare place and,
  • seeks to move your child to a different provider, when you have already fallen into their grace period.

Your child must attend the Kent headcount week to claim the free early education and childcare for that term.

Late joiners can claim if their child:

  • is moving to Kent from another local authority after headcount week or;
  • has not claimed at another setting in Kent during that academic period.

If you have not claimed the full 15 hours during headcount, you cannot increase the number of hours your child attends in the middle of the term.

Transfer funding during headcount week

Providers are under no obligation to transfer funding. If you switch providers after the headcount week, you might need to pay the new one until the start of the next term.

There is an appeals process in place for exceptional circumstances such as a move, due to adoption or domestic violence.