Funded early learning and childcare for 3 to 5 year olds

3 to 5 year olds can get up to 1,140 hours of funded early learning and childcare a year. This is around:

Funded early learning and childcare is free to you.

How to get a place

Local councils offer funded early learning and childcare.

They also work with private nurseries and childminders who offer funded early learning and childcare.

Get help to find a place from your local council

There are different childcare schemes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

This depends on:

Many local council nurseries get children to start at the beginning of a school term.

When your child can start nursery based on birth date
If your child turns 3 between	When they can start at a local council nursery in
1 March and 31 August	August (autumn term)
1 September and 31 December	January (spring term)
1 January and 28 or 29 February	March or April (summer term)

Contact your local council if you're not sure when your child can start.

If your child is 4 years old on the day they are due to start primary school, you can defer their entry.

Deferring means delaying your child starting school.

If you defer you can keep getting funded early learning and childcare.

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