Applications for the first wave of the rollout of the largest ever expansion of free childcare for working parents will open on 2 January, the government has announced today (Wednesday 29th November).
From January, eligible working parents of two-year-olds will be able to register to access 15 hours free childcare per week from April 2024, the first step in the government’s long-term plan to give working families a brighter future. The recommended time to register is between mid-January and the end of February.
As part of the largest investment in childcare in England’s history, further increases to government funding rates for childcare are also being confirmed today. In 2024-25 alone, we are investing over £400 million to deliver a significant uplift to local authority hourly rates, to ensure enough places are available wherever they’re needed around the country.
National average hourly rates paid by the government will be £11.22 for under twos, £8.28 for two-year-olds, and £5.88 for three- and four-year-olds from April. These rates reflect the increase in the National Living Wage from April 2024, which makes up a significant proportion of providers’ costs.
