30 Hours of Funded Childcare
Working families in Buckshaw Village and Chorley can access up to 30 hours a week of funded childcare at our Ofsted Outstanding nursery. Check your eligibility, see how many hours you can claim and apply in a few simple steps.
Eligible working families can claim 15 or 30 hours a week of government funded childcare at Buckshaw Village Nursery. Apply through the government portal at childcarechoices.gov.uk, then send your code to our office at jenny@thehub-buckshaw.co.uk before the new term starts.
What is funded childcare?
The government offers funded childcare hours to help families with the cost of early years care and education. Depending on your circumstances and your child's age, you may be entitled to 15 or 30 funded hours a week during term time. At Buckshaw Village Nursery, our Ofsted Outstanding team welcomes funded places alongside our fee paying places, so children from Buckshaw Village, Chorley, Leyland, Euxton, Preston and Whittle-le-Woods all benefit from the same warm, high quality care.
Funded hours cover term time only, which is 38 weeks a year. Standard fees apply for the remaining weeks and for any additional hours or sessions you choose above your funded entitlement.
Who is eligible and how many hours?
The number of funded hours you can claim depends on your working situation and your child's age. The three groups below explain the main entitlements.
Working families
Where each parent (or the sole parent) earns at least £183 a week, equivalent to 16 hours at the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage.
- 15 hours a week for children aged 9 months to 3 years (from September 2024)
- 30 hours a week for children aged 3 to 4 years
- 30 hours a week for children aged 9 months to 4 years (from September 2025)
Families on support
Families receiving Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Universal Credit or Child Tax Credit may qualify for:
- 15 hours a week for children aged 2 years
- 15 hours a week for children aged 3 years
All families
Every family, regardless of working status or income, is entitled to the universal early years funding:
- 15 hours a week for all children aged 3 to 4 years
Entitlements are set by the government and are being expanded in stages. If you are unsure which hours apply to your family, call the nursery on 01772 456108 and we will happily talk it through.
15 hours or 30 hours: what is the difference?
The 15 hour entitlement is the universal offer available to all three and four year olds, and to eligible two year olds and younger children. The 30 hour entitlement is the extended offer for working families who meet the earnings threshold. Both are funded during term time only, across 38 weeks a year.
Many families combine their funded hours with additional paid sessions to suit their working pattern. Our team will help you build a weekly schedule that works for you and stays within your child's room and age group.
How to apply for funded hours
Applying is straightforward. Follow these four steps and we will do the rest.
Check and apply online
Confirm your eligibility and apply through the government portal at childcarechoices.gov.uk.
Receive your code
The government issues you a unique eligibility code once your application is approved.
Send us your code
Forward your code to our nursery office at jenny@thehub-buckshaw.co.uk before the new term begins.
We apply your hours
We validate your code and apply your funded hours to your child\'s place at the nursery.
Deadlines and reconfirming your code
You must apply and confirm your eligibility code by the end of the month before the new term begins. For example, to use funded hours from the April term, apply by 31 March.
If you claim the 30 hour entitlement as a working family, you must reconfirm your eligibility every three months through your government childcare account. To help you stay on track, the government sends reminders on the following schedule:
- First reminder: 4 weeks before your deadline
- Second reminder: 2 weeks before your deadline
- Final notification: on your deadline day
If your code lapses, your funded hours may pause until you reconfirm, so it is worth setting your own reminder too.
Need help with your funding?
Our nursery office is happy to guide you through eligibility, codes and deadlines. You can find full official guidance at childcarechoices.gov.uk, or get in touch with us directly at The Hub, Unity Place, Buckshaw Village, Chorley, PR7 7HZ.
In short: eligible working families in Chorley can claim up to 30 funded hours a week for their child at our Ofsted Outstanding nursery, funded across 38 term time weeks. Apply at childcarechoices.gov.uk, send your code to jenny@thehub-buckshaw.co.uk by the end of the month before term, and reconfirm every three months.
Funded childcare questions answered
Who is eligible for 30 hours of funded childcare?
How do I apply for funded childcare hours?
What is the deadline to claim funded hours?
How often do I need to reconfirm my funded hours?
Are funded childcare hours available all year round?
Start your funded childcare place today
Speak to our friendly team about funded hours and a warm welcome at Buckshaw Village Nursery.