Places boosted even further with new measures to support childminders, and funding rates confirmed for all childcare providers ahead of historic rollout.
Applications for the second phase of the largest ever expansion of free childcare in England’s history will open on 12 May, the government has announced today (Friday 15 March).
From that date, eligible working parents of children from 9 months old will be able to register to access 15 hours of government-funded childcare a week, with the offer beginning from September 2024. This is the second step in our plan to grow the economy and give every child the chance to succeed through accessible, affordable and quality childcare.
The rollout will see hundreds of thousands of parents access support with childcare costs for the first time, saving parents using the full 30 hours from September 2025 nearly £7,000 a year and the government is continuing to support providers and parents to plan ahead and prepare for the next phase of the rollout.
