All children are entitled to up to 15 hours (and under certain circumstances, 30 hours) of free early education per week during term time from the beginning of the term after their third birthday until they either go into a reception class or reach compulsory school age (the term following their fifth birthday). Some children may qualify for 15 hours, subject to parents’ earnings from the term after a child turns 9 months old.

To find out if you qualify, go to www.beststartinlife.gov.uk and fill in the short form to check your entitlement.

The following dates show from which term your child will be eligible for the ‘free early education entitlement’. Please note that these dates are determined by central government (and are in line with school admissions) and hence exceptions cannot be made.

Birthday on or between Eligible to start

• 1 January – 31 March (inclusive) Spring term
• 1 April – 31 August (inclusive) Summer term
• 1 September – 31 December (inclusive) Autumn term

Children accessing free early education can claim up to 570 hours per year (or up to 1,140 hours where eligible for the extended 15 hours).

This may be either 15 (or 30) hours per week over 38 weeks of the year term time only.

The free hours must be claimed over a minimum of 3 sessions per week, which cannot be less than 3 hours per day or more than 10 hours per day

For more information or further clarification of the funding please see the ‘Help Paying for Childcare’ section on https://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/families or call the Families Information Service on 01895 556 489.