30 Hours Funded Childcare Expansion Starts: Who Can Apply

Starting today, working parents in England can apply for 30 hours of funded childcare for children aged nine months and older. The full rollout begins on 1 September 2025 and aims to offer parents more support, flexibility, and freedom to balance work and family life.

📌 Key Highlights of the Childcare Expansion

• 👶 30 hours of free childcare weekly for children aged 9 months to school age

• 🗓️ Applications open now, with the full rollout from 1 September 2025

• 👩‍👦 Designed to support working families and ease financial pressure

• 🏫 Backed by school-based nursery expansions across England

💬 What the Government Says

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson called the scheme a “generational shift” in support for working parents:

“This gives mothers the freedom to choose their careers and plan the family life they want—with help from the government.”

She added that the policy empowers women to decide their family size without being burdened by childcare costs.

🏫 Nursery Expansion to Meet Demand

To ensure enough childcare spaces, the government is funding:

• 🏫 300 school-based nursery projects in England

• 💷 Schools can receive up to £150,000 to expand or repurpose space

• 📈 Around 6,000 new places, with 4,000 ready by September 2025

This is part of a larger Labour plan to open 3,000 nurseries by upgrading space in primary schools.

🔄 Timeline of the Rollout

• ✅ Already available: 15 hours for children 9 months+

• ⏳ Starting September: 30 hours for eligible working families

• 🏁 Goal: Full support until the child starts school

🧍 What This Means for Parents

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families with more than one child often struggle with childcare costs and drop-off routines. This expansion:

• 💸 Cuts down on nursery expenses

• ⏰ Saves time by combining nursery and school pickups

• 💼 Allows parents, especially women, to return to work more easily

⚖️ Benefit Cap Still in Spotlight

While the childcare policy is widely praised, Labour is under pressure to scrap the two-child benefit cap, a policy from the previous Conservative government.

Charities warn it may push child poverty to record highs by 2029 if not repealed.

📝 Quick Recap

• 📍 30 hours of free childcare for kids aged 9 months+

• 🗓️ Full rollout: 1 September 2025

• 🏫 300 new/expanded nurseries across England

• 💬 Bridget Phillipson calls it a “game-changer” for working women