30 hours childcare for working families
7. Hours and restrictions
The total hours that you can access across a year are shown below. You should speak to your childcare provider about how they offer the funded hours and think about what works for you.
| 15 hours universal funded childcare (all 3 and 4 year olds) |
30 hours funded childcare (15 hours funded plus additional 15 hours for eligible working families) |
|---|---|
| 570 hours per year | 1,140 hours per year |
| 15 hours per week over 38 weeks | 30 hours a week over 38 weeks |
| 11.17 hours per week over 51 weeks | 22.35 hours over 51 weeks |
| 10.95 hours per week for 52 weeks | 21.90 hours per week for 52 weeks |
When you speak with a childcare provider they will be able to explain these rules to you, or you can contact our Family Information Service.
Lunchtime
The funded place can be taken over a lunch break, if this is offered by your provider. Your provider may offer a meal at an additional cost; some providers may allow you to provide your child with a packed lunch, but not all providers will due to allergens. Any charges for additional services whilst accessing the funded hours must be optional and providers must offer reasonable alternatives which may mean waiving the charge if they do not allow parents to supply a packed lunch.
Getting the hours you want
The provider will work with you to consider your child's needs, your preferred hours/days, and the sessions where they currently have vacancies. They will do their best to give you the hours you want, but it is their decision on how they offer the funded entitlements based on availability of days and times.
If after talking it through, the provider is unable to take your child at the times you want, you will need to find another provider.
Holidays and sickness
If your child is unwell, you are not able to claim back any funded hours that your child has been unable to attend due to illness. The funded hours will be used to keep your child's place open for their return. If your child is unwell and unable to attend for more than four weeks, please contact your provider to discuss your child's place.
If your child is unable to attend due to a family holiday, their funded hours will normally be used to keep their funded place open until they return. Alternatively, if you discuss your holiday with your childcare provider, you may be able to pay a retainer to keep your child’s place open. This may mean that your child can receive their funded hours later in the term. This would be at the discretion of your provider and they are under no obligation to offer this.
Fees
You should not be charged for the funded place. Lancashire County Council pays the provider directly for your child's funded place and if your child doesn't get any additional hours there should not be a registration fee.
The provider may ask you to pay a deposit to secure your funded place, but this must be refunded to you within 4 weeks of your child starting. If your child does not take up the place the deposit is non-refundable.
If, however you choose to take up any additional hours or services from your provider, you will be charged accordingly for these and they may charge a registration fee. Please discuss this with your provider.
If you are using a provider that is open for more than 38 weeks, you will be charged for any additional time that your child attends.
Changes in circumstances
If you are no longer eligible for this offer you will still get 15 hours childcare for children aged 3-4 years. All 3 and 4-year-olds who live in England are entitled to this offer irrespective of income levels, benefit status, or family circumstances.