Extended Childcare Entitlement

Did you know that you could benefit from extra childcare support?

Allowance for free childcare entitlement has been extended by up to an additional 15 hours per week (over 38 weeks of the year) for eligible working families. This means many children aged three and four are now benefitting from up to 30 hours per week (over 38 weeks of the year) of free early learning and childcare by participating.

In addition to the increased allowance, eligible working families may also be entitlted to access tax-free childcare to help with the cost of childcare.

For more information about eligibility and to make your application to either schemes, you can visit the national website here: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ If you live in Essex, the Essex County Council (ECC) are also providing additional information and advice. To find out more about childcare in Essex, you can visit: www.essex.gov.uk/earlyyears

ECC also have a Family Information Service which you can call on: 0800 055 6874, and you can also speak to your local Family Hub or childcare provider.

If you're looking for more support about getting into work yourself or want to know more about, you can also check out our new, free guide to getting a job in Essex!