Government Funded Hours

Government funding is available to help with the cost of nursery fees.

From the term following their third birthday, all pre-school age 3 and 4 year olds are eligible for 15 hours of free care per week, 38 weeks of the year. Some families may be entitled to up to 30 hours of free care per week, depending on personal circumstances.

From September 2025, working parents of children between 9 months and up to five years will be entitled to 30 hours' of childcare support/week.

Depending on your nursery provider, these hours can be used over 38 weeks of the year (during school term time) or up to 52 weeks if you use fewer than your total hours per week. 

Please note that parents with no recourse to public funds may not be eligible for all types of funding. Please see the NRPF website for the latest updates.

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All 3 and 4 year olds in England are entitled to 570 hours’ free childcare per year. These hours are usually taken over 38 weeks (during term-time) and so equate to 15 hours per week. Your child’s nursery may ask you to complete paperwork to ensure that your child gets the funding he or she is entitled to but you do not need to apply for a code with the County Council for this. 

All University of Oxford and community nurseries operate the 15 hours scheme, though how funds are allocated may vary, e.g. some nurseries may ‘stretch’ the free hours over a full calendar year. Funding is applied to your fees the term after your child's third birthday.

Some working parents may be eligible for an additional 570 hours’ free childcare each year (or a total of 30 hours per week taken over 38 weeks). To check if you are eligible for the 30 hours scheme, please look on the government website. 

 

Finance Enquiries

University Nurseries

01865 289835

childcarefinance@admin.ox.ac.uk

 

Community Nurseries

01865 289841

childcarefinance@admin.ox.ac.uk 

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