Eligibility for Working Parent Entitlement for 9-to-35-month-olds

To qualify for a childcare code, you must meet the following criteria. Over the next 3 months you and your partner (if you have one) must each expect to earn at least:

• £2,380 before tax if you’re aged 21 or over (equivalent to £183 per week)
• £1,788 before tax if you’re aged 18 to 20 (equivalent to £137 per week)
• £1,331 before tax if you’re under 18 or an apprentice (equivalent to £102 per week).

This is the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week on average.

You can use an average of how much you expect to earn over the current tax year if:

• you work throughout the year but do not get paid regularly
• you’re self-employed and do not expect to earn enough in the next 3 months.

Find out when you will become eligible.

Example of eligibility

You’re eligible if you’re 21 or over and do not have a regular income but earn £9,518 a year. This is the same as earning £2,379 every 3 months on average.

Starting a new job or returning to work

If you start a new job or are on shared parental, maternity, paternity or adoption leave the date you start a new job or return to work will affect when you can get free childcare.

If you are self employed or on a zero-hour contract, you will be eligible if you meet the average earnings threshold.

You can still be eligible if you usually work but:

• one or both parents are away from work on statutory sick pay
• one or both parents are on parental, maternity, paternity or adoption leave.

In addition, you are eligible if one parent is employed, but the other:

• has substantial caring responsibilities based on specific benefits for caring
• is disabled or incapacitated based on specific benefits.

Your immigration status

To be eligible for free childcare for working parents, you and your partner (if you have one) must have a National Insurance number.

The person who applies must also have at least one of the following:

• British or Irish citizenship
• settled or pre-settled status, or you have applied and you’re waiting for a decision
• permission to access public funds - your UK residence card will tell you if you cannot do this.

If you wish to seek clarification on this, you can contact HMRC Childcare Services helpline on 0300 123 40 97.

Parents who work fewer than 16 hours a week

Eligibility is based on income earned, not hours worked. If a parent works for fewer than 16 hours, but in that time earns more than the equivalent of 16 hours per week at national living wage (or minimum wage for under 25s), they will still be eligible.

HMRC is responsible for determining who is eligible for the Working Parent Entitlement. Contact HMRC if you have queries about checking your eligibility or if you're experiencing ongoing technical issues by phone on 0300 123 40 97.

If you provide false information about eligibility you can be fined between £300 and £3000.

Visit Childcare Choices website for more information. You'll also find their handy eligibility checker, or why not sign up for updates.

Your immigration status

To be eligible for free childcare for working parents, you and your partner (if you have one) must have a National Insurance number.

The person who applies must also have at least one of the following:

• British or Irish citizenship
• settled or pre-settled status, or you have applied and you’re waiting for a decision
• permission to access public funds - your UK residence card will tell you if you cannot do this.

If you wish to seek clarification on this, you can contact HMRC Childcare Services helpline on 0300 123 40 97.

Reconfirm your eligibility

Remember once you're eligible you must reconfirm your eligibility every 3 months from the date you applied to receive the entitlement. This also applies to Tax-Free Childcare.