CHILDCARE support is expanding from April enabling more eligible working parents to receive extra help for their childcare costs.
Applications are now open for eligible parents with a child who turns two on or before Sunday 31st March to claim up to 15 hours of childcare per week term time.
Parents can apply for their hours on a government website where they will receive their code which they will need to share with their childcare provider. To continue receiving the government support, parents will need to reconfirm their details every three months on their gov.uk account.
Depending on the eligibility criteria, the financial support available is not limited to nurseries, pre-schools and childminders, it could also be used for Ofsted registered breakfast clubs, after school clubs, activity clubs, home care workers and play schemes.
Wiltshire Council is promoting the expansion of the support. Cabinet member for children’s services cllr Laura Mayes, said, “We know there are many families who will be looking for childcare and this expansion of early education entitlements will offer more support for working parents.
“Many people have to juggle working alongside being a parent so we hope that this extra support will make it easier for parents to find affordable childcare.”
Further support will be available from September with the 15 hours of childcare expanding to eligible working parents in England for their children from the term after they turn nine months old. From September 2025 this will increase to 30 hours of childcare per week term time from the term after the child turns nine months until they reach school age.
This comes alongside the existing government childcare support, including 30 hours for three and four year-olds, Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) and Universal Credit Childcare. Parents might be able to use more than one offer to help with their childcare costs.
To find out more about the expansion of early education entitlements, parents can visit https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
For more information from Wiltshire Council, including information about all of the childcare providers in the area, visit https://parentportal.wiltshire.gov.uk.
Parents can apply for their hours on the government website https://www.gov.uk/
