Working parent entitlement - Providers

This page is for childcare providers; if you are a parent view our parents' information page.

The working parent entitlement is the offer of 15 hours per week from 9-months-old and an additional 15 hours on top of the universal entitlement per week for 3 and 4-year-olds. This is available to working parents, full details of the eligibility criteria can be found on Childcare Choices (opens new window).

Children may only start accessing the working parent entitlement from the term following their birthday (or when they turn 9-months-old) AND the term following receipt of their eligibility code from HMRC, whichever is later. For the purpose of this funding, terms are defined as:

Autumn Term : 1 September - 31 December
Spring Term: 1 January - 31 March
Summer Term: 1 April - 31 August

Parents are encouraged to apply to HMRC's Childcare Service in the term before their child birthday in order to access a place in the term following their child's birthday. The Code's start date only confirms that the child meets the income requirements as at that date - Childcare Providers must check the child's date of birth to decide with the extended entitlement can start.

Parents must renew their code approximately every three months. Failure to renew a code in time may result in a parent becoming ineligible to access the extended entitlement.

Date parameters
Birthday	When they can access working parent entitlement	Recommended time to apply	Start date of code must be:
1 September to 31 December	Spring term starting 1 January	15 October to 30 November	31 December or before
1 January to 31 March	Summer term starting 1 April	15 January to 28 February	31 March or before
1 April to 31 August	Autumn term starting 1 September	15 June to 31 July	31 August or before

On being awarded eligibility, parents are given an 11 digit 'code' which will stay with the child until their reach compulsory school age, regardless of whether they drop in or out of eligibility.