Answers · UK 2025/26
How much is 30 hours free childcare worth in 2026/27?
Up to 30 funded hours a week over 38 term-time weeks is about 1,140 hours a year. At typical nursery rates of £6 to £8 an hour that is worth roughly £6,800 to £9,100 a year per child, though it covers the funded hours only and some providers add charges for meals and extras.
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Funded childcare in England provides up to 30 hours a week of government-funded early education for eligible working families, with younger ages being phased in. The 30 hours are normally provided over 38 weeks of the year (term time), which totals around 1,140 hours annually, though many nurseries let you stretch the hours over more weeks at fewer hours per week. The cash value depends on local nursery rates: at £6 an hour the 1,140 hours are worth about £6,840 a year, and at £8 an hour about £9,120 a year per child. To qualify, each parent generally needs to earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the National Living Wage and under £100,000 adjusted net income, the same income test used for Tax-Free Childcare. The funding covers the childcare hours themselves but not necessarily meals, nappies, trips or hours beyond the funded allocation, so most families still pay some top-up charges. You can usually combine the funded hours with Tax-Free Childcare to cover additional paid hours, getting a 20% top-up on what you pay yourself. Because the £100,000 income cap is a cliff edge, a parent just over the limit can lose both the funded hours and Tax-Free Childcare, so pension contributions that bring adjusted net income below £100,000 can be very valuable. Funding rules and ages differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Use the take-home pay calculator to check your adjusted net income for eligibility.
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This answer is informational only and does not constitute financial, tax or legal advice. Figures are for the 2025/26 UK tax year. See our methodology and sources.